Supported by the Menarini Group, researchers from the University of L’Aquila in Italy have conducted a randomised, double-blind, controlled, parallel arm study into the effects of daily consumption of an antioxidant mix on the cognitive function of healthy older adults.
The study tested an antioxidant mix comprising bacopa, lycopene, astaxanthin and vitamin B12, and ultimately provided “encouraging evidence,” according to the researchers, that regular dietary supplementation with such a mix may help counteract age-related cognitive decline.
The researchers note that long-term oxidative stress is understood to be an important contributor to declining cognitive function with age. This is said to be exacerbated by the brain tissue’s high level of request for oxygen and the relative weakness of its antioxidant systems, in addition to its high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid, which makes it more vulnerable to oxidative injury.
A recent meta-analysis referenced by the study also demonstrated “increased consumption of fruit and vegetables was associated with significant reduction in the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia”. Given that fruit and vegetables contain several antioxidant compounds, the researchers theorised that a mixture of antioxidative compounds might be more effective than individual compounds, noting there is some evidence of synergism between some carotenoids and other antioxidants.
From these base assumptions, the researchers designed a programme with the aim of finding out if a supplement containing bacopa, lycopene, astaxanthin and vitamin B12 would have beneficial effects on brain health and function. Lycopene is a carotenoid found in romatoes and red fruits such as watermelon and pink graphefruit, astaxanthin is a carotenoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) is a creeping herb which has been shown to inhibit free radical formation during in vitro studies. Vitamin B12 also plays a key role in brain and nervous system function, and for the formation of red blood cells.
The study tested 80 generally healthy subjects aged 60 and above on their scores in trail making tests from a baselines to 8 weeks of treatment, with a secondary test of the participants’ scores in a verbal fluency test (VFT), the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), MMSE, and a Rey auditory verbal learning test. Subjects were randomly allocated a mix of the four compounds or a placebo.
The study found significant differences in the two groups’ TMT scores, with the active group taking 21.01 seconds less to complete TMT-B and 6.08 seconds less to complete TMT-A and 14.56 second less to complete TMT-B minus TMT-A. Further to this, the active group displayed a significantly increased score in the VFT test, although no significant differences were observed across the other neuropsychological tests.
The researchers noted the clinical relevance of this study requires some interrogation, particularly in reference to the synergistic function of the compounds in the supplement. They note that the compounds did demonstrate synergistic effects in vitro, but this might not necessarily translate directly in vivo. They conclude, however, that regular intake of the antioxidant mix studied can improve cognitive function in healthy older adults, and that dietary supplementation with such a mix may offer benefits against the cognitive degradation associated with brain ageing.