Sue On Assignment here! I am back with the second thing from the list Lin gave me.
This one is bilberries. Now once again, I was not truly sure what I was researching. It wasn’t a huge intellectual stretch to figure out a bilberry is a berry. But what exactly is it?
WebMD suggests there are bilberries in Great Britain. It appears they make a great jam. Supposedly bilberry jam helped the allies win the war. Bombers needed good night vision.
So, back to what is it anyway? The bilberry is a small, bluish-purple berry related to the cranberry, the huckleberry, and the American blueberry. It’s a really good family. Every member of the family carries a lot of anthocyanosides.
And what, pray tell, is an anthocyanoside? It is a flavonoid. Now I know as much as I knew before! Dig deeper, Sue.
A flavonoid is a one of a group of plant metabolites that has been thought to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has been suggested that flavonoids can be good for our bodies and help protect us from many diseases caused by inflammation and oxidative stress. Of course, one of these diseases would be Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
Flavonoids have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanosides are flavonoids and bilberries have anthocyanosides. I looked at clinicaltrials.gov and there was nothing on bilberries and AMD. I then searched for anthocyanosides and AMD. Still zip.
Then I just searched clinical trials.gov for anthocyanosides or bilberries alone and got a number of hits. 107 to be exact. A lot of them were on related or kinda related topics (brain health, diabetes) but I decided to look at only the ones that were related to vision.
The first article that matched anthocyanosides was Blueberry Effects on Dark Vision and Glare Recovery. Note: that is blueberry. The abstract indicated that neither dark adaptation nor night vision were improved by anthocyanin intake. Photobleaching recovery was faster but the researchers were not sure the difference would be enough to affect everyday visual functioning.
The second article was Efficacy and Tolerability of a Bilberry Extract in Volunteers with Impaired Twilight and Night Vision. Results suggested there was significant improvement in contrast vision and visual acuity. However, the researchers then wrote “the two significant treatment effects observed probably occurred by chance”. There were no significant differences in night vision.
The last study I found in clinical trials.gov was Effects of a Standardized Bilberry Extract in Improving the Night Vision of Healthy Volunteers. Clinicaltrials.gov did not have it marked completed nor could I find a published article. Another study that went “poof” it would appear.
The takeaway message on all this appears to be nicely summed up in the takeaway message section of verywellhealth.com’s article Bilberry for Eye Health. To quote: There is still not enough scientific support for the use of Bilberry for eye conditions…..consult your physician”. [Lin/Linda: I’m going to quote more from this article below. It’s about side effects.]
That said, there appears to be more promise for bilberry extract and other fruits containing anthocyanosides than there was for astaxanthin, for example. Lots of people are experimenting with the substance for a wide variety of conditions. If that many researchers are looking, there might be something there.
And one more note on this: there are at least a dozen anthocyanoside sources they are experimenting with. Everything from cherries to raspberries to blue potatoes. Shop around. Most blue and purple fruits have flavonoids and something other than bilberries might fit your budget better.
Written October 13th, 2018
From verywellhealth.com’s article Bilberry for Eye Health:
Side Effects
Bilberry fruit is generally considered safe for most people when the fruit is consumed in typical amounts in food. Little is known about the safety of bilberry in supplement form, particularly when taken regularly or in large doses.
There’s some concern that bilberry extracts may lower blood sugar levels. You shouldn’t take bilberry supplements within two weeks of a scheduled surgery.
Keep in mind that self-treating any eye condition and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences.
Another article from HealthDay about bilberry:
It may be good for your eyes. Researchers believe that bilberry may improve retinal lesions due to diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy. Others speculate that bilberry may help prevent disorders such as macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma, all of which can rob you of your eyesight as you age. More research is needed in this area.
and
How safe is it?
In Europe, bilberry extract is the active ingredient in a number of over-the-counter and prescription drugs; no toxic effects have ever been reported. However, its compounds can inhibit blood clotting, so don’t use it if you’re already taking medication to thin your blood. Remember, too, that impaired vision or eye disease of any kind is a serious condition and should be discussed with a medical professional. If you’re considering using bilberry supplements or you’re concerned about your vision, tell your doctor. It’s also important to know that bilberry leaf and bilberry leaf extract is toxic in high doses. It’s best to stick to the fruit, but if you take a supplement, be careful not to overdo it.
Go back to the list of “On Assignment” pages