One cup of blueberries a day can improve artery function, support the aging brain, and help regulate blood sugar in ways that go far beyond antioxidants A brand new solo episode of the FoundMyFitness podcast with Dr. Rhonda Patrick is out now She discusses: • One cup vs. half a cup for artery function • Memory benefits and links to lower dementia risk • Who may see greater blood sugar benefits • How blueberries may help relieve gut symptoms • Why bananas may blunt blueberry polyphenols And so much more Link in the next post

Daily blueberry intake changed the expression of more than 600 genes in blood cells Researchers identified 63 circulating metabolites derived from anthocyanins (polyphenols abundant in blueberries), with 14 associated with improved artery dilation The gene-expression changes involved pathways related to immune signaling and cell behavior Together, these findings suggest blueberries do more than provide antioxidants, helping shape the signals that guide how cells function

Eating blueberries improves vascular function. One cup per day is effective, but half a cup does not not produce the same benefit. Adults with metabolic syndrome that ate one cup rather than only a half-cup or matched placebo improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) by about 1.5 percentage points in a six-month randomized trial. FMD measures how effectively an artery widens when blood flow increases, essentially a "stress test" for the endothelium. It's relevant because studies have shown it is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular disease events. The one-cup dose is consistent with other studies showing cardiovascular, metabolic, and brain-health benefits of blueberries.

From a new episode of the FoundMyFitness podcast The science-backed case for 1 cup of blueberries per day Watch it here: youtube.com/watch?v=IKdShZ2C…

Brand new episode out now The Science of Blueberries for Brain & Vascular Health • Why one cup may be the sweet spot • How blueberries help arteries widen on demand • Can blueberries slow cognitive aging? • How anthocyanins may improve glucose handling • Why polyphenols are more than antioxidants Watch it now: youtube.com/watch?v=IKdShZ2C…

Dr Rhonda Patrick says receipts are covered in BPA, and hand sanitiser or lotion can carry about a hundredfold more of it into your bloodstream. Her advice: get receipts emailed, and if you're a cashier, wear nitrile gloves because latex won't protect you. @foundmyfitness

Bananas contain unusually high levels of polyphenol oxidase, or PPO, an enzyme responsible for browning that also degrades polyphenols. That's why, on the occasion I happen to make a smoothie, I usually use a lower-PPO ingredient such as avocado instead. A high-PPO banana smoothie reduced peak blood levels of epicatechin-derived metabolites by 84% in a small, crossover experiment. A low-PPO mixed-berry smoothie preserved exposure. This was primarily a cocoa-epicatechin experiment rather than a direct test of blueberry anthocyanins or health outcomes. But PPO can oxidize epicatechin and blueberry chlorogenic acid, and the resulting compounds indirectly degrade anthocyanins. Bananas are healthy. But I think leaving them out of a food combination where they can interact too directly with polyphenols is a sensible optimization.