6 replies to this topic

[edward]

This is something I have been wondering.

The compounds shown to cross the blood brain barrier and are supposed to be responsible for Blueberry's affect on cognitive functioning are Anthocyanins. An expensive blueberry supplement can be had standardized to 2.5% Anthocyanins. A very expensive blueberry supplement can be had standardized to 12.5% Anthocyanins (VitaBlue, as made famous by LEF).

A cheap Bilberry supplement can be had standardized to 25% Anthocyanins! BAC has one.

Both berries contain Pterostilbene (both in very very small amounts)

Both berries are so very similar and look well almost identical see pictures (not that that really means anything) bilberry http://www.fotosearc...SH126/gs016025/ blueberry http://www.fotosearc.../BNS300/mkf069/

Even chemically they seem very very similar...

The only difference I see is that the Blueberry craze is so recent that there aren't many standardized products out there yet (hence the high prices and the low % of standardization), while bilberry supplements have been around forever for eyesight and night vision, thus have become relatively cheap and standardized for high Anthocyanin content...

It just so happens that the recent studies used blueberry not bilberry... if they had used bilberry do you think the results would have been any different?

speling gramer

Edited by edward, 10 February 2008 - 07:58 PM.

[balance]

I have been wondering about this myself! I also figured there's something off about that standardization and pricing... That said I have heard that there still are some unique compounds in bilberry not found in blueberry, don't know if this is a fact though. I think the results wouldn't be identical though. Take a look at cranberry... also contains Anthocyanins yet works in the urinary tract area mostly. Kind of like Duke said about cinnamon and cocoa having different effects.

[tintinet]

Have you seen this post?

[rfarris]

Have you seen this post?

No. What does it say?

[edward]

Have you seen this post?

Yes I read that a while back. I don't think BAC is selling fake bilberry extract. Their extract is only cheap when compared to blueberry. Regardless that is not really the issue. I am trying to see if anyone know what the difference is, ie what is the magical compound that makes bilberry extract different from blueberry. As far as I can see they both are very similar. The only data I can find again is on Anthocyanins and Pterostilbene both of which are present in Bilberry and Blueberry.

[maxwatt]

It is more complicated that blueberry versus bilberry; there are numerous species generically called "blueberry", and each has its own signature blend of anthocyanines and stilbenes. No doubt growing conditions also influence the content:

J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jul 28;52(15):4713-9.
Resveratrol, pterostilbene, and piceatannol in vaccinium berries.Rimando AM, Kalt W, Magee JB, Dewey J, Ballington JR.
Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, ARS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 8048, University, Mississippi 38677, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville, Nova Scotia B4N 1J5, Canada. arimando@ars.usda.gov

A study was conducted to determine the presence of resveratrol, pterostilbene, and piceatannol in Vaccinium berries. Samples representing selections and cultivars of 10 species from Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, and Canada were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Resveratrol was found in Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry), Vaccinium arboretum (sparkleberry), Vaccinium ashei (rabbiteye blueberry), Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry), Vaccinium elliottii (Elliott's blueberry), Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry), Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry), Vaccinium stamineum (deerberry), Vaccinium vitis-ideae var. vitis-ideae (lingonberry), and Vaccinium vitis-ideae var. minor (partridgeberry) at levels between 7 and 5884 ng/g dry sample. Lingonberry was found to have the highest content, 5884 ng/g dry sample, comparable to that found in grapes, 6471 ng/g dry sample. Pterostilbene was found in two cultivars of V. ashei and in V. stamineum at levels of 99-520 ng/g dry sample. Piceatannol was found in V. corymbosum and V. stamineum at levels of 138-422 ng/g dry sample. These naturally occurring stilbenes, known to be strong antioxidants and to have cancer chemopreventive activities, will add to the purported health benefits derived from the consumption of these small fruits. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

PMID: 15264904

The full text, with tables detailing what is in which species, and be downloaded here if your institution has access, or for a fee
Abstract and link to PDF

[edward]

Thanks for the info maxwatt, when I looked into this I found there are a whole array of small blueberry looking berries in the Vaccinium family. Even some of the supposed "blueberry" extracts are using some of the member of the family that we normally wouldn't call "blueberry", at least the berries available here in the US at your local supermarket. Yes it is not a simple subject.