Blackcurrant Supplementation and Habitual Physical Activity Enhance Functional Capacity and Quality of Life in Previously Sedentary Older Women

Stefania Chatzopoulou; Eleftherios Dimitros; Marika Massaro; Antonio Cicchella; Athanasios Jamurtas; Evangelia Kouidi; Dimitrios Tsiptsios; Glen P Kenny; Antonia Kaltsatou

doi:10.2174/0118746098261936231223164430

Blackcurrant Supplementation and Habitual Physical Activity Enhance Functional Capacity and Quality of Life in Previously Sedentary Older Women

Curr Aging Sci. 2024 Jan 17. doi: 10.2174/0118746098261936231223164430. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Stefania Chatzopoulou¹, Eleftherios Dimitros², Marika Massaro³, Antonio Cicchella³, Athanasios Jamurtas⁴, Evangelia Kouidi⁵, Dimitrios Tsiptsios⁶, Glen P Kenny⁷, Antonia Kaltsatou⁴

Affiliations

¹ Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Trikala 42100, Greece
² Exercise Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
³ Quality of Life Studies, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy
⁴ Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100, Greece
⁵ Sports Medicine Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thermi 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece
⁶ Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
⁷ Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada

PMID: 38317475
DOI: 10.2174/0118746098261936231223164430

Abstract

Background: Loss of functional capacity negatively impacts the quality of life in older adults.

Objective: This single-site randomized controlled study examined whether short- (one week) and long-term (three months) blackcurrant supplementations combined with habitual physical activity would improve functional capacity and quality of life in previously sedentary older women.

Methods: Thirty sedentary, healthy older women were randomly assigned to receive blackcurrant supplementation (400 mg of blackcurrant extract) (Polyphenol group, n=15; 74.2±10.0 years) or no supplementation (capsules of 400 mg of corn flour) (Placebo group, n=15; 72.8±8.7 years). Each group consumed two capsules daily for one week and three months, with a washout period of one week between the two phases. The polyphenol group was required to increase habitual activity levels. Participants underwent a functional capacity assessment consisting of a six- minute walk, sit-to-stand test, Berg balance scale measurement and quality of life evaluation with the Scale of Life Satisfaction Index (LSI) at the start, after one week, and after three months of supplementation.

Results: Walking distance and time to sit-to-stand improved by 2.5% (p=0.005) and 7.5% (p=0.005), respectively, after one week in the polyphenol group. After 3 months, walking distance in the six-minute walk test increased by 12.3% (p=0.001) while the time to sit-to-stand decreased by 16% (p=0.002) in the polyphenol compared to placebo group, respectively. No differences in Berg balance scale were observed. Quality of life, indexed by LSI, improved by 39% (p=0.001) in the polyphenol compared to the placebo group.

Conclusion: Blackcurrant supplementation, combined with habitual activity, may enhance functional capacity and quality of life in older women, offering a potential strategy to maintain independence. However, future studies should address longer durations to validate these findings.

Keywords: Polyphenols; antioxidant; blackcurrant supplement; cognitive function; exercise training; fatigue.; functional capacity; older adults.