Benefits
Episodic memory in older adults
In a 6-month trial of 215 healthy adults aged 60 to 70, 600 mg/day did not improve the main visuospatial memory test overall but improved verbal free recall. People with the weakest memory at the start (the lowest quarter) improved on the main test and on delayed verbal recognition. Activ'Inside staff co-authored the trial.
Processing speed and executive function
In a 6-month trial of 143 adults aged 60 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment, 300 mg/day improved processing speed, visuospatial learning and a self-rated executive function score more than placebo. Episodic memory, the main outcome, did not differ, other tests showed no difference, and the trial was funded by Activ'Inside.
Working memory during sustained mental effort
In a crossover trial of 30 healthy students, a single 600 mg dose improved serial subtraction scores during an hour of demanding mental tasks compared with placebo, with a non-significant trend for a visual processing task. Blood vessel function did not change. Activ'Inside funded the study, and two co-authors were its employees.
Mechanism of action
Combined grape and blueberry polyphenols
The extract combines flavan-3-ols such as catechin and epicatechin, mainly from grape, with blueberry polyphenols. In animals, taking the two together increased blood levels of blueberry metabolites, which the makers propose as the reason for combining them.
Nerve growth factor (animal data)
In middle-aged mice, the extract improved spatial navigation learning, modulated markers of brain plasticity and raised nerve growth factor mRNA. These effects have not been measured in people.
Polyphenol metabolites and memory
In the 6-month trial in healthy older adults, urinary levels of specific flavan-3-ol metabolites at the end of the study were associated with the memory improvements.
Clinical trials
Bicentric randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 600 mg/day (258 mg flavonoids) for 6 months; four authors, including the first author, listed an Activ'Inside affiliation. (Bensalem et al. 2019, J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci)
215 healthy adults aged 60 to 70.
The primary outcome, the CANTAB Paired Associate Learning test, did not improve in the whole group. Verbal free recall improved. In the quarter of participants with the lowest baseline scores, the extract improved the primary test and delayed verbal recognition. Urinary flavan-3-ol metabolites were associated with the memory gains.
Two-arm randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 150 mg twice daily (300 mg/day) for 24 weeks, funded by Activ'Inside, whose employees co-authored the paper and supplied the capsules. (Lopresti et al. 2023, Front Psychol)
143 adults aged 60 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment.
Episodic memory, the primary outcome, did not differ from placebo. Processing speed (p = 0.020), visuospatial learning (p = 0.012) and the BRIEF-A executive function score (p = 0.046) improved more than with placebo; no other cognitive tests or questionnaires differed, and p values were not adjusted for multiple testing. No significant adverse reactions were reported.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of a single 600 mg dose, with testing starting 90 minutes later; funded by Activ'Inside, with two employees as co-authors. (Philip et al. 2019, Antioxidants (Basel))
30 healthy students aged 18 to 25.
Serial three subtraction scores improved about 2.5-fold versus placebo (p < 0.001), with a non-significant trend for rapid visual information processing accuracy (p = 0.058). Flow-mediated dilation did not change.