Scientists have discovered how the pomegranate juice protects the brain

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Pomegranate juice is a valuable source of polyphenols.

Regular consumption of pomegranate juice by pregnant women has a positive effect on the brain of their children suffering from intrauterine growth restriction (intrauterine growth restriction, IUGR). To such conclusion scientists from the Women’s hospital named Brigham (Boston, USA), writes the Chronicle.info with reference to rambler.ru.

IUGR is a condition when a child in the womb is smaller than it should be according to the established metrics. Despite a full-term pregnancy, these children are born weighing less than 2.5 kilograms. This is often caused by problems with the placenta through which the fetus receives oxygen and nutrients. The process of birth could further reduce the flow of blood or oxygen, including the brain of a child. In extreme cases, this leads to hypoxic-ischemic injury of the nervous cells, and this can be fatal.

In this regard, scientists have wondered how you can prevent unwanted consequences before the birth of the baby. Pomegranate juice is a valuable source of polyphenols, which include tannic acid and ellagitannin. It is known that these substances successfully penetrate the blood brain barrier, and previous studies in animal models have demonstrated their protective effect against neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, it was hypothesized that pomegranate juice can have a positive impact on the brain development of the child in the womb.

In a randomized controlled double blind study involved 78 pregnant on the period from 24 to 43 weeks. Half of them received daily 8 ounces of pomegranate juice (almost 250 ml), and the second — a placebo drink with the same taste and calories, but without polyphenols. Woman drinking juice daily from enrollment until delivery.

Although scientists at the end of the experiment did not notice the differences in the macrostructure of the brain of infants, small differences in the microstructure of white matter and functional connectivity of neurons to identify managed. Mothers received a daily serving of pomegranate juice, children were born with more developed brain. Also these kids were the best the blood supply to nerve cells.

Scientists emphasize that it is only the first study in this direction in the near future they intend to conduct a more extensive experiment. The full results of this work can be found in an article published in the journal PLOS One.

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