Abstract
In terms of reduction of risk factors for arteriosclerosis, we compared the effects of daily intake of blueberries with those of spontaneous exercise using male Wistar rats. In experiment I, in which the rats were maintained for 11 weeks on a normal diet, the serum HDL-cholesterol level in rats that were supplied with additional blueberry paste every day was higher than that in the control rats. In experiment II, in which the rats were maintained on a high-fat diet, the calcium/elastin level (an index of arterial calcification) was lowest in rats that were supplied with blueberries daily, although there was no improvement in the serum cholesterol level. The serum cholesterol level and the triglyceride level were both decreased in the rats allowed spontaneous exercise, and their calcium/elastin level was also lower than that in the control rats. These results suggest that daily intake of blueberries and spontaneous exercise are both effective for decreasing of risk of arteriosclerosis, although the degree of the effect of each factor seems to be different.
