Effects of Supplementation with a Microalgae Extract from Phaeodactylum tricornutum Containing Fucoxanthin on Cognition and Markers of Health in Older Individuals with Perceptions of Cognitive Decline
Abstract
Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT) is a microalgae extract that contains fucoxanthin and has been shown to enhance cognitive function in younger populations. The present study assessed if PT supplementation affects cognition in healthy, young-old, physically active adults with self-perceptions of cognitive and memory decline.
Methods: Forty-three males and females (64.3 ± 6.0 years, 79.8 ± 16.0 kg, 27.0 ± 4.0 kg/m2) with perceptions of cognitive and memory decline completed the double-blind, randomized, parallel-arm, placebo-controlled intervention clinical trial. Participants were counterbalanced by sex and BMI and randomly allocated to their respective 12-week supplementation interventions, which were either the placebo (PL) or 1100 mg/day of PT containing 8.8 mg of fucoxanthin (FX). Fasting blood samples were collected, and cognitive assessments were performed during the testing session at 0, 4, and 12 weeks of intervention. The data were analyzed by multivariate and univariate general linear model (GLM) analyses with repeated measures, pairwise comparisons, and mean changes from baseline analysis with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the clinical significance of the findings.
Results: FX supplementation significantly affected (p p > 0.05 to p < 0.10 with effect sizes ranging from medium to large) for word recall, picture recognition reaction time, Stroop color-word test, choice reaction time, and digit vigilance test variables. Additionally, FX supplementation…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
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