A joint study by S&B Foods and the University of Tsukuba found that some measures of cognitive function may have improved compared with the placebo group among adults aged 65 and over who consumed cumin extract for 12 weeks. Cumin is commonly used as a food ingredient, with participants taking 25 mg per day for 12 weeks. The findings were published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted using cumin extract in adults aged 65 and over. Participants were divided into cumin and placebo groups. Cognitive function was assessed using Cognitrax, and blood markers of oxidative stress and inflammation were also measured.
The study reported significant improvements in two measures of cognitive function, cognitive processing speed and reaction time, in the cumin group compared with the placebo group. Blood IL-6 levels showed a downward trend before and after the trial in the cumin group, but no interaction between group and time was confirmed, and the researchers said that a causal relationship could not be established.
The study was conducted jointly by a group led by Isoda Hiroko (礒田 博子) and colleagues at the University of Tsukuba and S&B Foods. Its aim was to extend existing data on cuminal, a major component of cumin, into clinical validation. The findings were published in the online journal Frontiers in Nutrition.