The wolfberry, Lycium barbarum or goji berry, resembles a red raisin. Members of the boxthorn family, goji berries are native to Southeast Europe and Asia and are related to the nightshade plants: potato, tomato, eggplant, tobacco and chili pepper. Goji leaves and root bark are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Goji berries are rich sources of antioxidants, carotenoids, lutein, zearanthin, iron, zinc, selenium, essential fatty acids and fiber as well as respectable amounts of protein. They've earned superfood status in the health food industry. Goji berries have not been approved to prevent or treat any disease.
Male Infertility
Goji berries are considered an aphrodisiac and male fertility treatment in China. Q. Luo and colleagues of Wuhan University in China experimented by giving carbohydrates from goji berries to rats and mice. When the rats were subjected to heat, the goji berries protected testicular cells and preserved function compared to controls. In mice subjected to hydrogen peroxide, the same protective effects were seen. Rats that had been partially castrated and given goji berries were able to have an erection and mount females significantly faster than similarly injured controls. Goji berries also improved sperm quantity and quality in the animals. Findings were published in the July 2006 issue of "Life Sciences."
Prevent Vision Loss
Age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma can lead to irreversible blindness. Zearanthin and lutein are two antioxidants found in goji berries that are thought to preserve eyesight. C.Y. Cheng and colleagues at Hong Kong Polytechnic University gave 14 healthy volunteers a serving of 15 grams of whole goji berries daily for 28 days, comparing blood levels to 13 matched controls. The results, published in the January 2005 "British Journal of Nutrition," proved that regular consumption of goji berries significantly raised zeaxanthin levels in the blood and reduced the risk of vision loss. In glaucoma, elevated fluid pressure in the eyes destroys cells in the retina. H.C. Chan and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong induced glaucoma in rats and treated the study group with goji berry extract. The retinal cells in rats receiving the remedy almost completely escaped retinal damage. The study was published in the January 2007 "Experimental Neurology."
Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
Goji berries are traditionally used in Asia to fight cancer and aging. Alzheimer's disease may be associated with high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid thought to damage arteries. Goji berries have B vitamins that may help to break down homocysteine. Y. S. Ho and colleagues, at the University of Hong Kong, also found that carbohydrates in wolfberries can help protect nerve cells and brain function against homocysteine-induced damage, which could lead to the development of Alzheimer's disease. The study was published in 2010 in the "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease."
References
- Pubmed.gov: Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides: Protective Effects Against Heat-induced Damage of Rat Testes and H2O2-Induced DNA Damage in Mouse Testicular Cells and Beneficial Effect on Sexual Behavior and Reproductive Function of Hemicastrated Rats
- Pubmed.gov: Fasting Plasma Zeaxanthin Response to Fructus barbarum L. (Wolfberry; Kei Tze) in a Food-Based Human Supplementation Trial
- Pubmed.gov: Neuroprotective Effects of Lycium barbarum Lynn on Protecting Retinal Ganglion Cells in an Ocular Hypertension Model of Glaucoma
- Pubmed.gov: Neuroprotective Effects of Anti-Aging Oriental Medicine Lycium barbarum Against Beta-Amyloid Peptide Neurotoxicity
Member Comments