New mood-boosting discovery in New Zealand blackcurrants

We’re applauding our friends at the New Zealand blackcurrant ‘brain drink’ brand, Arepa, for discovering a new active compound in our berries, which can improve mood and make you ‘feel good’.

New Zealand blackcurrants are known to support positive mood, by inhibiting an enzyme called monoamine oxidase¹ (MAO).

MAO breaks down neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which are known as the ‘happy hormones’. Blackcurrant helps to maintain healthy levels of these important mood boosting hormones.

In this latest study², scientists assessed differences between blackcurrant juice and powder, observing a 7-fold difference in anthocyanin levels, with the powder coming out on top.

Both formats also had a profound effect on neurotransmitters, leading them to search for a new mechanism.

This led to the identification of sarmentosin, a little known compound that has attracted very little attention from researchers. A natural sugar present in blackcurrants, researchers believe sarmentosin is a primary active for the berry’s mood-boosting effects.

References

1. The pharmacodynamic profile of "Blackadder" blackcurrant juice effects upon the monoamine axis in humans: A randomised controlled trial . 2020 Jul;23(7):516-525. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2018.1525950. Epub 2018 Oct 5.
2. Identification of Sarmentosin as a Key Bioactive from Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum)for Inhibiting Platelet Monoamine Oxidase in Humans, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry