A review of 18 studies involving 503 participants has found that asparagus supplements may improve sleep quality and duration, reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms, and offer benefits for cognitive function, including in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
What the research found
The review, published by Cambridge University Press, examined the impact of asparagus supplements across multiple domains. It reported cognitive improvements in reaction time, accuracy and mental fatigue, alongside reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Sleep outcomes consistently showed improvements in sleep quality and duration, while biomarker data indicated effects on cortisol levels. For patients with mild cognitive impairment, improvements were observed in measures reflecting behavioural disturbances associated with dementia, such as hallucinations and agitation.
Potential benefits for brain health
Asparagus has long been recognised for its nutritional properties, being packed with minerals and essential vitamins while remaining a low-calorie addition to meals. The vegetable, which comes into season in the UK between April and June, is also known for helping rebuild muscle and tissue during sleep and assisting the body in clearing waste cells from the brain, a process linked to the onset of dementia.
The review suggested that the severity of any existing dementia may affect how beneficial asparagus supplements can be.
Conclusion of the review
In conclusion, the review found that asparagus-based supplementation appears to provide modest benefits across multiple domains, including cognition (reaction time, attention and fatigue), mood (anxiety, depression and reduced agitation) and stress-related physiology (reduced cortisol), and particularly quality and duration of sleep.
