Nutritional supplements containing blueberry extract may have the potential to shrink tumors in babies and young children, new research suggests.

Scientists at Ohio State University studied the effect of blueberry extract on mice with blood vessel tumors.

The study, published in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, shows that compounds in blueberries may be able to diminish tumors and prolong life.

Compared with a control group, the mice receiving the extract lived twice as long and had tumors that were 60 percent smaller, according to the findings.

Lead researcher Gail Gordillo explained the blood vessel tumors, which affect approximately 3 percent of infants, are often disfiguring and may also dangerously obstruct airways.

Currently, the condition is treated with high-dose steroids, which can result in developmental problems and suppression of the immune system.

“This work provides the first evidence demonstrating that blueberry extract can limit tumor formation by inhibiting the formation of blood vessels and inhibiting certain signaling pathways,” Gordillo said.

Blueberries are sometimes described as a “superfood” because they have shown promise at fighting a number of health conditions and diseases.