Dementia Cure Latest News: Drinking Red Wine in Moderation Can Protect Against Dementia, Experts Say
Alzheimer's disease is among the most common forms of dementia and it could allegedly be delayed by drinking red wine. Now, experts have reportedly determined that the reason for the protective abilities of red wine could be explained by microbes in the gut.
Researchers have known for several years that moderate wine intake could delay the onset of cognitive impairments in aging. It was also discovered that it could delay neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. And now, experts have been investigating the reason why drinking wine can protect the brain.
According a report by Express, these experts have determined that red wine should pass through the stomach first before it makes an impact on the death of neurons — a known feature of neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers have reached this conclusion by studying the components that are left after the wine has already passed through the gut, which they referred to as human gut metabolites. They added the compounds to human cells under conditions which typically result to cell death and neuronal cell dysfunction, which are similar to the beginning stages of some neurodegenerative disorders.
It was discovered that the metabolites are the ones that protect the cells from dying due to the stress conditions. Experts also determined that these metabolites are active at different points in cell signaling, contributing to cell death. Hence, the exact composition has been found to be important in the protective neuronal effect.
Dr. Esteban-Fernández from the Institute of Food Science Research in Madrid and her colleagues were the ones who investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective actions of wine, which was recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
"Differences in our gut microbiota are leading to the different metabolites, which underpins the idea that humans benefit from food in different ways," Dr. Esteban-Fernández said, speaking to Science Daily.
"We are now in need to advance our understanding of the effect of diet in the promotion of normal brain function," she continued.
"I am not advocating to replace medicines with diet, but I want to raise more awareness how your diet is helping to prevent diseases or reduces the risk of getting sick," she added.
While heavy alcohol intake has severe harmful effects that has been connected to various types of cancer, experts believe that consuming red wine in small quantities could be beneficial.
