Vegetable Juice and Alzheimer

In the US Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately one in ten people over age 65. Over 600,000 Americans underage 65 are living with the disease.

Vegetable juices may play an important role in delaying the inset of Alzheimer’s disease.

In population based study name Kame Project, the scientists monitored nearly 1836 Japanese Americans in King County, Washington, for a decade. They were chosen because it has been well known that Japanese people who live in Japan had a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease than Japanese people who live in the US. Researchers found that those whose consumption of fruit and/or vegetable juice was three times a week or more had a 76% lower chance of developing AD when compared to people who did so just once a week or less.

The participant in this study were dementia- free when the study began and were followed for up to nine years. Dietary consumption of fruit and vegetable juices was determined from self-administered questionnaires developed for Asian populations.

Cognitive function was assessed by trained interviewers using a standardized test, with clinical follow-up resulting in clinical diagnoses for those patients showing impairment.

Researchers involved in the study believe that polyphenols, a class of antioxidants in fruit and vegetables, seem to have a protective effect on the brain, reduce the likehood of dementia and prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

In previous studies, Alzheimer’s disease has been linked to the accumulation in the brain of a harmful type of protein known as beta-amyloid. The buildup of beta-amyloid protein in the brain is due to damage caused by free radicals. In this case scientists believe polyphenols play significant role in helping to prevent free radical damage in the brain.

Polyphenols are strong anti-oxidants which are available in many foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
Vegetable Juice and Alzheimer