Preventing Alzheimer's disease is now in your hand – literally so, if you are holding a glass of fruit or vegetable juice. A new study shows that drinking fruit and vegetable juices three or more times a week may reduce Alzheimer's by up to 75%. Although many previous studies have found mixed results regarding the antioxidant vitamins in fresh juices, this one analyses the antioxidant polyphenols and has come up with encouraging findings.
The study was led by Qi Dai, MD, PhD and his team who followed up on medical progress of 1,836 people. A little over half of them were women, the average age being 72, and all of them were of the disease on the onset of the study. The subjects were Japanese American citizens from the area of Seattle who were made to regularly fill up questionnaires regarding their diet. Their mental abilities and functions were regularly analyzed every 2 years for a total of ten years.
The researchers found that people who consumed fruit or vegetable juices three or more times a week had almost 76% lesser risk of developing the disease. Those who drank these juices once or twice weekly reduced their risk of Alzheimer's disease by 16%. These statistics were reached after accounting for the role of vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene.
It is estimated that the polyphenols in these juices work by disrupting the effects of hydrogen peroxide, beta-amyloid peptide and oxidative stress that contribute to Alzheimer's. Dr. Dai also points out to other studies that show the benefit of polyphenols from juices and their protective function on the neurons of the brain.
He does caution though that despite the encouraging results, more research is needed before a direct relation between the juice intake and reduced rates of Alzheimer's is confirmed.
