May 14: Higher long-term dietary intakes of flavonoid-rich foods, such as berries, apples and tea, and red wine are associated with lower risks of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, according to a new Study based on the ongoing Framingham Heart Study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, writes Subhash Arora who recommends a flavonoid-rich Mediterranean Diet including a daily glass of red wine for women and two glasses for men, preferably with dinner
The findings imply that higher long-term dietary intakes of flavonoids are associated with lower risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Flavonoids are natural substances found in plants, including fruits and vegetables such as pears, apples, berries, onions, and plant-based beverages like tea and wine-especially red wine.
The authors used data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) in Boston, a long-term ongoing cohort study designed to explore cardiovascular disease risk factors in residents of Framingham, Massachusetts. This study included 2,800 people of average age 59 years with almost equal split between men and women and examined the long-term relationship between eating flavonoid-rich foods and risks of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
Using dietary questionnaires reported back every four years. the researchers categorized flavonoids into six types and created four intake levels based on percentiles: less than or equal to the 15th percentile, 15th-30th percentile, 30th-60th percentile, and greater than 60th percentile categorised as under:
1. Low intake (15th percentile or lower) was equal to no berries (anthocyanins) per month, roughly one-and-a-half apples per month (flavonols), and no tea (flavonoid polymers)
2.High intake (60th percentile or higher) was equal to roughly 7.5 cups of blueberries or strawberries (anthocyanins) per month, 8 apples and pears per month (flavonols), and 19 cups of tea per month (flavonoid polymers).
They found that low intake (15th percentile or lower) of three flavonoid types was linked to higher risk of dementia when compared to the highest intake (greater than 60th percentile):
(i) low intake of flavonols (apples, pears and tea) was associated with twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
(ii) low intake of anthocyanins (blueberries, strawberries, and red wine) was associated with a four-fold risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
(iii) low intake of flavonoid polymers (apples, pears, and tea) was associated with twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
With no effective drugs currently available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, preventing disease through a healthy diet is an important consideration, according to senior author, Dr. Paul Jacques, a nutritional epidemiologist in the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, reports Sci News.
"Red wine was minor contributor to all of the flavonoid classes except for anthocyanins, where it ranked as the fourth-leading contributor to intake," according to Dr. Jacques. He says that moderate consumption red wine, defined by the study as one drink a day for women and two for men (same has been recommended by delWine for a number of years- with a glass being 125 mL pour of red wine with 12.5% alcohol taken preferably with dinner-editor), is a good source of proper flavonoid intake, but that it should be coupled with regular consumption of berries.
The Study, published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition may be accessed by members of Indian Wine Academy/delWine who are from the medical profession and interested in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease:
For a few of the earlier related Articles, visit:
Top 10 Health Benefits of Wine you never knew before
Study: Abstainers and excessive drinkers more risk prone to dementia
MIND Hybrid Diet with a Glass of Wine reduces Alzheimer’s chance
MIND it! With Red Wine and Rajnikanth
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Wine may reduce dementia by 85% in elderly
Subhash Arora
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