Fruits and vegetables not only are filled with vitamins and minerals, they also contain a group of chemicals that could protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease according to leading experts.

Dr. Robert Williams reports that accumulating evidence suggests that specific flavonoids; chemicals found in plants including fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa and red wine could provide a benefit for individuals suffering from Alzheimer disease as well as protection against future disease development.

Dr. Williams, a biochemist at Kings College London, says “There have been some intriguing epidemiological studies that the consumption of flavonoid rich vegetables, fruit juices and red wine delays the onset of the disease. These reports, while not as powerful as controlled, randomized clinical trials, have encouraged a number of research groups, including our own, to investigate the biology of flavonoids in more detail.”

One specific flavonoid that holds promise is called epicatechin which is found in many plant foods including green tea and cocoa. Flavonoids are known to be potent antioxidants but it is thought that their brain protective function may act through another mechanism. Recent studies have shown an improvement in cognition in models of Alzheimer disease when oral green tea or grape flavonoids are administered.

Dr. William commented that “We have found that epicatechin protects the brain from cell damage but through a mechanism unrelated to its antioxidant activity and shown in laboratory tests that it can also reduce some aspects of Alzheimer’s disease pathology.”

He finds this interesting that epicatechin “is one of the relatively few flavonoids known to access the brain suggesting it has the potential to be bioactive in humans.”

Alzheimer is a devastating disease affecting 15 to20 million people around the world. This progressive disease severely alters memory and how one thinks causing dementia. Current models to explain why this happens focus on a substance that is normally produced in the brain called beta-amyloid. In Alzheimer’s disease this substance for unknown reasons is abnormally deposited in plaques on the billions of neurons found in the brain. Dr. Williams has shown that flavonoids can protect the brain against this adverse action of beta amyloid.

He concludes his remarks by stating, “Although our findings support the general concept that dietary intake of flavonoid rich foods … could impact on the development and progression of dementia, they are clearly insufficient to make any sort of nutritional recommendations at this stage. The challenge now is to identify the single flavonoid or combination of flavonoids that exert the most positive effects and to define the mechanisms of action and optimal quantity required before embarking on clinical trials to treat their effectiveness in dementia.”

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