Health for life

Incidence of Alzheimer’s disease cases continue to explode at an unprecedented rate as processed food diets, overweight and obesity become the norm for middle and senior aged adults in the US and most western societies. By the year 2050, it’s projected that 13.2 million adults will suffer from this degenerative disease that ranks as the sixth leading cause of death, with many suffering early signs of the condition at earlier ages. Any natural compound that can be shown to prevent or even treat Alzheimer’s disease would be a potent therapeutic tool.

Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Centers Memory Disorders Program have embarked on a mission to demonstrate that resveratrol can affect memory deterioration and daily functioning in people with mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimers disease. Resveratrol is a natural compound found in red grapes, red grape juice, red wine, chocolate, tomatoes and peanuts. In prior studies, the polyphenol has been shown to help prevent diabetes, act as a natural cancer fighter, ward off cardiovascular disease, and prevent memory loss.

As the risk of many chronic conditions increase with aging, resveratrol exhibits unique characteristics as it has been shown to impede telomere shortening and extend natural cell life and activity. Resveratrol has also been shown to improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, two mechanisms known to speed the aging process.

Researchers will examine the direct impact of pure resveratrol supplementation on neural aging and amyloid protein clearance. Recent research has suggested that Alzheimer’s disease may result from insulin resistance specifically in the brain, and as resveratrol is known to cross the blood-brain barrier, the compound may prevent faulty insulin signaling that promotes the degenerative condition.

This is the largest and most extensive study of its kind developed to validate the brain health benefits of resveratrol. Researchers will recruit participants from 26 U.S. academic institutions that are affiliated with the Alzheimers Disease Cooperative Study around the country. This study is unique because it is designed to demonstrate the impact of a natural compound and not a patentable pharmaceutical drug.

Resveratrol is supplied in small amounts from dietary sources including red grapes, red wine, chocolate and tomatoes. Nutrition experts recommend supplementing with a pure extract (20 to 500 mg per day) for optimal protection against Alzheimer’s disease and a myriad of chronic conditions.