Are grenades next brain food?
The link between diet and dementia is well documented, and researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the US National Institute on Aging have found that eating more pomegranates, strawberries and nuts could help improve memory in people with dementia. Alzheimer’s patients.
These foods contain a substance called urolithin A, a compound created by gut bacteria.
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“Our study in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease shows that urolithin A, a substance naturally found in pomegranates, can alleviate memory problems and other consequences of dementia,” said Vilhelm Bohr , associate professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Toronto. University of Copenhagen, in a press release.
Researchers have found that eating more pomegranates, strawberries and nuts could help improve memory in Alzheimer’s patients. (iStock)
In patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, the brain has difficulty eliminating weak mitochondria, which accumulate and damage brain function.
Utolithin A has been shown to eliminate weak mitochondria from the brain, restoring cognitive function, the researchers found.
The results of the study were published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
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Researchers aren’t sure exactly how much of the substance is needed to get positive results.
“We still can’t say anything conclusive about the dosage, but I imagine it’s more than a pomegranate a day,” Bohr said.
“However, the substance is already available in pill form and we are currently trying to find the right dosage.”
Pomegranates contain a substance called urolithin A, a compound created by gut bacteria that improves memory and brain function. (iStock)
Utolithin A could ideally be used as a safe way to prevent neurological diseases, he noted.
“The advantage of working with a natural substance is the reduced risk of side effects,” he said.
“Clinical trials with urolithin A have been shown to be effective in muscle diseases, and now we need to look at Alzheimer’s disease.”
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Based on the “promising results” observed in mouse models, the researchers plan to conduct clinical tests on humans.
Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, was not involved in the study but shared her comments on the findings.
“Long-term treatment with urolithin A significantly…
