Nearly 30 million people have developed Alzheimer’s disease worldwide, and millions more know the name of the incurable illness. Alzheimer’s disease is expected to affect four times as many people by the year 2050, a number as large as the population of Mexico.

In the United States, Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia, which is characterized by a loss of cognitive function. Alzheimer’s has four main stages of dementia, with each successive stage worse than the last. The dementia first impairs the ability to recall facts and the ability to acquire new information. The disease proceeds to further limit memory, even affecting a person’s implicit memory (the memory of the body to perform simple, second-nature tasks). In the final stage, dementia becomes so severe that the victim is unable to speak or perform the simplest procedures without assistance from somebody else.

With such staggering numbers of people affected and the severe consequences of having the disease, research has been conducted on the neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Although no cure has been discovered, researchers have found methods to reduce the tremendous weight Alzheimer’s puts on a victim’s shoulders. One study examined the effects of flavonoids on Alzheimer’s disease and came out with positive results.

Often called bioflavonoids in the media, flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found in plants as secondary metabolites. When consumed by humans in the form of a fruit or vegetable, flavonoids exhibit a slew of beneficial effects. Many people are aware of the advantages of antioxidants in their diets, and flavonoids are known to house plenty of antioxidant activity.

However, antioxidant-related benefits are not the only benefit one can reap from eating flavonoids. Flavonoids have shown experimentally that they also display anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activity. Most recently, however, flavonoids have been found to benefit patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Flavonoids lessen the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s, therefore slowing down memory loss, by reducing the levels of amyloid-beta, the protein responsible for the sticky deposits in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The researchers deduced that two particular flavonoids, luteolin and diosmin, lowered the levels of amyloid-beta by attacking a protein called presenilin-1. Presenilin-1 is a protein that has been consistently been found to be a genetic cause of Alzheimer’s. With a sufficient intake of flavonoids, a human predisposed to the presence of presenilin-1 could help slow down the potential onset of Alzheimer’s.

How does one go about increasing their intake of flavonoids? Flavonoids are present in many different citrus fruits, berries, and a variety of vegetables, as well. Flavonoids are also present in gingko, tea (green, white, oolong, and black), red wine, and chocolate.

Discussion Question: Do you know of any other benefits of increasing the flavonoids in your diet?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105646.htm

Scientific Article: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120119377/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0