I knew there was a reason I like raspberry and dark chocolate!
We all have heard that dark colored fruit, dark chocolate and red wine (in moderation) are good for your brain. It’s partially due to the component resveratrol that is naturally found in these foods. New research has found resveratrol may reduce the buildup of a biomarker associated with worsening dementia and progressing Alzheimer’s disease.
Research just released in Neurology shows that purified resveratrol, found naturally in dark fruits such as red grapes, raspberries, dark chocolate and red wine, has been shown to possibly slow progression or build-up of a common biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease.
A double blind study of 119 participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease was sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and conducted with the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study from 2012 to 2014 at 21 participating centers across the U.S. Participants who received the purified resveratrol had a lower amount of biomarker Aβ40 (among others) in their blood and spinal fluid. This is an important indicator as it appears the resveratrol has crossed the blood brain barrier and showed long term results. In addition, the resveratrol was safe and tolerated well by the study participants. Further study is being recommended by researchers.
While clearly more research is needed to evaluate if resveratrol can have an impact on Alzheimer’s or those at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, I for one will continue to eat my raspberries and dark chocolate!