Grape Seed May Ward Off Alzheimer’s Disease

Grape seed may help ward off Alzheimer’s Disease according to new findings reported by researchers. 

Scientists at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City reported that small clusters of A-beta protein, called “oligomers”, found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, are what poison brain cells and cause the memory loss associated with the disease. 

Today 5.4 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzeimers according to data shared by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, the national trade group that helps consumers get long-term care insurance coverage.  “Alzheimer’s is the most costly long-term care incident impacting individuals and their families,” explains Jesse Slome, the organization’s executive director.

Previous research has shown that grape seed polyphenolic extract (GSPE) slows and may even stop A-beta oligomers from being formed.  As a result, the scientists indicate it also reduces cognitive impairment and the characteristic brain degeneration seen in mice bred to develop Alzheimer’s Disease.

For almost half a year, researchers gave GSPE to mice bred to develop Alzheimer’s Disease.  The mice’s brains had significantly reduced levels of the chemical implicated in the promotion of Alzheimer’s disease memory loss. B

As a result, the researchers concluded that GSPE was a safe, low-cost intervention that can selectively lower levels of memory-impairing A-beta oligomer in live subjects, and “strongly suggest that GSPE should be further tested as a potential prevention and/or therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease.

The lead scientist noted that patients who are already in the first stages of the disease may also benefit from early intervention with such a treatment.  Funds from the National Institutes of Health helped pay for the study.

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