In the quest to prevent and treat Alzheimers and dementia, scientists have often assessed the effectiveness of natural health resources.
Now, a study published in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease suggests apple juice may be one of the remedies that shows a great deal of promise.
Researchers at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research at the University of Massachusetts conducted a series of studies assessing the cognitive functioning of rats.
In the most recent investigation, Dr. Thomas B. Shea and colleagues found that rodents given two glasses of apple juice per day for a month experienced a change in their brains as they aged.
Compared with a control group, the apple juice-drinking mice produced smaller quantities of a protein fragment known as beta-amyloid, which is responsible for forming “senile plaques” in the brains of Alzheimers patients.
“These findings suggest that regular consumption of apple juice can not only help to keep ones mind functioning at its best, but may also be able to delay key aspects of Alzheimers disease,” Shea commented.
Vitamin D, fish oil and folic acid have also shown promise for preventing cognitive decline.