Ingredient found in red wine may slow Alzheimer’s

Benefits of red wine have been widely debated by scientists. Some calling it helpful while others called it harmful. Resveratrol – a compound found in red wine – is responsible for having both positive and negative effect. The compound, in small doses, may help with colon cancer. Some unreliable studies have shown that it may reverse the benefits of exercise. Resveratrol may be the gift that keeps on giving, but grapes or wine aren’t liked by everyone. Now, a study has found that resveratrol may also help slow the progression of a disease that has yet to be stopped: Alzheimer’s.

A preliminary clinical trial has suggested that high doses of resveratrol may act against Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, red grapes,  chocolate, berries and peanuts is said to stabilize an important biomarker of Alzheimer’s.

Published in the journal Neurology, the study was a phase-2, placebo-controlled, double-blind study to demonstrate the effectiveness of resveratrol. [Read more What causes aging? Can the process be slowed?]

Researchers studied 119 adults with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s for one year. Half the adults were given resveratrol while the other half received placebo. The high dose of resveratrol was equal to the amount found in 1,000 bottles of red wine.

Ageing is the biggest risk factor developing Alzheimer’s. Resveratrol was selected for the study for its ability to activate a group of proteins known as sirtuins, which in previous studies have shown to prevent or delay age-related diseases.

The patients who received resveratrol reported no changes in cerebrospinal fluid and amyloid-beta40 (Abeta40) in their blood and. The placebo recipients reported a decline in the Abeta40 levels over the course of the study. 

“A decrease in Abeta40 is seen as dementia worsens and Alzheimer's disease progresses; still, we can't conclude from this study that the effects of resveratrol treatment are beneficial. It does appear that resveratrol was able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, which is an important observation,” said Dr. R. Scott Turner, lead researcher and the director of the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington D.C. [Read more Abnormal fat deposits in brain may be trigger Alzheimer’s disease] 

To test the effectiveness of the study, five cognitive tests were conducted on the patients. The result showed no difference in cognitive skills between the two groups. However, in on test the result showed that patients who took reseveratrol had fewer declines in their daily activities such as getting dressed, cooking or using the phone compared to the group that received placebo. 

The researchers say the findings aren’t enough to start advising patients to take resveratrol, and they are planning a phase-3 study to be definitive about the effectiveness of resveratrol.