Researcher's study Moderate drinking can protect the brain from cognitive damage

Physicians are studying the protective effect of wine on the human brain
Over the last few years there have been many different opinions about the impact of wine on our health. Researchers now found that wine appears to have a protective effect on the human brain. The effect is to be described as a kind of anti-aging effect for the brain.

Researchers at the Institute of Food Science Research in Madrid found that red wine helps delay the onset of cognitive impairment in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. The experts published the results of their study in the journal "Frontiers in Nutrition".

Surely many people like to drink red wine because they like the taste. However, medical researchers have found in a recent study that wine can also have a protective effect on the human brain. The moderate consumption of the drink could even protect against neurodegenerative diseases. (Image: contrastwerkstatt / fotolia.com)

Red wine with polyphenol antioxidants slows cognitive impairment
Moderate consumption of red wine with so-called polyphenol antioxidants, especially as part of a Mediterranean diet, may slow down cognitive impairment, the authors of the study write. This could also be advantageous in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. There is also a substance in red wine and chocolate that seems to prevent age-related memory loss. This substance is referred to as resveratrol, the researchers say.

Experts investigate neuroprotective effect of wine
To understand the molecular mechanisms behind the neuroprotective effect of wine, Spanish physicians analyzed certain compounds after the wine had passed through the human gut. These compounds are found in people's urine and feces, and when they regularly consume wine, the researchers add.

Wine seems to protect the brain from the negative effects of stress
To study the effects of these metabolites on the human brain, the compounds were added to human cells under stress conditions. This situation was comparable to initial phases of certain neurodegenerative disorders, the scientists explain. It has been shown that the wine metabolites protect the cells from dying as a result of stress conditions.

Individual gut microbiota affect the neuroprotective effect
The exact composition of the wine metabolites influences the neuroprotective effect, explain the physicians. This composition depends on the composition of the individual intestinal microbiota. In other words, wine is broken down into different metabolites depending on the intestinal flora of each individual, the authors add. This underpins the idea that different people can benefit from their food in very different ways, explains author Dr. Esteban-Fernández from the Institute of Food Science Research in Madrid.

Different people benefit differently from their food
This individual difference is a factor that is not negligible when we want to understand the health effects of certain foods, the expert adds. The results show that there is an urgent need to advance the understanding of the effects of food on brain function. Esteban-Fernández continues.

Proper nutrition can prevent illness and health degradation
The current study confirms that nutrition must be considered as an important factor in health and disease prevention. The particularly beneficial acting antioxidants are mainly contained in colorful fruits and vegetables such as apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, peppers and green leafy vegetables, add the authors. (As)