Plant sterols help prevent Alzheimer's

Plant active ingredients protect against Alzheimer's

30/10/2013

Ingredients from fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on our health. This realisation is not new. A recent study found that phytosterols also help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

An elevated cholesterol level has long been suspected of increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Cholesterol promotes the formation of so-called senile plaques. These plaques are made of proteins, mainly from the beta-amyloid proteins, and are deposited in the brain on the nerve cells. They are considered one of the main triggers of Alzheimer's.

Scientists at the University of Saarland have now shown that a particular sterol, stigmasterol, inhibits the formation of proteins that play an important role in the development of the disease. Plant sterols occur in different compositions, for example in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. They are the equivalent of animal cholesterol and therefore can be effective in metabolism in the same places as cholesterol. (Pm)