Red and green are usually colors associated with an entirely different holiday, but this Valentine’s Day they may be the ticket to a healthier brain. A new study from the University of Leeds summarizes the results of some exciting new trials. Scientists there have conducted promising experiments where extracts from green tea and red wine were able to interrupt at least one of the physical processes in the brain that leads to Alzheimer’s disease.
Using “purified extracts of EGCG from green tea and resveratrol from red wine,” scientists were able to stop key proteins associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s from latching onto brain cells. In patients with Alzheimer’s, these clumps of proteins, sometimes called amyloid balls, are responsible for interrupting normal functioning of brain cells, attaching themselves to vital nerves and contributing to a healthy brain’s deterioration.
It’s hard to think of minute proteins as three dimensional objects, but that’s exactly what they are. In fact, the shapes of proteins are incredibly important to determining how the work in our bodies. Their shapes decide how and if they can interact with other cells and molecules within us, and consequently, what changes and effects (both positive and negative) they can trigger in our bodies.
Researches focused in on this particular trait of proteins, seeing an opportunity that could be exploited. In the study (which is still in its early experimental stages), extracts from green tea and wine were able to alter the shapes of harmful proteins to the point where they couldn’t attach themselves to brain cells any longer.
While far from presenting a definitive cure, the study represents an important step forwards towards increasing understanding of how Alzheimer’s works. By learning more about how proteins interrupt proper brain functioning in Alzheimer’s patients, scientists can find new ‘drug targets,’ tailoring medicines to work in the most effective ways possible.
Potential health benefits from tea and wine are always welcome news for regular consumers of both, so whether you’re meeting up a friend, family member or other special someone today, share a cup, a glass and toast to good health!
