Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica: one of these may just reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. Its the beets. More specifically, it’s Betanin, the compound that gives beets their characteristic rich red hue. This substance has been shown to reduce harmful oxidation and the accompanying DNA damage, giving it some exciting implications for treating or slowing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
This disease process occurs when a series of amino acids, known as beta amyloids, cluster together in the brain after exposure to metals such as copper and zinc, forming neurofibrillary plaques and tangles. These resulting structures impede nerve transmission, which results in the familiar disease symptoms of memory loss, confusion, and general disorientation. The damage is exacerbated by an inflammatory response from the nervous system which occurs in the presence of plaques, which causes irreparable cell damage. However, a recent study indicates that these changes may be preventable. Li-June Ming and Darrell Cole Cerrato of the University of South Florida are hopeful that their research on this topic will alter the way the disease is treated, after their findings related to betanin.
In their study, beta amyloids were introduced to 3, 5 Di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC), a substance which would allow direct observation of the oxidization taking place. With the use of ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry, researchers were able to see to what degree the proteins oxidized DTBC. In the presence of copper molecules, notable oxidative damage took place. However, when betanin and copper were added to a separate group of beta amyloids, nearly 90% less oxidative damage was observed. With this new insight, beet derived medications may be the way to go in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Citations
Cohut, M. (2018, March 22). Can beets tackle Alzheimer’s at its root? Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321276.php
Daniels, G. (writer) & Einhorn, R. (director). (2007). Product Recall [televison series episode]. The Office. NBC.
I hate beets so it's not looking good for me.... Are there other vegetables or foods that contain the same sorts of chemicals? I think it is so interesting how much of an impact foods can have on disease processes. Cool information! Good job.
ReplyDeleteYou can also get betanin from quinoa, spinach, wheat bran, and some other assorted grains, so things may not be looking too bad for you. Beets just have some of the highest content.
DeleteThis is really interesting research. It's amazing how many typically unpopular foods have large health benefits. Maybe this will inspire people to eat more richly colored foods for the nutrients they contain.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, I was watching "The Office" when I read this post! I have heard of the benefits of beets, but I didn't realize they were this cool. Especially with Alzheimer's, such a debilitating and sad disease, anything that could help it is important to research. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHearing that eating spinach can help reduce risk of Alzheimers was great news! It really is amazing what health impacts can come from an improved diet. I’d already heard about mood improvement by eating better, but also preventing many of the lurking nightmares or at least pushing them a bit further off is even better. Thanks for sharing this! After reading about stuff like this, it’s always interesting to take a better look at what we eat and the many ways it can impact our lives.
ReplyDeleteNo, not beets... Guess I'll have to add Alzheimer's to the list of things I have to watch out for.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, this could be one step further towards a comprehensive defense against this terrible disease that shatters so many people and their loved ones. I've already heard of preventive therapy for Alzheimer's, maybe this compound could be artificially synthesized and added to that as well?
Wow, this is really cool! To think that something as simple as eating certain food could help prevent you from developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's is truly mind blowing!
ReplyDeleteBeing a "picky eater", I wonder if there is a way to extract betanin and inject into more common foods than beets. In this way, it would be more available to people to ingest. With further research, maybe betanin will be included in a multivitamin for a way people could treat or slow the progression of Alzheimer's while not becoming nutrient deficient either.
ReplyDeleteI loved your office reference, it really drew me into this article. I took a class that focused on Alzheimers and I find this very interesting because we never dicussed beats as once. I am familiar with the effects of folic acid such as spinach, and grapes etc. but beats is a new concept that I am excited to hear more about.
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