by Chris Shugart
Dodging Dementia with Nutrition
Dementia strikes 11 out of every 100 people. Here's how to hopefully not become one of them.
If you live to be 65, your odds of getting dementia are strong, about 1 in 9 people will suffer from it, usually in the form of Alzheimer’s disease, although there are other types of dementia, too. Some of these people get to be President of the United States, but that's another story.
I hope to live to a ripe old age, but not if I lose my mental faculties. I don't want to be a burden on my family or a discombobulated old geezer, so I'm already thinking about how to prevent dementia with the right nutrition and supplements.
The latest research points to ellagitannins, a type of polyphenol, or more specifically to something called urolithin A. It works like this: You get ellagitannins from foods like pomegranates, berries, and walnuts. Your gut bacteria transform ellagitannins into the metabolite urolithin A, and that's where the neuroprotective magic happens.
The New Study
Researchers ordered some custom-made mice with Alzheimer’s. The mice were force-fed urolithin A and all showed improved learning and memory. Even their sense of smell improved. (A declining sense of smell is associated with Alzheimer's. It's thought to be an early indicator.)
How'd that happen? Well, a healthy brain removes damaged mitochondria, but neurodegenerative diseases impair that natural process. The weak mitochondria build up and affect brain function. Urolithin A removes these handicapped mitochondria and repairs cognitive function, a process called mitophagy.
Urolithin A is also anti-inflammatory, and it protects cells from oxidative stress. Emerging research suggests that urolithin A supports synaptic function and promotes the formation of new neurons, critical for learning, memory, and overall cognitive function.
"More studies are needed," as they always say, but early human studies look promising, both in treating and perhaps preventing dementia via urolithin A's neuroprotective effects.
What to Eat, What to Take
The researchers in the study think that you might have to eat a whole pomegranate (or more) every day to get the beneficial effects, and they may mean all of it. A lot of the "good stuff" in pomegranate is bound up in the peel and pith. Still, if you like 100% pure pomegranate juice, drink up.
You can also eat more strawberries and raspberries. Walnuts contain ellagitannins too, though not as much as the fruits and berries.
Supplementally, you can take punicalagin, a very potent type of ellagitannin. This comes in the form of pomegranate whole fruit extract. P-Well (Buy at Amazon), a supplement designed primarily for prostate and vascular sexual health, contains 180 mg of punicalagin per serving. Take three capsules per day.
Reference
- Hou, et al. "Urolithin A improves Alzheimer's disease cognition and restores mitophagy and lysosomal functions," Journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, 16 May 2024.
