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Oranges and carrots to prevent Alzheimer's disease?
Did you know that oranges and carrots could help prevent Alzheimer's disease? The results of different studies suggest that vitamin C and beta-carotene, two important antioxidants, could protect us from this neurodegenerative disease.
A scientific study conducted at the University of Ulm, in Germany, suggests that oranges and carrots could be very useful in preventing Alzheimer's disease.
The results were published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and, although further studies are still needed to confirm the effectiveness, the results point to the fact that certain antioxidants may positively influence the pathogenesis of this neurological disorder.
The aforementioned study involved 74 Alzheimer's patients and 158 healthy people. The researchers found that the concentration of vitamin C and beta-carotene in plasma was much lower in patients with mild dementia than in healthy people. Therefore, the scientists suggest that these antioxidants could protect us from neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Nagel of the University of Ulm concludes that large studies with more participants are needed to confirm these results.
On the other hand, scientists at Lund University in Sweden have discovered the ability of vitamin C to dissolve a toxic protein that causes Alzheimer's disease in the brain. This study was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
According to the doctors, in the brains of affected people, there is an accumulation of amyloid plaques composed of misfolded proteins. These plaques damage neurons and cause their death. In a study with brain tissue samples from diseased mice, the researchers found that with the injection of vitamin C the accumulations of these plaques dissolve.
More studies indicate that both vitamin C and beta-carotene may be important in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
We recommend this delicious salad with carrots and tangerine!
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