A 2013 study from the University of Reading has recently resurfaced, concluding that drinking 1-3 glasses of champagne each week can boost brain health.
Learn more about the study, why champagne may have brain boosting benefits and why doctors and researchers are being cautious in using alcohol consumption as a means to prevent Alzheimer’s.
Drinking Champagne to Prevent Alzheimer’s
A study conducted at the University of Reading found that drinking three glasses of champagne per week can protect your brain from dementia and prevent memory loss.
The study, which was conducted on rodents, found that phenolic compounds in champagne improved spatial memory, which records information about the environment and then stores the information for future needs.
Researchers attribute the brain boosting benefits of champagne to phenolic compounds found in the two red grape types used to produce the alcohol. Red wine has been shown to have similar brain boosting benefits but those are thought to come from flavonoids in the wine. University of Reading Professor Jeremy Spencer notes the difference stating, that champagne:
“…Which lacks flavonoids, is also capable of influencing brain function through the actions of smaller phenolic compounds, previously thought to lack biological activity.”
A Cautious Approach to Alzheimer’s Prevention
While champagne and other types of alcohol may have brain boosting benefits, doctors and researchers are hesitant to use them as an Alzheimer’s preventative.
Spencer cautions, “We encourage a responsible approach to alcohol consumption and our results suggest that a very low intake of one to two glasses a week can be effective.”
Additionally, it is important to note that the study was not done on humans and so the effects of champagne consumption on human brain health is still largely unknown.
England’s National Health Service recently issued a statement stating that there is:
“No hard evidence champagne can prevent dementia.”
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