One curry a week may protect against dementia
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Having a curry once or twice a week may help combat dementia, American scientists have discovered.
The key ingredient is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric that is found in almost every curry recipe. Curcumin appears to limit the spread of amyloid protein plaques which, along with tangled nerve fibres, are thought to cause dementia.
Professor Murali Doraiswamy, of Duke University in North Carolina, said there was evidence that eating a curry two or three times a week may lower the risk of dementia, and research is currently being carried out to discover the effects of higher doses.
Professor Doraiswamy told the meeting, “There is very solid evidence that curcumin binds to plaques, and basic research on animals engineered to produce human amyloid plaques has shown benefits.”
However, Rebecca Wood from the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, had some reservations. “Professor Doraiswamy’s unpublished research applies only to animal models; his hypothesis has not been confirmed in human clinical trials.”
Dr. Susanne Sorensen from the Alzheimer’s Society said, “Indian communities that regularly eat curcumin have a surprisingly low incidence of Alzheimer’s disease but we don’t yet know why. Alzheimer’s Society is keen to explore the potential benefits of curcumin in protecting the brain and we are conducting our own research into this area. A cheap, accessible and safe treatment could transform the quality of life of thousands of people with the condition.”
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