Red meat consumption linked to Alzheimer's
Red meat consumption, which can lead to
a buildup of iron in the body, may be
linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Counsel and
Heal reported.
In a study published in the Journal of
Alzheimer’s Disease , researchers used
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to
examine the brains of 31 patients with
Alzheimer's and the brains of 68 healthy
people.
Overall, people with Alzheimer’s disease
were found to have significantly higher
levels of iron in their brains compared to
healthy people. Researchers discovered
that iron was particularly associated with
tissue damage in the hippocampus – an
area of the brain damaged early on in the
disease. However, there was not as much
iron-related damage in the thalamus,
which is usually affected in the later
stages of Alzheimer’s.
Researchers believe that iron may trigger
some of the tissue breakdown associated
with the disease, according to Counsel
and Heal. However, the study’s authors
also point out that both dietary and
medical interventions can help people
control this risk factor.
"The accumulation of iron in the brain
may be influenced by modifying
environmental factors, such as how much
red meat and iron dietary supplements we
consume and, in women, having
hysterectomies before menopause," said
study author Dr. George Bartzokis, a
professor of psychiatry at the Semel
Institute for Neuroscience and Human
Behavior at UCLA.
