Men's Health - UK (2019-07)

MEN’S HEALTH 45

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27

MIND

GAINS

26

GERM OF A

THEORY

F

orgetting where you’ve

parked your car in a

multi-storey is one of life’s

guarantees. For some,

it’s nothing more than a slip of

the mind; for others, however,

short-term memory loss can signal

the onset of dementia, a destructive

condition that affects around

850,000 people in the UK.

To find a cure, many researchers

have swapped lofty hypotheses for

simple theories. They now believe

that Alzheimer’s is caused by germs:

not an exotic new pathogen, but the

microscopic organisms responsible

for gum disease and cold sores. As

the blood-brain barrier becomes

more porous with age, these germs

infiltrate your neural cortex to

instigate the onset of Alzheimer’s.

The protein fragment beta-

amyloid is known to form plaques

in the brain, which contribute to

the development of the disease, and

autopsies have detected viral DNA

in amyloid plaques. When patients

have been prescribed antibiotics

or antivirals, they have displayed

improvements in symptoms.

Scientists have yet to find a cure

for dementia, but these findings

suggest that a breakthrough may

be imminent. Perhaps we’ve had

the solution to dementia all along.

The race is now on to determine

the exact strain of germ we need

to target. For the time being,

however, prevention trumps cure.

A NEW HOPE

FOR CURING

DEMENTIA

The latest research suggests that

Alzheimer’s may be caused by

everyday germs. We put this

theory under the microscope

PUB WITH

FRIENDS

EIGHT

HOURS’ KIP

THE MED

DIET

HOT

CHOCOLATE

BLUEBERRY

VINEGAR

FORGET

ME NOTS

While researchers

focus on bacteria,

we rate the everyday

preventatives that

will help to protect

your grey matter

until the science

catches up

TACKLING BRAIN FADE

MAY BE SIMPLER THAN

WE’D DARED TO HOPE

Verdict: Solid science and an

excuse for a glass of Barolo.

Verdict: The benefits of sleep,

it seems, are boundless.

Verdict: Treat this as an

indulgence, not a habit.

Verdict: Hard to find and tastes

bad. Don’t ruin your chips.

Verdict: Fire-up WhatsApp

and we’ll see you at the bar.

The promise:

Inadequate

shut-eye increases brain

beta-amyloid production,

which forms plaques and has

been linked to the onset of

dementia**. So, hit the sack.

The promise:

Cocoa contains

sky-high levels of flavanol

antioxidants, which possess

strong heart and brain-

protecting properties, reports

the Neurology journal.

The promise:

Tests show that

it breaks down acetylcholine

• a compound that negatively
  impacts memory – in the
  brains of animals. Its efficacy
  in humans is unknown.

The promise:

Loneliness can

trigger anxiety, which is linked

to Alzheimer’s. Staying socially

active reverses this through

the release of endorphins,

improving your mood.

The promise:

Filling your

basket with oily fish, nuts and

a bottle of red is now linked*

to slowing the progression of

Alzheimer’s. It’s the dependable

option for better health.

SCIENCE OR

FICTION?

BEATING

ALZHEIMER’S