Hops chemical good for brain
The study, published this week in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, discovered a chemical called xanthohumol, also known as Xn, has properties that protect the neurons in a rats brain from oxidative damage to its cells, and in principle should do the same for the human brain.
Dr. Jianguo Fang from Lanzhou University in China and his research team found that the ingredient protected brains from neurotoxicity and fought off free radicals, which damage cells.
In short Xn protects neuronal cells, which are found in the brain, spine and in nerves, from oxidative damage which leads to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease, and other forms of dementia, and Parkinson’s.
“As neuronal cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress and have limited replenishment during the entire lifespan,” Dr. Fang said. “Increasing evidence has supported oxidative stress as one of the pathogenic causes in the neuropathology of adult neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.”
Your daily dose of Xn
Xn can prevent or delay that and Xn is found in beer (along with some soft drinks, and other items). “The presence of a high concentration of Xn in beers might be linked to the epidemiological observation of the beneficial effect of regular beer drinking,” Dr. Fang wrote.
There’s no confirmation drinking beer will stave off neurodegenerative disorders, and some doctors point out that too much beer can cause brain tissue lost and in some cases lead to dementia, not prevent it.
Perhaps the ardent beer drinker, or ardent health nut really, need simply put in time each day to consuming beer until they’ve found just the right daily amount to keep their brains in the peak of health.
So happy experimenting.
