Researchers discover drink available in M&S and Waitrose could reduce dementia risk – it kills bacteria that drive the disease
It’s the bright pink, nutrient packed vegetable juice shot, littering the shelves of health stores and supermarkets.
Drinking beetroot juice, sold in the likes of M&S and Waitrose for as little as £2, could help reduce dementia risk, if promising new research is to be believed.
For it is high in nitrates, which help open blood vessels, boosting blood supply to the brain, British scientists say.
According to Dr Joanna L’Heureux, a postdoctoral researcher in public health at the University of Exeter, the drink may ‘improve brain function in older adults’.
It comes as research, published by the university, found that adults with ‘healthy brain function’ had higher levels of the ion nitrite in their mouths.
Bacteria in the mouth convert nitrates into nitrites — meaning nitrate-rich beetroot could help raise levels of nitrites.
‘The implications of this research are profound,’ Dr L’Heureux said, writing in The Conversation.
Research has also previously suggested beetroot can both lower blood pressure and even inhibit certain chemical reactions in the brain that are involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Drinking beetroot juice really could help reduce dementia risk, if promising new research is to be believed
Being unable to learn new tasks and struggling to stay focused on a single task can be a sign of dementia — which affects nearly 1million Brits and seven million Americans
In the fresh study, scientists analysed saliva samples of 115 adults, all aged over 50.
Of these, 52 per cent were found to have ‘healthy brain function’, with the other 48 per cent showing ‘early signs of decline in memory and other brain functions’.
They also found those who had large numbers of two groups of bacteria called Neisseria and Haemophilus, which help to produce nitrites, performed better in brain health tests.
In particular, people with these bacteria had better memory, and better ability to pay attention and perform complex tasks.
Writing in the journal, PNAS Nexus, the researchers also said they discovered two groups of bacteria were linked to worse brain health.
Porphyromonas — often associated with gum disease — was more common in people with memory problems than people who were healthy, they said.
Prevotella was also more common in people who carry the gene APOE4, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
The researchers hope that by raising awareness of risk factors people can take steps to reduce their chances of getting the disease.
Dr L’Heureux said: ‘Encouraging the growth of nitrite-producing bacteria like Neisseria, while reducing Prevotella and Porphyromonas, could help maintain brain function as we age.
‘This could be achieved through dietary changes, probiotics, oral hygiene routines, or even targeted treatments that reshape the microbiome.
‘While we’re still in the early stages of understanding the intricate links between the mouth bacteria and the brain, our findings provide a strong rationale for further research.
‘If future studies confirm that the oral microbiome plays a role in maintaining a healthy brain, then by paying closer attention to the bacteria in our mouths we may unlock new possibilities for detecting and potentially delaying dementia.’
It comes as a landmark study last July suggested almost half of all Alzheimer’s cases could be prevented by tackling 14 lifestyle factors from childhood.
World-leading experts found two new risk factors — high cholesterol and suffering vision loss — were, combined, behind almost one in ten dementia cases globally.
They join 12 existing factors, ranging from genetics to smoking status, that experts have identified as increasing the risk a person would suffer dementia.
Experts claimed the study, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, provided more hope than ‘ever before’ that the memory-robbing disorder that blights the lives of millions can be tackled.
Around 900,000 Brits are currently thought to have the memory-robbing disorder. But University College London scientists estimate this will rise to 1.7million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 per cent uptick on the previous forecast in 2017
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia and affects 982,000 people in the UK.
It is thought to be caused by a build-up of amyloid and tau in the brain, which clump together and from plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly.
Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms develop.
Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.
Alzheimer’s Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country’s biggest killer.
