Pinot Noir bubbles could prevent Alzheimer’s
Professor Spencer’s discovery makes all Champagne producers jump for joy as their precious bubbles keep the brain young
krug-Champagne
By Donatella Cinelli Colombini Montalcino Casato Prime Donne
Pinot-Noir-for-Champagne
300 very fortunate volunteers are drinking a glass of Champagne three times a week to see if their brain cells benefit more than those of the 300 volunteer, the less lucky ones, who are not drinking any. This experiment carried out on rats gave exceptional results after only 6 weeks: the rats who had Champagne showed an increase of 200 % in those proteins necessary for memory functions. Professor Jeremy Spencer from the Reading University has consequently thought of repeating the trial on human beings over a three year period. Apparently the polyphenols are the beneficial substances present in Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, in other words the black grapes used to make precious French sparkling wines. Cellular ageing that provokes the loss of memory starts at around 40 years of age, and continues until we are around 80. So this is the senile dementia typical in the elderly who forget where they have put things that they have just bought, or where they have been that morning. It is this forgetfulness that seem to be treatable with Champagne, and never before has such a cure been more appreciated, also because Prof. Spencer said to start as soon as possible. How wonderful!
Champagnes
Professor Spencer studies “Plant Bioactives and Health”. His research group started from the examination of the effects of poliphenols on Parkinson and Alzheimer’s patients, so as to prevent the neuroinflammations that cause memory loss.
What still remains to be understood is why the English researchers have chosen a wine obtained through the vinification of red grapes with minimal possible contact with the skin such as Champagne, and consequently not so rich in polyphenols with respect to red wine produced with a long maceration with contact with the skins, such as Brunello. We consequently have a hope, with foundation, that the effects on memory due to sipping Burgundy, Barolo, Brunello and other such wines will be even superior to those had from Champagne. Whilst awaiting the scientific evidence, as suggested by Professor Spencer, we will continue to drink a little but several times a week.