Champagne An Unlikely Ally In The Battle Against Dementia

How many stories have started with " I had way too much champagne"? Those are usually the stories of wedding receptions gone wild and New Year's Eve parties that wound up in a hot tub.

But this is a different story that starts with champagne. I certainly hope there is some merit to it because I would love to see Alzheimer's and dementia come to an end.

Before you head to the store to stock up on the bubbly and start drinking like Bobby Hebert at a Saints victory party there are some things you need to know. You won't be needing to drink a lot of champagne.

Dr. Jeff Keller with LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center explained the findings of a Reading University study to the Louisiana Radio Network. Dr. Keller says champagne, like red wine, contains polyphenols. These polyphenols are what gives these drinks their beneficial attributes.

It extends into champagne what we already know about red wine, in terms of its benefits toward health, cognition, cardiovascular disease and metabolism.

The polyphenols are contained in grapes. The plant uses these chemicals to protect itself from predators. The humans who consume the grapes also get the benefits of the polyphenols.

These endogenous chemicals made by the plant to defend against danger are ultimately beneficial into the humans that consume them.

Dr. Keller went on to explain that the consumption of alcohol brings on an entirely different health risk. If you choose to drink red wine or champagne it should be done in  moderation. If you're under a doctor's care or taking prescription medication by all means consult your physician before you choose to medicate yourself.