Nutrition and AGE-ing: Focusing on Alzheimer's Disease.
Recently, the role of food and nutrition in preventing or delaying chronic disability in the elderly population has received great attention. Thanks to their ability to influence biochemical and biological processes, bioactive nutrients are considered modifiable factors capable of preserving a healthy brain status. A diet rich in vitamins and polyphenols and poor in saturated fatty acids has been recommended. In the prospective of a healthy diet, cooking methods should be also considered. In fact, cooking procedures can modify the original dietary content, contributing not only to the loss of healthy nutrients, but also to the formation of toxins, including advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These harmful compounds are adsorbed at intestinal levels and can contribute to the ageing process. The accumulation of AGEs in ageing ("AGE-ing") is further involved in the exacerbation of neurodegenerative and many other chronic diseases. In this review, we discuss food's dual role as both source of bioactive nutrients and reservoir for potential toxic compounds-paying particular attention to the importance of proper nutrition in preventing/delaying Alzheimer's disease. In addition, we focus on the importance of a good education in processing food in order to benefit from the nutritional properties of an optimal diet.
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Giulia
0000-0001-9161-3475
G
Abate
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Mariagrazia
M
Marziano
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Wiramon
W
Rungratanawanich
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Maurizio
M
Memo
Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Diadem Ltd., Spin Off of Brescia University, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
Daniela
0000-0002-5926-9122
D
Uberti
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D004032:Diet; D018450:Disease Progression; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status
D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced