Gunter P. Eckert, Frankfurt/Main

The Mediterranean diet – characterized by a high intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains, preferring fish to red meat, cooked with olive oil and consumed with a moderate amount of wine has been shown to decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s disease with increasing adherence to the diet.

In its most common form, Alzheimer’s disease affects elderly individuals and causes a progressive degeneration of cortical brain areas. Early symptoms are a loss of concentration and a decline in performance. Later, memory loss and disorientation occur before the patients get helpless and need institutional care. The beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet are attributed to its special nutrient composition. Results of prospective studies suggest that an adequate Mediterranean diet enriched in polyphenols protects from Alzheimer’s disease.

However, results of prospective studies investigating the influence of antioxidative vitamins on the risk for Alzheimer’s disease are inconsistent. Data available at present do not allow definitive conclusions regarding a certain diet and Alzheimer’s disease or specific dietary recommendations to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, polyphenols, antioxidative vitamins, hydroxytyrosol, olive oil, Mediterranean diet

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