READING, UK–A study from the University of Reading in England’s Berkshire suggest that drinking three glasses of champagne a week can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study that forms the basis of these reports was actually published in 2013, but since been updated and gone viral on social media. It looked at the possible effects of the phenolic acids found in champagne on memory in rats. Phenolic acids are similar to flavonoids, which are plant substances said to have antioxidant qualities.
According to England’s Daily Mirror, three groups of eight rats were each given six weeks of daily champagne, a non-champagne alcoholic drink, or an alcohol-free drink. Their performance at finding treats in a maze was assessed before and after this period.
The main finding was that rats given champagne were better at remembering how to find the treat than those given the alcohol-free drink. They found the treats roughly five times out of eight, compared with four times out of eight in rats given the other drinks.
Human studies are about to start to see if the bubbly has the same effect on people, and whether differences occur in male versus female test subjects.
