28 Oct , 13:50
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Cheese on guard of the mind: scientists discover unexpected protection against dementia. According to a study published in the reputable journal Nutrients, cheese plate enthusiasts are less likely to suffer from cognitive impairments, reports TUT.AZ.
The large-scale observation covered almost 8 thousand elderly residents of Japan. As part of the national JAGES project, scientists tracked the relationship between diet and health status of participants over 65 years old for three years (2019-2022). The researchers divided volunteers into two categories - those who regularly consumed cheese (at least once a week) and those who completely excluded this product from their menu.
The results were quite eloquent: among cheese enthusiasts, dementia was diagnosed in only 3.4% of participants, while in the group avoiding this product, the rate reached 4.5%. After careful adjustment of the data taking into account various factors - gender, age, financial status, education and general health - it became obvious that the risk of developing cognitive disorders among cheese lovers is reduced by an impressive 24%.
Scientists believe that the protective effect of cheese is due to the rich composition of the product. Vitamin K2, antioxidants, proteins and probiotics actively strengthen the gut microbiome and reduce inflammatory processes in the body. The fermentation of cheese plays a special role, which positively affects the condition of blood vessels, which is extremely important for the prevention of age-related brain disorders.
In the Japanese population, this connection is particularly pronounced, possibly due to the traditionally low consumption of dairy products in the national cuisine. In the future, researchers intend to study in detail which varieties of cheese have the most pronounced neuroprotective effect and determine the optimal frequency of consumption of this product for elderly people.
