Alzheimer’s disease, with its progressive loss of memory, is one of the most feared diseases.
As parts of the brain are increasingly replaced by neurofibrillary tangles, which contain abnormal tau and beta-amyloid proteins, the brain loses more and more of its normal functions. While scientists are scrambling to find answers to this baffling illness, people are grasping at straws, which may slow down or reverse this inexorable deterioration. Nutrients and special diets are also being investigated as potential cures.
Advertisement
Dietary considerations of Alzheimer’s disease can be divided into two parts: a) the use of special nutrients, food, supplements and herbal products to effect a cure, and b) dietary support of Alzheimer's patients.
Basic research
The most important risk factor for Alzheimer’s is age, with most patients, but not all, developing the disease after the age of 65. Research has also shown that it is primarily a genetic disorder. Your genes will determine if you are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, when the disease starts and how quickly it progresses.
Studies also indicate that lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and homocysteine (a chemical produced in the body) levels, and low vitamin B12 and folic acid levels are associated with increased risk. Exercise, as is so often the case with other diseases, seems to be protective.
Use of statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) and anti-inflammatories apparently reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Two factors, which were previously under suspicion, namely aluminum and old-fashioned dental fillings, have been ruled out as causative factors.
Dietary factors 1) Supplements
Many people try to halt the deterioration of cognitive function by using a wide variety of herbal and nutritional supplements.
Ginkgo biloba is popular because a 1997 study showed that it could improve brain function, but a study conducted in 2000 did not produce any positive results. Ginkgo biloba is, therefore, not a proven remedy.
Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, is also used regularly in massive doses, but once again there is no scientific proof that using any of the more popular antioxidants (vitamins A, E or C, and selenium) will provide any benefit.
In view of the lack of evidence that mega-doses of various antioxidants can improve the lot of Alzheimer’s patients, the international recommendation is to rather take a complete vitamin and mineral supplement once a day. Such supplements contain all the vitamins in the B complex, which may help because vitamins B6 and B12, as well as folic acid, lower homocysteine levels, which tend to be high in patients with this disease. But keep in mind that scientists still don’t have proof that taking B vitamins will actually protect the brain against deterioration.
2) Dietary modifications
Because patients with Alzheimer’s often have raised cholesterol levels and high blood pressure and there is some promising evidence that cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce the risk of this disease, dietary interventions that are used to control blood cholesterol and hypertension may prove protective. Dietary adaptation,s which decrease harmful LDL cholesterol and boost ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, while reducing blood pressure and providing adequate intakes of protective nutrients, can be applied.
The basics of a cholesterol-lowering diet are to reduce the total amount of fat, as well as the saturated fat and cholesterol content of the diet. At the same time, intakes of protective polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), and protective nutrients (dietary fibre, antioxidants, bioflavonoids) should be increased.
This means eating lean meat with all visible fat removed, poultry without the skin, only four eggs a week, and using low-fat or fat-free milk, dairy products (yoghurt, cottage cheese), plus plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and cereals with a low glycaemic index (GI), legumes and nuts.
Eat fish 2-3 times a week and make use of omega-3 enriched foods (eggs, milk, bread) to boost omega-3 intake. Use soft, tub margarine that has a high poly- or monounsaturated fat content, as well as olive or canola oil.
Cooking methods should not add additional fat, particularly trans-fat, to the diet, so avoid deep fat frying and rather use poaching, boiling, grilling, steaming, or eat foods raw when possible. Avoid rich, high-fat, or sugary foods and beverages, such as cakes, pastries, pies, crisps, chips, processed meats, ice cream, chocolate, non-dairy creamers, cream, high-fat salad dressings, gravies made with dripping, and cold drinks.
Alcohol can be used in moderate quantities (1-2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women), but excessive intakes can be harmful.
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), which are found in fish and vegetable oils (linseed and safflower oil), as well as salmon oil capsules, may prove beneficial. It has been suggested that EPA and DHA are able to reduce inflammatory processes in the brain, which may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
At the moment our knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease is still fragmentary and no single non-genetic factor has been identified which can prevent or significantly halt the progression of this dreaded disease. However, a balanced, heart-friendly diet will not only keep the heart healthy, but could also benefit the brain. – (Dr I.V. van Heerden, DietDoc)
Bookmark with:
What are social bookmarks?