You might not know that the blockbuster Alzheimer’s drug Aricept
(donepezil) has a lot in common with insecticides, chemical weapons and venom.  It is a member of the chemical class known as
acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
from breaking down.  There’s no proof
that this slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and it comes with a
host of dangerous side effects.

Aricept is a reversible or non-competitive cholinesterase
inhibitor, which means it is not as toxic as reversible competitive or
noncompetitive inhibitors of cholinesterase, which kill insects and humans
through neurotoxic effects. But Aricept’s side effects still include seizures
and bradycardia (arrhythmia) — a well-known side effect of organophosphate
insecticide poisoning.

Green Med Info reports:

“What
is so outrageous about the present situation is that non-patentable,
inexpensive and relatively safe alternatives to intrinsically neurotoxic drugs
like donepezil not only exist, but have been confirmed through clinical
research … The
reality is that there is a vast array
of natural approaches available in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s
disease, some of which have been demonstrated to regress the disease process by
clearing pathological beta-amyloid brain plaque. A 2006 study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s disease reported on this
phenomena with the use of curcuminoids (an extract of Turmeric)”.

A study sought to characterize the adverse cognitive effects of statin drugs.  The researchers looked at more than 170 patients who self-reported memory or other cognitive problems associated with statin therapy.

The patients completed a survey assessing statin-associated, cognitive-specific adverse drug reaction characteristics, and the time course of symptom onset and recovery.  Three quarters of them experienced cognitive problems determined to be probably or definitely related to statin therapy. And of the patients who stopped statin therapy, ninety percent reported improvement in cognitive problems, sometimes within days of ceasing to use the drugs; in some patients, a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease reportedly was reversed.

According to the study, as reprinted on the website Green Med Info:

“Findings from the survey suggest that cognitive problems associated with statin therapy have variable onset and recovery courses, a clear relation to statin potency, and significant negative impact on quality-of-life.”

A study sought to characterize the adverse cognitive effects of statin drugs.  The researchers looked at more than 170 patients who self-reported memory or other cognitive problems associated with statin therapy.

The patients completed a survey assessing statin-associated, cognitive-specific adverse drug reaction characteristics, and the time course of symptom onset and recovery.  Three quarters of them experienced cognitive problems determined to be probably or definitely related to statin therapy. And of the patients who stopped statin therapy, ninety percent reported improvement in cognitive problems, sometimes within days of ceasing to use the drugs; in some patients, a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease reportedly was reversed.

According to the study, as reprinted on the website Green Med Info:

“Findings from the survey suggest that cognitive problems associated with statin therapy have variable onset and recovery courses, a clear relation to statin potency, and significant negative impact on quality-of-life.”

Some researchers are suggesting that a key contributor to Alzheimer’s may be insufficient cholesterol in the brain.  Studies have shown that serum levels of cholesterol and the ability to synthesize cholesterol are inversely associated with mental decline in the elderly.

There are now indications that depletion of sulfate supply to the brain is another important contributor to Alzheimer’s.  Sulfate may be supplied to the brain principally by sterol sulfates like cholesterol sulfate, as well as their derivatives like vitamin D3 sulfate.  Both cholesterol sulfate and vitamin D3 sulfate are synthesized in the skin upon exposure to sunlight.

According to MIT senior research scientist Stephanie Seneff:

“This is why I believe that excess sunscreen use and excess sun avoidance are another principal causative factor in Alzheimer’s disease.”

She also pointed to cholesterol-depleting statin drugs and aluminum in flu shots as other contributing causes.

Fully a quarter of the cholesterol in your body can be found in your brain.  Without cholesterol, or even with a cholesterol level that is too low, your brain will be adversely affected. Cholesterol forms synapses and is involved in key signaling processes, and it is also vital for the formation of myelin — the insulation that lines your nerves. People with Alzheimer’s have decreased ability to make and repair damaged myelin.

Those who are genetically predisposed to produce a substance called apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) tend to have a higher incidence of Alzheimers.  It is thought that this is because ApoE4 is relatively inefficient at letting cholesterol and fats get into your brain.  In other words — Alzheimer’s disease may be due in part to lack of the appropriate fat and cholesterol in the brain.

According to Psychology Today:

“[T]hese theories … make biological sense. As opposed to the lipid hypothesis (or the diet-heart hypothesis), which suggests that animal foods we’ve been consuming as humans for millions of years is somehow bad for us, while the seed oils we’ve manufactured just in the last 50 years are somehow especially good for us. More than once, I’ve helped patients with mild cognitive impairment improve symptoms of foggy thinking by getting rid of the statin … Our brains need cholesterol. Desperately. Don’t listen to anyone who would tell you otherwise.”

A related Psychology Today article also discusses the importance of omega-3 fats in warding off dementia.  No fewer than 17 cross-sectional, epidemiological, and prospective cohort studies have been done over the years, which for the most part have found that diets high in omega 3’s were associated with less dementia. Diets high in omega 6 fats were associated with more dementia. This association is actually especially strong among those who do not have the ApoE4 genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s.

Recent research shows that large doses of B-vitamins could slow cognitive decline in older people.  Such a mental decline can be the precursor to dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The research found that large quantities of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid reduced overall brain shrinkage by 30% over the course of the two-year study.

According to The Guardian:

“Taking B vitamins and folic acid is known to control the levels of an amino acid called homocysteine in the blood. High levels of this chemical can damage blood vessels and are associated with increased risk of dementia.”

As people age, memory loss tends to be one of the things they worry about most – misplace your keys and you wonder:  could it be Alzheimer’s? But the truth is there are other things you should be watching for if you fear Alzheimer’s. According to Yahoo Health, these five signs also could signal the onset of this dreaded disease:

1. Personality change, with behaviors that seem to morph as time goes by
2. Problems with executive functioning such as not being to follow written directions anymore, or making plans and not following through
3. Vision problems that include depth perception and spatial coordination that could lead to problems walking well or  trouble driving
4. Language problems and trouble getting the right word out or repeating stories or questions
5. Social withdrawal or growing disinterest in friends and family

Researchers at Lund University have discovered that treatment with vitamin C can dissolve the toxic protein aggregates that build up in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease, Science Daily reports. The research findings, presented in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, found that the vitamin C does not need to come only from fresh fruit.

“In our experiments, we show that the vitamin C can also be absorbed in larger quantities in the form of dehydroascorbic acid from juice that has been kept overnight in a refrigerator, for example,” the researchers said.

Recent research has shown that that moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) are believed to be involved in both of these diseases, it was theorized that antioxidants in coffee might contribute to the risk reduction.

Scientists examined whether or not dark roast coffee beverage has a stronger antioxidant effect than light roast.  They found that the dark roast was the most effective.

According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“Furthermore, administration of the [dark roast] led to a significant body weight reduction in pre-obese subjects”.

Recent research on Alzheimer’s disease places a growing emphasis on early detection. Studies suggests that the best targets for exploring treatments are patients who do not have full-blown Alzheimer’s disease, but experience mild symptoms.

Signs of Alzheimer’s may develop in the brain 10 to 20 years before symptoms begin.  Research on biomarkers and mild cognitive impairment could be important in coming up with better treatments.  Another area of focus is identifying risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, such as physical inactivity, depression, and smoking.  Midlife hypertension, midlife obesity, low education, and diabetes are other risk factors.

According to CNN:

“Two of the biggest obstacles to finding treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are lack of money and difficulty enrolling people in clinical trials, experts say.  The United States spends $450 million each year in Alzheimer’s research money, compared to $6 billion for cancer, $4 billion for heart disease and $3 billion for HIV/AIDS research.”

Is it possible to keep yourself from developing Alzheimer’s disease?  A recent study suggests it might be possible.

For the study, researchers estimated how many Alzheimer’s cases might be attributable to behaviors or conditions, such as physical inactivity, smoking, depression, low education, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.  Using a mathematical model, they found that these were responsible for about half of the 34 million cases of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide.

According to the New York Times:

“And they calculated that if people addressed these risks — by exercising, quitting smoking, increasing their education or losing weight, for example — a significant number of Alzheimer’s cases could be prevented. Reducing the prevalence of these risk factors by 10 percent, the researchers estimated, could prevent 1.1 million cases worldwide; reducing these risk factors by 25 percent could prevent more than three million cases.”

Exercise increases levels of the protein PGC-1alpha, a brain molecule that may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.  The protein also has metabolic effects that also appear to guard against type 2 diabetes.

When researchers studied brain samples from dead Alzheimer’s patients, they found they contained less PGC-1alpha than normal.  Further investigation revealed that cells containing more PGC-1alpha produced less of the toxic amyloid protein characteristic of Alzheimer’s.

According to the Salisbury Journal:

“Since exercise is known to raise levels of PGC-1alpha, the findings may help explain the link between regular physical activity and reduced Alzheimer’s risk.  They also provide a clue to why people with diabetes are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.”

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease tend to suffer from brain amyloidosis, a condition related to defective clearance of amyloid-beta in their brains by their innate immune system.

In order to improve the innate immune system of Alzheimer’s patients, researchers looked at the immune stimulation effects of vitamin D3 in combination with curcumin, an active compound found in the spice turmeric.

According to the study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“[Vitamin D3] is a promising hormone for [Alheimer’s] immunoprophylaxis because in Type I macrophages combined treatment with … D3 and curcuminoids has additive effects, and in Type II macrophages … D3 treatment is effective alone.”

Oxidative stress and neuronal energy depletion are characteristic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. It has been hypothesized that, because of this, pro-energetic and antioxidant drugs such as alpha-lipoic acid might delay the onset or slow down the progression of the disease.

In one study, alpha-lipoic acid was given daily to nine patients with of Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment led to a stabilization of cognitive functions in the study group.

According the study, as reported by Green Med Info:

“… [T]he progression [of Alzheimer’s for patients taking alpha-lipoic acid] appears dramatically lower than data reported for untreated patients or patients on choline-esterase inhibitors in the second year of long-term studies … [O]ur data suggest that treatment with alpha-lipoic acid might be a successful ‘neuroprotective’ therapy option”.

There is increasing evidence to suggest that saffron may be an effective means of managing Alzheimer’s disease.  A study found that saffron had an effect similar to the drug donepezil in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s after 22 weeks — and had fewer side effects.

Another study found that dietary supplementation with vitamin E and folic acid, as well as ALA, DHA, and GPC, could aid in decreasing oxidative stress in mouse brains.

According to FYI Living:

“… [T]his reveals that such dietary supplementation also helps improve cognitive performance in the normal mice. This study is a significant step towards development of newer preventive nutritional therapies in the elderly who are susceptible to cognitive decline and related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It also enables an understanding of the involvement of oxidative stress and other molecular mechanisms that lead to age-related loss of cognitive abilities.”

Is it possible that Alzheimer’s is a form of diabetes? Research shows that brain levels of insulin fall during the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and as insulin levels continue to drop, the disease becomes more severe.

Experts are starting to look at memory problems like Alzheimer’s as a form of brain starvation, and at least one doctor says glucose metabolism could be the key. Dr. Larry McCleary notes that diabetics have four times the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and people with prediabetes have triple the risk.

Medical Breakthroughs reports:

“Insulin and its related protein, insulin-related growth factor-I, lose the ability to bind to cell receptors. This creates a resistance to the insulin growth factors, causing the cells to malfunction and die … Dr. McCleary says if insulin resistance could be minimized by making proper food choices, he estimates that 40 percent of Alzheimer’s disease cases could be prevented.”

Chronic disease is the single biggest killer in the U.S., and treating chronic disease accounts for 75 percent of the nation’s health care spending. But a new study may indicate that the preoccupation of conventional medicine with treating symptoms may have prevented physicians from noting a common denominator to many diseases.

The researchers were looking for universal regulating factors in nature that are related to chronic diseases, and concluded that the interaction of the human body with the electrical charge of the earth is such a factor.  They found evidence that a connection to the earth — sometimes referred to as Earthing or grounding — is essential for normal physiology.

According to the study, as reported by Mary Anne Liebert, Inc.:

“Our shoes, with their insulating soles made of plastic or rubber, and our contemporary homes and buildings have disconnected us from a vital ‘nutrient’ in the form of electrons from the earth … Earthing or grounding during sleep resulted in statistically significant changes in the concentrations of minerals and electrolytes in the blood serum: iron, ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium … One can count on the fingers of one hand the genuine discoveries in the history of medicine that have totally and unequivocally changed our understanding of health and disease … Discovery of the underlying causes of the chronic diseases would be another milestone, and may now be within reach.”

A popular drug used to treat Alzheimer’s patients appears to provide no benefit to those who may be in the early stages of the disease, CNN reports. Although the drug is approved by the FDA for only moderate to severe cases, many physicians have been prescribing it off-label for milder cases. But their efforts are in vain, according to a study reported by CNN:

“We conclude that there is a lack of efficacy in mild Alzheimer’s,” says the study’s lead researcher, Lon Schneider, M.D., a professor of psychiatry, neurology, and gerontology at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles. “We think physicians, patients, and caregivers should simply know this.”

(Even so), nearly one-fifth of all people with mild Alzheimer’s received the drug in 2006, and the rates may be far higher in some hospitals and practices, according to the study, which appears in the journal Archives of Neurology.Many neurologists — 40 percent, by one estimate — even prescribe the drug for mild cognitive impairment, a condition that may or may not progress to full-blown dementia.”

Daily supplementation using a natural pigment called astaxanthin — the same coloring that gives flamingos their pink appearance — can reduce the accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxides.  These compounds accumulate in the red blood cells of people who suffer from dementia, and scientists now believe that astaxanthin could help prevent dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

About 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is only expected to go up in coming years.

According to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition:

“After 12 weeks of treatment, erythrocyte astaxanthin concentrations were higher in both the 6 and 12 mg astaxanthin groups than in the placebo group. In contrast, erythrocyte [phospholipid hydroperoxide] concentrations were lower in the astaxanthin groups than in the placebo group … These results suggest that astaxanthin supplementation results in improved erythrocyte antioxidant status and decreased [phospholipid hydroperoxide] levels, which may contribute to the prevention of dementia.”

Many over-the-counter and prescription drugs can cause memory loss and cognitive impairment.  Numerous drugs have been shown to cause mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, a common condition that is often an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs may create or aggravate Alzheimer’s-type symptoms.

Most of the drugs that cause MCI are “anti-cholinergic” — they inhibit the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.  However, only a few of these drugs are officially classified as anti-cholinergic. The only official anti-cholinergic drugs are mostly used for relieving intestinal cramps or bladder irritability, but there are 17 additional types of drugs that may also have anti-cholinergic effects.

According to Dr. Leo Galland, writing in the Huffington Post:

“The list includes commonly used drugs like antihistamines, acid blockers and antidepressants. Unfortunately, many doctors and pharmacists are unaware of the anti-cholinergic properties of these medications.”

Regularly drinking green tea could protect your brain against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.  A study has shown that chemicals created when the tea is digested help prevent brain cell degeneration.

Lab experiments exposed cells to varying concentrations of different toxins and digested green tea compounds.  The digested chemicals protected the cells.

BBC News reports:

“Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the charity Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: ‘Diet and lifestyle almost certainly plays a part in every person’s Alzheimer’s risk.’”

Walking may slow cognitive decline, both in adults with cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease, and in healthy adults.

Researchers analyzed the relationship between physical activity and brain structure in more than 400 people.  The scientists monitored how far each of the patients walked in a week, and after 10 years, all patients underwent MRI exams to identify changes in brain volume.

Science Daily reports:

“The findings showed across the board that greater amounts of physical activity were associated with greater brain volume. Cognitively impaired people needed to walk at least 58 city blocks, or approximately five miles, per week to maintain brain volume and slow cognitive decline. The healthy adults needed to walk at least 72 city blocks, or six miles, per week to maintain brain volume and significantly reduce their risk for cognitive decline.”

High levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol are already known to be good for your heart.  New research shows it might also be good for your brain.

A study found that people over 65 who had the highest levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were 60 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease over the course of four years.  This could point to a means of preventing Alzheimer’s, an incurable brain-wasting disease.

Reuters reports:

“… [A]n HDL reading of 55 or greater is achievable by changing diets and exercising. Some doctors also prescribe niacin, a B vitamin that can boost heart-protective HDL 25 percent, but this is not widely used because it causes uncomfortable facial flushing.”

Eating purple fruits, such as blueberries, can help ward off neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s.  Drinking green tea can also have the same protective effect.

New research finds that the majority of debilitating illnesses are in part caused by poorly-bound iron.  The iron causes the production of dangerous toxins, called hydroxyl radicals, that cause degenerative diseases of many kinds.  Nutrients known as iron chelators, however, can bind the iron tightly.

Science Daily reports:

“Brightly-colored fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of chelators, as is green tea, with purple fruits considered to have the best chance of binding the iron effectively.”

Watch these videos to learn about the amazing discovery which could mean that there is a cure for Alzheimer’s and memory loss.

An antioxidant-rich diet could reduce levels of the amino acid homocysteine and counter the detrimental inflammatory effects associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A new study found that daily consumption of an antioxidant-rich drink for eight months was associated with a smaller increase in homocysteine levels, especially in people with moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

High levels of homocysteine are associated with dementia. One study reported that people with homocysteine levels above 14 micromoles per liter of serum had twice the risk of dementia.

According to NutraIngredients:

“Results showed that consumption of the antioxidant-rich drink ‘attenuated the [homocysteine] increase…’, which was measured at a level of 11.7 micromoles per liter for the antioxidant beverage, compared with 15.63 micromoles per liter for the placebo group. Furthermore, in people with moderate Alzheimer’s diseases, the active beverage was associated with an average homocysteine level of 10.49 micromoles per liter”.

People who consume foods rich in vitamin B12 could be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers analyzed blood samples from more than 270 individuals who showed no evidence of dementia. They tested for levels of vitamin B12 and for levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and then tracked the study participants for seven years.

Each unit increase in vitamin B12 reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 2 percent.

According to CNN:

“The relationship between vitamin B12 and Alzheimer’s risk is ‘complex’ … B12 levels, particularly holotranscobalamin levels, likely play a contributory role.”

Many desperate patients have turned to the promise of chelation treatments of conditions including autism, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The U.S. FDA has begun a crackdown on these products, alleging that they are dangerous and illegal.

The FDA sent warning letters to eight makers of chelators, which are drugs that remove heavy metals from your body. The companies could potentially face fines, confiscation of their products or criminal prosecution if they continue to market their products for medical uses.

According to Time Magazine:

“The products, which are widely marketed and available on the Internet, may cause serious and potentially deadly health complications, including dehydration and kidney failure.”

However, the Daily Bell offers a somewhat different picture of the treatment:

“Chelation was developed during the World War I to help veterans exposed to poison gas attacks. After World War II, the treatment found favor helping those in the military who had received lead poisoning as a result of painting ships.”

Several of the warned companies responded to the FDA’s letters by saying that the treatment had been around for many years and had been beneficial for many people.

In an interview with Michael D. West, CEO of BioTime Inc, the journal Regenerative Medicine reports on an exciting breakthrough that just could make it possible to turn back the hands of time in aging cells.

“The problem with human biology is that the immortal reproductive cells that built you and me develop into differentiated cells within our bodies and as a result, lose the capacity to proliferate (divide) forever,” West says. “So, the cells of the body are mortal, meaning they have a finite life span, and as our tissues age, or deteriorate from disease, our body has a finite capacity to regenerate and repair those tissues. As a result, we suffer progressive declines in function that lead to our death.”

The fascinating part of this new research is that stem cells have pristine DNA, West explains – and researchers may very well to at some point in the future put those cells to work to unlock ways to regenerate tissues and, ultimately, eliminate the major causes of aging.

Matt Walker presents a fascinating discussion of the various stages your brain undergoes in sleep, and what happens during sleep that affects your memory and learning. Can poor sleep even move you toward Alzheimer’s and dementia?