Pseudo Cure for AD a No Brainer
Dr. David J. Demko, gerontologist
AgeVenture News Service 03-02-26
Life is tough all by itself. No additional burdens necessary. Then there's life with Alzheimer's disease. An extraordinary burden for both the victim and the caregiver. Then there's life with Alzheimer's plus a litany of false hope "pseudo cures" that drain one's pocketbook and emotional fortitude. The images (left) portray the devastating effect of Alzheimer's Disease. Normal brain activity (left photo) and brain activity of the Alzheimer's victim (photo right) are illustrated. So what's the real story? Is there, or is there NOT a cure for Alzheimer's Disease? And, if there is not, then what are one's treatment options in the meantime? Well, here's the latest news about what legitimate researchers say about all those factors supposedly related to Alzheimer's. This new evidence may not be exactly what you want to hear. Perhaps, what you learn here won't really change your opinion about the pseudo cures. After all, consider all the folks who got the low-down about ephedra, the so-called miracle weight-loss, energy-booster. It's a real killer. But try and talk some sense into boomers who disregard the common sense truth, preferring instead to risk heart attack, stroke, or death. Go figure. Some things are a "no brainer". For those with common sense, "no brainer" means a fore drawn conclusion. For the medically reckless, "no-brainer"describes the amount of gray matter between one's ears. Any way, here's the latest alzheimer information just back from the frontline of research.
The February 2003 issue of the Archives of Neurology features a series of research findings providing new insights on possible risk and protective factors regarding Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These reports include investigations of dietary fats, antioxidants, and estrogen, as well as possible genetic factors. The reports are based on research supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), which leads the Federal Government’s effort to conduct and support research on AD and on aging generally. The NIA is part of the National Institutes of Health at the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Here's what the research suggests in regard to factors that affect Alzheimer's risk.
- Dietary Fats and Alzheimer's Risk
High intake of unsaturated, unhydrogenated fats may be protective against AD;
consuming saturated or trans-unsaturated fats may increase risk.
- Antioxidant Vitamins and Alzheimer's Risk
diet and supplementals were not found to be associated with decreased risk of AD.
- Estrogen Levels and Memory Performance
a treatment trial of Premarin in postmenopausal women with hysterectomy
found no association between elevated levels of estradiol and estrone levels and memory.
- Higher Estrogen Levels and Better Memory Performance
findings did not support the assumption that higher levels of endogenous estradiol
in older adults are associated with better memory performance.
- Racial Differences in Alzheimer's Risk
Researchers report that "Apolipoprotein E e4 allele", a specific genetic factor,
led to increased risk of AD in Whites but not in Blacks.
- Active Lifestyles, Life-Expectancy and Alzheimer's Disease
This study found that AD greatly shortened total life expectancy in both men and women,
especially those who also spent more years with greater disability.
For more information on AD, visit the NIA website at www.alzheimers.org
Readers may also call the ADEAR Center toll free at 1-800-438-4380.
image credit: Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center, a service of National Institute on Aging.
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