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Vitamin supplements may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s

Sunday, February 8,   2004

Taking high doses of vitamins C and E may reduce the risks of Alzheimer's disease, a study by American researchers has revealed. The researchers believe antioxidant vitamin supplements may be an ideal prevention strategy for aging populations as they are relatively nontoxic and are thought to have wide-ranging health benefits.  

The study, "Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's Disease in Users of Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements"  was published in the January 2004, issue of Archives of Neurology, a medical journal.

Spokesman of the group, Peter Zandi of the John Hopkins  Bloomberg School of Public Health, Washington D.C. said "the findings suggest that vitamins C and E may offer protection against Alzheimer's disease when taken together in higher doses available in supplements."

The five-year study  involving 4,740 elderly people from 65 years and above, is part of the global quest for the cause and cure of the debilitating disease that afflicts great numbers of aging populations worldwide.

Alzheimer's is a degenerative brain disease that usually begins gradually, causing a person to forget recent events or familiar tasks. How rapidly it advances varies from person to person, but the disease eventually leads to confusion, personality and behavior changes and impaired judgment. Communication becomes more difficult as the disease progresses, leaving those affected struggling to find words, finish thoughts or follow directions. Eventually, most people with Alzheimer's disease become unable to care for themselves.

According to estimates from the United States (US) Alzheimer's Association one in 10 people over 65 and nearly half of those over 85 suffer from Alzheimer's disease.  Today, 4 million Americans have the condition. That number could jump to 14 million by the year 2050 unless prevention methods are developed, it predicted sadly.

Investigations have revealed that till date, scientists are still not certain of the disease's cause. Nevertheless it is generally believed that advancing age and family history are risk factors. For now researchers are exploring the role of genetics in the disease, but most agree it is caused by a variety of factors.

Another sad dimension of the degenerative disorder according to the association is that there is no single, comprehensive diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease. Instead, doctors rule out other conditions through a process of elimination. They usually conduct physical, psychological and neurological exams and take a thorough medical history. Diagnosis is about 90 percent accurate, but the only way to confirm it is through autopsy.

There is no medical treatment currently available to cure or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease but there are  four Alzheimer's drugs approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) -- Cognex, Aricept, Exelon, and Reminyl -- that may temporarily relieve some symptoms of the disease. Apparently  other drugs are said to be in development.

 Common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease according to doctors  include:

·  Memory loss that affects job skills

·  Difficulty performing familiar tasks

·  Problems with language

·  Disorientation to time and place

·  Poor or decreased judgment

·  Problems with abstract thinking

·  Placing items in inappropriate places

·  Rapid changes in mood or behavior

·  Dramatic changes in personality

·  Loss of initiative

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