Alzheimer's Disease: Two Potential Cures And Nutrients That Slow Progression
By Michael Mooney Updated May, 2013

Age-related memory loss can be an early sign of senile dementia or early Alzheimer's Disease, which can start 10 to 20 years before the full symptoms of Alzheimer's manifest. A couple of easily-accessed dietary supplements can stave off age-related memory loss and even Alzheimer's Disease and the memory loss it brings.

A form of niacin (vitamin B3) called xanthinol nicotinate has been shown in a placebo-controlled study to improve both short-term and long-term memory in seniors. I take it and notice that it makes me a little bit "sharper" with better focus and memory. You can read about it and where to get it by clicking here.

Niacinamide - A mouse study showed that niacinamide (the other form of vitamin B3) completely reversed Alzheimer's disease, including reversing memory loss.

The study results were so good that the researchers used the word "cured." Scientists are very careful about using this word.

The study was so exciting that the Alzheimer's Association and UC Irvine started a human study that is using 1,500 mg of a special sustained release niacinamide called Enduramide, taken twice a day, for a total of 3,000 mg a day.

Long-term nutritional medicine expert, Dr. Jonathan Wright agrees that niacinamide can successfully address Alzheimers. To read what he said, click here.

I bought the product that is being used in the human study and am taking 1/3 the study's dose (1,000 mg/day) as a preventive.

Here's the link to buy it: http://www.endur.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shopping.display&subcatid=19&pageid=2&parentid=2&parentpage=0

It's completely safe and has worthwhile potential benefits.

Organic Virgin or Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - Everyone over 40 years of age should consider taking a tablespoon of coconut oil every day to reduce the potential to experience Alzheimer's Disease and preserve memory as we age.

This is something that's easier to do than taking niacinamide, because you can add it to foods, cook with it or just take a spoonful.

Recommended reading includes - http://www.anh-usa.org/coconut-oil-and-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-disease/ and an article at http://www.naturalnews.com/032727_coconut_oil_Alzheimers.html by Dr. Carolyn Dean points at a book by Dr. Bruce Fife, called Stop Alzheimer's Now! that provides more details.

Another book, Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure? by Dr. Mary Newport focuses only on the use of coconut oil, detailing the biochemical reasons it addresses Alzheimer’s, presenting a YOUTUBE video about it, along with case studies.

You can also see the CBN video report at: http://www.cbn.com/tv/1472017228001

DOSING
So what dose of coconut oil might help? Doses suggested have ranged from two to five tablespoons a day to address Alzheimer's.

This is interesting enough that I've decided to take a daily tablespoon of organic virgin coconut oil as a preventive. Brands I've used include Tropical Traditions brand Virgin Coconut Oil and Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.

The most important consideration when buying oils is that they are virgin or, better yet, extra virgin and organic is even better.

Coconut oil has a multiplicity of other health benefits, including anti-infective properties, cardioprotective effects, skin and hair health support and as an efficient energy source because of the high medium chain triglyceride content, which means it will mostly be burned for energy rather than stored as fat.

Vitamin E at 2,000 IU/day - A study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1997 showed that 2,000 IU of daily vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) reduced Alzheimer's Disease progression with subjects becoming "more in control of their daily lives."

I see mainstream publications and magazines cautioning us to be careful of vitamin E doses over 400 IU because they didn't look critically at a poorly-designed study that said vitamin E could increase mortality at 400 IU or more. It's not true.

For instance: Losonczy published a study with 11,000 elderly people that showed that Vitamin E supplementation was associated with a 44 percent reduced relative risk of all-cause mortality.

The Women's Health Study of 39,876 female health professionals found a 47% reduction in cardiac mortality with 400 IU vitamin E supplementation. This was a gold-standard randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.

The best known of these trials, the Cambridge Heart Antioxidant Study, found a 47% reduction in fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with proven coronary atherosclerosis who were given 400 or 800 IU of vitamin E daily.  

There is a small potential for vitamin E at doses of 1,200 IU or more to cause problems, like hypertension.

1,200 IU is the Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (LOAEL) for vitamin E.

The LOAEL is a dose where toxicity might occur, "...rarely, but for some sensitive sub-groups it can occur..." when taken over a period of time, such as three months.

People on blood thinning medications, problems with blood clotting and vitamin K deficiency need to be careful with vitamin E because vitamin E has mild blood thinning properties, especially at higher doses.

The prescription drug, selegiline (Deprenyl) was also somewhat effective in a study with vitamin E.

But the two things that are most worth considering if Alzheimer's is starting to manifest are niacinamide and coconut oil.

Because Alzheimer's can start 10 to 20 years before it becomes obvious that one has the disease, getting some daily intake of coconut oil and niacinamide at about age 40 is a good idea for best long-term health.

High Doses Of Three B-Vitamins Helps Prevent Alzheimer's, Say Researchers

In a placebo-controlled study of 156 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment, the stage before dementia or Alzheimer's, researchers gave 80 of the subjects a combination of vitamin B12 (500 mcg), B6 (20 mg) and folic acid (800 mcg) over a two year period.

Lead researcher David Smith of Oxford University said: "In those with high homocysteine levels, the specific areas of the brain associated with Alzheimer's, disease shrank eight times more slowly in those taking B vitamins than in those on the placebo."

"This is strongly indicative that the B vitamins may be substantially slowing down, or even potentially arresting, the disease process in those with early stage cognitive decline."

"This is the first treatment that has been shown to potentially arrest Alzheimer's related brain shrinkage."

Smith also said: "This makes the need for early screening for the first signs of cognitive decline from the age of 50…vitally important, backed up by homocysteine testing and potential B vitamin treatment."

"Our study shows that those with a homocysteine level above 10mcmol/l, which is about half of all people over age 65, potentially may benefit with reduced brain shrinkage by taking high dose B6, B12 and folic acid, but this should be done under medical supervision."

Reference: Douaud G, et al. Preventing Alzheimer's disease-related gray matter atrophy by B vitamin treatment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Published online before print May 20, 2013, doi:10.1073/pnas.1301816110 PNAS May 20, 2013