Vital Vitamins for Protecting yourself from Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia(Part 1).
The Vitamin C and E Combination
An article published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry showed that all Alzheimer's sufferers had low blood plasma concentrations of vitamin C no matter how good their diet was. It also showed and that the lower the concentrations the worse their thinking or cognition was but they were unable to explain why this was. It maybe due to problems with absorption, or the vitamin C is being used up more quickly amongst those suffering with dementia but regardless of the reason they knew it was important.
This study supports the theory that vitamin C is vital in reducing the damage done by free radicals within the body and the brain itself. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant and coupled with vitamin E the results are even far more impressive (but I will cover that in just a moment).
Researchers have also discovered that vitamin C enhances the effect of medications used to treat dementia allowing the drugs to pass more easily into the brain and therefore have a greater effect. A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry in 2002 showed that certain drugs were prevented from entering the brain by the blood-brain barrier (a control filter that prevents harmful materials entering the brain and central nervous system) but with the addition of vitamin C this filtering mechanism was overcome.
As well as being a powerful anti-oxidant and removing free radicals from the body, vitamin C is also involved in over 300 hundred metabolic processes that are vital for health. Some of these processes are extremely important in the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer's. For example, vitamin C lowers your level of bad cholesterol whilst raising your level of good cholesterol, helps your body detox heavy metals, helps in the metabolisms of carbohydrates, lowers blood pressure and reduces atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.
So, regardless of how good your diet is a supplementation of vitamin C may prove very beneficial. If you are going to try a supplement you may as well add vitamin E to – you'll be glad that you did (as I will show you now)...
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that vitamin E intake was inversely proportional to the incidence of Alzheimer's disease – i.e. the more you took the less likely you were to suffer from the condition. The study also showed that increased levels of vitamin E could reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Vitamin E also acts as a powerful antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cell damage. As well as this vitamin E also contributes to a healthy circulatory system and aids in proper blood clotting and may decrease the risk of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) by slowing the development of atherosclerosis.It therefore makes sense to take a supplement of vitamins C and E – but it makes even more sense to take them together! In fact, a study in 2006 by the Johns Hopkins University showed that those who took a combination of vitamin C and E supplements over a six-year period had a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Look out for my future articles or grab your copy of The Alzheimer’s Alternative for more information on supplements that are beneficial in the fight against and the protection from Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Steffan H. Abel D.C. has been involved in Chiropractic and healthcare research for over 20 years. He has run his own successful practice in the north of England for the last 19 years. During which time he has treated over 10,000 patients and given over 100,000 treatments. He has lectured and taught extensively in both Europe and America to students, chiropractors and medical doctors.
He has studied Hypnotherapy, N.L.P. and qualified as a Life Coach. He has also studied various Chiropractic-based treatments (gaining a M.Sc. in post graduate Clinical Chiropractic in 2003) as well as energy therapies such as Seichem and Reiki. In 2001 he became a Fellow of the College of Chiropractors and a Fellow of the Association of Osteomyology and in 2007 became a Fellow of the European Academy of Chiropractic.
In his spare time he spends between 15 and 25 hours per week researching all areas of “alternative” and allopathic healthcare in order to bring the best advice to his patients through his practice and writing and has just finished his latest book The Alzheimer's Alternative ( www.alzheimersalternative.com ). When not working he is to be found enjoying life with Sue, his partner, – whom he loves tremendously!