Perhaps you’re concerned that you might be a candidate for Alzheimer’s disease because a number of your family members have it. Or maybe you’ve just been given a diagnosis and have been told you’re at the very initial stage of the disease. If so, the message of this chapter is: Fight back! Fight back in every way you can, and getting the right nutrients can help you do that.
To be clear, the dietary and supplement strategies we’ll discuss in this chapter are not intended for people with advanced stage Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, medical science does not yet have a cure—a tragedy all too real to the loved ones of anyone who has this devastating disease.
Cognitive dysfunction—what medical science calls a malfunctioning brain—ranges all the way from mild memory loss to full-blown dementia, and everything in between. Be aware that if you are experiencing mild cognitive impairment, you do not necessarily have Alzheimer’s disease. This is one diagnosis that you don’t want to assume.
There are many things besides Alzheimer’s that can hinder proper brain function, according to the national Alzheimer’s Association. These include certain nutrient deficiencies, stroke, head injury, and even brain tumors. If you feel that your thinking and memory are no longer working as they should, let your doctor know. It’s also possible that advice in the Memory Problems chapter could be just what it takes to keep you from ever having to hear that difficult diagnosis.
If you or a loved one has just gotten the word that Alzheimer’s is the likely culprit behind an increasingly foggy brain, however, read on.
A lifetime of poor eating choices plays a huge role in determining who gets Alzheimer’s disease and who doesn’t. Yes, there is a hereditary component to the disease. But according to Laurie Mischley, ND, a naturopathic physician in private practice in Seattle who specializes in neurological disorders, it’s possible that an anti-Alzheimer’s lifestyle—including making the right dietary choices—can prevent those genes from ever being expressed or at least delay their expression to much later in life.
Making a sudden switch in your dietary habits is not going to flip the switch and turn off the progression of the disease once you have it, however. It would be a serious disservice to make that claim, says Dr. Mischley. However, switching to the right kind of diet early on in the disease can possibly slow the progression of the disease, stretching out the early stage and providing more lucid years up front.
So what’s the right diet?
This can be summed up in just a few short sentences: Eat less meat. Eat a greater variety of plant foods. Concentrate on getting more colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet. Keep your weight down. Keep your cholesterol level down.
That’s the word from James Joseph, PhD, director of the neuroscience lab at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, and coauthor of The Color Code: A Revolutionary Eating Program for Optimum Health.
“Whatever you do to hold back aging also holds back Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. Joseph. “Whatever you do for your heart is also good for your brain and your eyes. Go back to what your mother said: Eat more fruits and vegetables.”
Colorful produce has potent anti-inflammatory compounds, notes Dr. Joseph. It also contains many, many phytonutrients that are helpful for the brain, including beneficial things like lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Dr. Joseph has focused much of his research on the nutrients in blueberries, which he says can actually help grow brain cells (neurons).
There are so many phytonutrients that might be helpful that it’s best to focus on foods and not try to seek substitutes in nutritional supplements, says Dr. Joseph. “Stop trying to make a drug out of this stuff and just eat the berries and drink the juice. Eat a salad. If you can’t get berries, drink some purple grape juice. Eat your colors every day.” Aim for 5 to 10 servings a day, he says.
There are also a number of specific foods to reduce or eliminate from your diet, says Dr. Mischley. These include pasta, white bread, pastries, chips, alcohol, and (especially) sodas.
In addition to the dietary strategies outlined above, some individual nutrients deserve special attention.
Getting enough of all the antioxidant vitamins is “very important,” says Dr. Joseph. These include vitamins C, D, and E. Dr. Mischley suggests getting 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E.
Although the RDI for vitamin D is set at 400 IU, many researchers are now saying that this is way too low and suggest getting at least 1,000 IU daily, especially if you are not able to spend time in the sun each day.
B vitamins are especially important for brain function, says Dr. Mischley. In fact, a deficiency of vitamin B12 “sets the stage for dementia,” she cautions. If a lack of B12 has caused neurons to deteriorate, getting more B12 will not make them grow back. But by the same token, not getting enough B12 will cause further deterioration, she says.
A number of scientific studies have shown that not getting enough vitamin B12 apparently contributes to faster cognitive decline in older adults. In 2007, for example, British researchers published the results of a 10-year study in which they looked at the mental performance of people over the age of 65. They found that getting adequate levels of B12 could slow mental decline by as much as a third.
If your doctor determines that you are deficient in B12, you’ll likely get shots of this particular vitamin. Good food sources of vitamin B12 include fish, milk, and eggs.
You can also take a B-complex supplement to cover all your bases. You specifically need to get 1,000 milligrams of folic acid. Good food sources include fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, baked beans, peanuts, green peas, and broccoli.
Huperizine A, a phytonutrient extracted from Chinese club moss (Hypersia serrata), is one supplement that has been shown to nutritionally affect cognitive function, says Dr. Mischley. It does this by keeping the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down, she explains. She suggests taking 100 micrograms. Although this supplement can be somewhat hard to find, it is available online.
In 2007, Australian researchers reviewed lipoic acid supplements as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. They noted that small studies have shown that lipoic acid supplements have been found to stabilize cognitive decline in elderly people with suspected Alzheimer’s. The authors also noted that lipoic acid holds promise as a potential treatment for the disease and called for further study. The amount cited in the review was 600 milligrams daily.
Lipoic acid, also known as alpha lipoic acid, is a fatty acid, a nutrient found in every cell in your body. It’s considered to be safe even at levels much higher than 600 milligrams. If you’d like to try it, it’s certainly worth discussing with your doctor.
Fish oil is beneficial because it contains the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA, says Dr. Joseph. Researchers at Tufts found that regular consumption of fatty fish slashed the risk of getting Alzheimer’s nearly in half. Good sources of EPA and DHA include salmon, sardines, and anchovies. You can also take 1 to 3 grams of a fish oil supplement.
Studies have shown that low levels of selenium are associated with poor cognitive function, says Dr. Mischley. The mineral selenium is an important antioxidant. You need 200 micrograms of selenium to prevent deficiency, she says. Good food sources include nuts and grains.
Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org
The Color Code: A Revolutionary Eating Program for Optimum Health by
James A. Joseph, PhD, Daniel A. Nadeau, MD, and Anne Underwood
If you’re in the first stage of Alzheimer’s, you should be under the care of a physician. Let colorful fruits and vegetables be the foundation of your diet. And be sure you discuss any supplements you wish to take with your doctor. Aim to get at least some of the amounts listed below from food sources.
B vitamins |
Take a B-complex supplement. Follow package directions. |
Huperizine A |
100 micrograms |
Lipoic acid |
600 milligrams |
Omega-3 fatty acids |
1 to 3 grams of fish oil* |
Selenium |
200 micrograms |
Vitamin C |
1,000 milligrams |
Vitamin D |
1,000 IU |
Vitamin E* |
400 IU |
*Fish oil has a blood-thinning effect. So does vitamin E. If you’re taking any kind of blood-thinning drug, talk to your doctor before taking these supplements.