COMPLETE ALZHEIMER S CURE

Transcription

1 A Supplement to Dr. Micozzi s COMPLETE ALZHEIMER S CURE An All-New, All-Natural Protocol to Protect and Restore Brain Health and Reverse Memory Loss The Brain-Nourishing Nutrients You Must Start Taking Today 1

2 Table of Contents Lesson 7: The Nutrient that Stops Memory Loss In Its Tracks... 2 Lesson 8: Reverse Dementia with the Vitamin That Outperformed Drugs...4 Lesson 9: Nerve-Nourishing Vitamins That REGENERATE Brain Cells!...6 Lesson 10: The Mind-Mending Mineral That Makes Your Brain Younger...7 Lesson 11: Supercharge Your Neurons with These Six Forgotten Nutrients and Food Factors...8 Lesson 7 The Nutrient that Stops Memory Loss In Its Tracks I just can t say enough about the great and powerful vitamin D. A constant torrent of new research shows vitamin D is essential for health and helps prevent many diseases. But most people don t have optimal levels. And mainstream medicine focuses only on its role in maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis. Thankfully, some clear-thinking scientists and physicians are beginning to put together the puzzle pieces when it comes to low vitamin D and increased risk for developing other chronic diseases including Alzheimer s disease and dementia. A 2014 study shows that older patients with very low levels of vitamin D have a 122 PERCENT increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer s disease. For this study, the researchers followed 1,658 relatively healthy participants from many different parts of the country. Over a six-year period, they assessed the participants cognitive function through repeat MRI examinations, medical records, cognitive assessments, and questionnaires. Then, over several decades, they also collected blood samples. This is how they classified the participants 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurements: Very low = less than 25 nmol/l Low = 25 to 50 Sufficient = 50 During the follow-up period, 171 participants were diagnosed with dementia, of whom 102 developed Alzheimer s Disease (AD) specifically. Taking into account age and seasonality, the researchers discovered that men and women with low vitamin D ran a 51 percent increased risk of developing dementia. And those with very low vitamin D had the aforementioned 122 percent increased risk. An earlier study showed a 60 percent increased risk of dementia among those with very low vitamin D. But this new study showed double that risk. And it was a very well-designed study. For one, they were careful to take into account the appearance of new cognitive problems, like memory decline. They also took into account factors like education level, gender, BMI, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and depression. As well as diabetes, hypertension, and ethnicity. These other factors could have influenced the dementia rates. So the researchers made sure to adjust for participants according to these factors. The researchers also excluded participants who developed any dementia within the first year of the study. This step ensured that patients were not already 2

3 in the early stages of dementia. Researchers also considered whether results were associated with being older, staying indoors, or having a poor diet, which could also incidentally lower vitamin D levels. After taking all these factors into account, the results still remained consistent. These new findings suggest that the optimal vitamin D blood level to prevent dementia is 50 nmol/l. Others have argued that a higher level of 75 nmol/l is better. So make sure you know your numbers: Ask your doctor at your annual check-up to run a vitamin D blood test. There are two different blood tests for vitamin D, so be specific: Ask for the 25(OH)D test. In 2015, another study on vitamin D and the brain linked low levels of the nutrient with accelerated rates of age-related memory loss. For this study, researchers at Rutgers University and University of California at Davis assessed baseline vitamin D levels in 328 adults with an average age of 76 years. At the study s outset, 18 percent of the participants had dementia, 33 percent had mild cognitive impairment, and 50 percent had normal cognitive function. As I would expect, men and women diagnosed with dementia at the study s outset had lower vitamin D levels compared to those with mild cognitive impairment. Furthermore, during the five-year follow-up period, the vitamin D-deficient group had greater rates of memory decline than the vitamin-d insufficient participants. In other words, the more severe the vitamin D deficiency, the more rapid the memory decline. To be more specific, they linked low vitamin D with accelerated declines in episodic memory (memory of a specific event) and executive functions (like concentration, problem-solving and planning) two types of cognitive abilities that always decline in Alzheimer s disease and dementia. So what is going on here? For this study, researchers divided middle-aged rats into three groups. The first group received high levels of vitamin D3 for six months. The second group received medium levels of vitamin D. And the third group got the lowest amount. After six months on these diets, the researchers put all the rats through a challenging maze test. Specifically, the researchers tested the rats ability to recall the location of a platform in a water maze, and then to recall a new location. The researchers compared the maze to finding your car in your workplace parking lot after parking it in a new place. Not surprisingly, mice given higher daily doses of vitamin D navigated the maze significantly faster than those who received lower doses. Specifically, the researchers discovered changes inside the rat hippocampus, the part of the brain that supports learning and memory. The hippocampus is also very susceptible to age-related changes. The researchers also discovered important changes in the activity of dozens of genes most notably, those genes involved in transporting neurotransmitters to the synapses. This finding is important because the aging brain commonly loses synaptic strength, which can impair communication between neurons. Conclusive evidence shows we need much higher amounts of vitamin D daily. I recommend you get 10,000 IU of vitamin D daily as a liquid supplement. There just isn t enough room to add enough vitamin D together with other vitamins in capsule formulations. Also, as a fat-soluble vitamin, it needs to be delivered in a healthy oil for the body to absorb it. Vitamin D supplementation is important all year long. And especially during wintertime, when the sun just isn t strong enough to promote vitamin D production in the skin in most parts of the country. Vitamin D also helps support mood as we get into the darker, gloomier days of late fall and winter. 3

4 Also make sure to eat nutritious foods like eggs, fish, and meat, which contain healthy amounts of vitamin D. Lesson 8 Reverse Dementia with the Vitamin That Outperformed Drugs No DRUG can cure Alzheimer s disease (AD). But one VITAMIN holds great promise. In fact, in a study conducted in 2014, men and women with AD who took this vitamin SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED THE PROGRESS OF THEIR DISEASE LIVED LONGER overall lived longer INDEPENDENTLY. Researchers compared the vitamin to a drug commonly prescribed to treat moderate-to-severe AD patients. And the vitamin completely OUTPERFORMED the drug! The vitamin: VITAMIN E For this study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers recruited 613 patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer s disease. Most of the participants attended 14 various Veteran s Affairs medical centers around the country. Researchers randomly divided them into four groups. 1.) The first group took 2,000 IU of vitamin E each day for a little over two years, on average. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It acts as an antioxidant. And it can slow down processes that damage cells in the brain and elsewhere. 2.) The second group took 20 mg of Memantine, a commonly prescribed AD drug. 3.) The third group took both vitamin E and Memantine. 4.) And the fourth group took a placebo. Researchers found that the vitamin E group had significantly slower functional decline compared to the placebo group. This means they lived longer independently. They continued to do their own cooking, washing, and shopping. And they required less caregiver time and attention compared to the other three groups. Overall, the researchers saw a delay in clinical progression of 19 percent per year in the vitamin E group compared to the placebo group. Interestingly, neither the Memantine drug group nor the combined Memantine-vitamin E group showed any clinical benefits. Researchers think Memantine must interfere with how the body metabolizes vitamin E. Vitamin E showed other benefits as well. The annual death rate in the vitamin E group was only 7.3 percent. But the groups that didn t take vitamin E had an annual death rate of 9.4 percent. So HOW does vitamin E work to reverse dementia? In a study conducted in 2015, researchers looked at the effects of vitamin E in zebra fish. They found that the fish that didn t get enough vitamin E had about a ONE-THIRD reduction in DHA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid. And these poor fish also had 60 percent less of a biochemical that s needed to get DHA into the brain. Why is this so important? Well, the brain simply can t function properly without DHA. Brain cells can actually die if they don t have enough DHA. And to complicate matters, our brains aren t able to make their own DHA they get it from the liver. The liver, of course, gets DHA from food (mainly fish) or from a fish oil supplement. The researchers also discovered another very interesting way that vitamin E works in our brains. It appears the vitamin helps prevent a type of fat oxidation that is suspected to be one of the causes of dementia and other brain diseases. These findings are so compelling that one of the researchers compared a lack of vitamin E in the brain to building a house without the proper materials. In essence, she said, if you don t get enough vitamin E, you re cutting out MORE THAN HALF of the 4

5 materials necessary to build and maintain the brain. Now, you may remember about 10 years ago vitamin E got a bad rap in the mainstream press. In a pseudo-science meta-analysis, researchers found that men and women who took 400 IU or more each day of vitamin E had a higher overall mortality risk. But the study was poorly designed. In an accompanying editorial, researchers say the new JAMA study is one of the best clinical trials to date on Alzheimer s disease. The same cannot be said, however, for the hodgepodge of studies on vitamin E thrown together back in Of course, the recent study used a much higher dose of vitamin E. And that s a key factor. It s very important to use adequate doses of vitamins. Especially in scientific studies. But this simply doesn t happen in the U.S. because of the outdated, inadequate Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA). Most studies with vitamins use pitifully low doses. The new JAMA study used 2,000 IU of vitamin E. And they found no harmful side effects. Only benefits. But if researchers continue to waste time and money designing studies with inadequate doses of vitamins, we will not find useful answers. How much vitamin E should YOU take? Well, before I answer that question, I d like you to take a closer look at the array of EIGHT compounds that scientists have grouped under the single name vitamin E Yes, vitamin E is actually a FAMILY of eight different molecules. These molecules fall into two groups: tocopherols and tocotrienols. They run the Greek gamut from alpha to gamma to epsilon, etc. The two most common forms of vitamin E are gamma-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol. The latter is the most biologically active form. You find alpha-tocopherol most abundantly in safflower oil, sunflower oil, and wheat germ. In fact, wheat germ oil has the highest amount of alphatocopherol per serving. Just one tablespoon contains 20.3 mg (13.6 IU) of vitamin E. So when you make whole wheat pancakes, try adding a few tablespoons of wheat germ. Nuts and seeds also have the potent combination of essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Indeed, it s a TRULY potent nutritional duo. The oils help the body absorb vitamin E from foods. In turn, vitamin E helps the essential fatty acids do their job in the cell membranes. As an antioxidant, vitamin E also protects the fatty acids from oxidation. Now, the RDA for vitamin E is just 15 mg (10 IU) a day for adults. So it s easy to get your RDA from just a handful of these healthy snacks. But you don t want to stop at just RDA levels! They re just not designed to help you achieve optimal health. They are designed to prevent outright 19 th century nutritional deficiency diseases. Like scurvy, rickets, and beri beri. But for decades, we ve known that these RDA levels are NOT enough to promote optimal health. In fact, 12 years ago, also in JAMA, researchers presented compelling evidence to the medical community that RDAs are inadequate in case after case. To support optimal health, you need more. You should strive to eat plenty of plant oils, wheat germ, nuts, and seeds throughout the week. This good habit can get you close to 30 mg (20 IU) per day, if you re conscientious. But for optimal health, I also recommend taking a supplement that contains 50 IU of vitamin E. Look for one that contains all eight forms of vitamin E. As I explained before, this dose is a safe place to start. And if you want to treat a specific disease, like Alzheimer s disease, you will likely need a higher daily dose of vitamin E. As I discussed earlier, men and women who took 2,000 IU of vitamin E helped reverse Alzheimer s dementia. But in that case, as with the management of any medical condition, a qualified doctor should closely supervise your regimen regarding benefits and possible side effects of any high dose nutrient. 5

6 Lesson 9 Nerve-Nourishing Vitamins That REGENERATE Brain Cells There s no reason to supplement with B vitamins for your brain health. That was the outrageous assertion, made in November, 2014, by a group of researchers at Oxford University in the U.K., citing the results of their study on B vitamins and the brain. Of course, their scientific conclusion made headlines. But as I often warn, the press will trumpet the results of a SINGLE study that fails to show the benefits of dietary supplementation a hundred times more loudly and persistently than it will for DOZENS of studies that show their benefits. I also advise you to look beyond the headlines to the details of the actual study. Often, these details are buried so obscurely in the pages of the arcane scientific source, no mainstream reporter bothers to read them. Or, if reporters do bother to read the whole scientific study, rather than a press release, they rarely understand the details. So, right off the bat, I knew I needed to investigate Oxford s ridiculous blanket recommendations against taking B vitamins for brain health. But first, let s back up and look at a WELL- DESIGNED vitamin B study from 2014 In this study, from Washington University in St. Louis, men and women with brain atrophy in key regions associated with Alzheimer s disease (AD) dramatically improved with B-vitamin treatment. This study followed patients over two years. And the men and women on B vitamin treatment markedly slowed down their brain shrinkage. The researchers said this treatment represents high-dose B-vitamin therapy. But let s look at the actual amounts employed in the study. Turns out, the participants took less than 0.5 mg of B12, 0.8 mg of folic acid (just twice the RDA), and just 20 mg of B6. As you may know, a milligram is one one-thousandth of a gram. And several grams can fit inside a teaspoon. And this study used less than a milligram of B12 and of folic acid. I m sure to the quasi-government bureaucrats who design the ridiculous Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) these amounts might sound high. But no real nutritional expert would consider these miniscule amounts high doses of B vitamins. But, despite being so small, these doses of B vitamins reduced shrinkage by seven times in brain regions vulnerable to AD, including the temporal lobe. The researchers also pointed out that clinical drug trials for dementia have been a wash. So they were particularly enthusiastic that their findings pointed to an available, affordable, safe, and natural alternative. The prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences also appeared enthusiastic about the results. They devoted an unprecedented 13 pages to the study, as well as extensive commentary about it. Of course, many other studies over the last decade have shown the benefits of B vitamins for brain and nervous system tissue. And it s a simple cure for peripheral neuropathy nerve pain in the legs, feet, arms and/or hands. In fact, in Europe, they have far greater acceptance and recognition of B vitamins benefits than we do here in the States. They even call the B vitamins neurovitamins. But it appears in the U.S., the mainstream simply could not allow these dramatic findings to remain unanswered. The press here loves drama. Perhaps when they saw the new, negative Oxford study they quickly thought, Could this new information reverse everything we thought we knew about B vitamins? But no good scientist would use one negative study limited to one vitamin and one disease to extrapolate his or her findings and discount taking ANY vitamin for ANY purpose! Even if the study it came out of was renowned Oxford University! 6

7 Plus, Oxford s data had nothing to say about any other aspects of brain health, such as stroke, not to mention heart health. And that s a shame. Because B vitamins are clearly important for heart health as well. In fact, my former neighbor in Massachusetts spent a lifetime establishing that B vitamins lower homocysteine and the risk of heart disease. But the press on the Oxford study made it sound like B vitamins don t work across the board. And they blankly dismissed the probability that getting optimal doses of all vitamins is important for brain health. So what can you do to make sure you get enough B vitamins to support your brain, nervous system, and heart? First, make sure to eat a healthy diet filled with wild salmon, chicken, beef, and green, leafy vegetables. Also, don t shy away from eggs as they contain good amounts of biotin, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12. It s very hard in today s day and age to get all your nutritional needs from diet alone. Especially when you consider the faulty RDAs and the poor nutritional content of many foods. In fact, the nutritional content and quality of natural foods, like produce and meats, has gone down substantially over the last 80 years. So even if you strive to follow a healthy diet, very often that s not enough. So, to that end, I advise everyone to take a high-quality B-complex supplement daily. It should include at least 50 milligrams (mg) each of thiamine, riboflavin (B2), niacin/niacinamide (B6), and pantothenic acid, plus at least 200 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid/folate, 12 mcg of B12, and 100 mcg of biotin. Lesson 10 The Mind-Mending Mineral That Makes Your Brain Younger As you ve learned from earlier lessons, cognitive impairment ranging from mild dementia to Alzheimer s disease is rampant in the U.S. Not surprisingly, Big Pharma is all over this issue. But so far dementia drugs have not been blockbuster successes, to say the least. While the drug industry dithers and goes back to the drawing board, fortunately there are many natural approaches to keeping the brain healthy including the often overlooked mineral MAGNESIUM. New research shows that magnesium deficiency in adults may play a significant role in the development of dementia. And a recent study found that giving magnesium to lab animals in the late stages of Alzheimer s disease reduced their cognitive impairment. In fact, it even restored their aging brains to a more youthful condition. Although this study wasn t done on humans, it does reveal an all-important mechanism by which cognitive decline can be reversed. Adequate levels of magnesium in the body appear to prevent the loss of BRAIN SYNAPSES, which are critical for memory and other mental functioning. Another recent clinical trial on humans further explores these findings. Researchers found that the study participants who took magnesium had significantly better cognitive function and decreased symptoms of cognitive impairment than people who didn t. So should you be taking a magnesium supplement? Most likely the answer to that question is a resounding Yes. Dairy, eggs, and meat are rich dietary sources of magnesium, and leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains also contain the mineral. But your body only absorbs about 30 to 40 percent of the magnesium you eat. Consequently, researchers estimate that as many as 68 percent of U.S. adults two out of every three are magnesium deficient. There are other factors that also deprive you of this much-needed mineral. While drinking coffee and organic green tea in moderation can have health benefits, the caffeine can contribute to magnesium depletion. And as you grow older, your body can lose its magnesium stores. 7

8 With all of this and the new research in mind, I m convinced that magnesium supplementation is important for healthy aging. Look for a supplement that has 200 to 400 mg of magnesium. However, it s difficult to get enough of this essential mineral from supplements alone, so make sure to also eat the magnesium-rich foods listed above. Lesson 11 Supercharge Your Neurons with These Six Forgotten Nutrients and Food Factors This is probably the ONLY place you ll hear about the six forgotten nutrients that are a must for optimizing your memory and preventing the slow, dismal slide into dementia. LUTEIN is best-known as a vision helper. But recent research highlights its cognitive effects as well. And it s little wonder that something that helps the eyes would be good for the brain the eye itself is a very specialized organ originating from brain and nervous tissue. Lutein is a CAROTENOID a nutrient found in carrots and other orange, yellow and green foods, like oranges, egg yolks, corn, and spinach. And it s one of only two carotenoids that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Which makes it a crucial tool in fighting the medical epidemic of Alzheimer s dementia. But it s important to note that lutein also has cognitive benefits for people without dementia. Scientists have discovered that higher levels of lutein-related pigments in the eye are correlated with improved brain function. Global cognitive function, verbal fluency and memory retention were all increased, and dementia decreased, in people with higher levels of these lutein-related pigments. Even in people who were 100 years old and older. Yet another study found that giving lutein alone or in combination with an omega fatty acid improved cognitive function, verbal fluency, learning ability, and memory in older women. Bottom line: it appears lutein can improve cognitive function in older people in general and also help prevent dementia. So, what do research scientists conclude about these findings? In the words of one study, Lutein warrants further research. But for the millions of aging Americans watching their memory slip away, waiting for further research isn t an option. In the meantime, a dose of 12 mg of lutein just might be the natural memory enhancer you need. CHOLINE AND URIDINE are two of the three ingredients in a formula that a study in the Journal of Alzheimer s Disease found could improve memory in Alzheimer s patients. Choline is a B-vitamin. Uridine is a substance produced naturally by the liver. Researchers combined these and DHA into a beverage formula called Souvenaid. And they found that it appeared to stimulate growth of new synapses in the brain of patients who drank it. They also found that roughly half of the patients who took Souvenaid had improvements in verbal memory. Patients in the control group those NOT drinking Souvenaid had declines in verbal memory. Obviously, this is quite a remarkable finding. Unfortunately, the Souvenaid beverage is still in clinical trials, and is not currently available in the U.S. But the good news is, all three of the nutrients Souvenaid contains ARE readily available right in your supermarket. You see, they re all present in some very common foods. And I almost always recommend getting nutrients from their whole food sources over supplements whenever possible. Here are some of the best food sources of the dynamic Alzheimer s-fighting nutrient combination: Choline eggs, meats and nuts. Uridine tomatoes, 8

9 beer, broccoli, and organ meats like liver. DHA fish, eggs, flaxseed, and meat from grass-fed animals. CREATINE is an amino acid popularized in recent years by bodybuilders and other athletes for muscle development and repair of muscle tissue after exercise, as well as for its energy-enhancing properties. Some reports suggest that people over 60 do not make enough creatine to maintain muscle and strength. But creatine is becoming more widely researched for its neuro-protective and neurogenesis (brainbuilding) benefits. For example, as an element for some alternative treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson s disease. The dosages for such treatment would be at a higher, therapeutic level, and not the more typically recommended dose of between 1 and 2 grams, which you could take as part of your Alzheimer s-prevention supplement program. Accordingly, use of creatine should be individually tailored and monitored under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. LECITHIN is generally a mixture of some serioussounding nutritional compounds glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (AKA, respectively, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol). Big names with a very big impact on your brain Phospholipids are the major component of the membranes that encase every cell in the body. In the brain, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol protect nerve cells by forming a protective sheath around them to insulate them, allowing nerve impulses to move more efficiently to and between cells. In addition, phosphatidylcholine is a precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain and muscles. An increase in acetylcholine may lead to more efficient nerve and muscle function and increased memory performance and capacity. Unfortunately, some medications can deplete acetylcholine. Supplementing with lecithin may help counter this drug side effect. Some research on lecithin supplementation found that when a short-term or long-term memory deficit exists, a single therapeutic dose of lecithin can increase memory performance within 90 minutes. It may also help improve verbal and visual memory. And it has neuroprotective effects related to Alzheimer s disease. Lecithin is available in 1,000 mg supplement doses, but may require up to 25 grams (25,000 mg) daily, used in food quantities, to see the full benefits. As with creatine, don t use it in these high dosages without the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. TAURINE is so named because it was initially isolated from ox bile (Taurus, the bull). Like creatine, it s an amino acid a unique amino acid that can help move information from brain cell to brain cell. In other words, it s a NEUROTRANSMITTER. A daily dose of 500 mg is likely to benefit your brain. For more about Dr. Micozzi s Complete Alzheimer s Cure Protocol, visit: and 9

10 ABOUT DR. MICOZZI Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D. was the founding editor-in-chief of the first U.S. journal in Complementary and Alternative Medicine and organized and edited the first US textbook in the field, Fundamentals of Complementary & Integrative Medicine in He has published nearly 300 articles in medical literature and is the author or editor of over 25 books. Dr. Micozzi served as Senior Investigator of cancer prevention at the National Cancer Institute, where he published the original research on diet, nutrition, and chronic disease. He continued this line of research as the Associate Director of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and Director of the National Museum of Health and Medicine. In recent years, Dr. Micozzi has served as the Founding Director of the Policy Institute for Integrative Medicine in Bethesda, MD, working to educate policy makers, the health professions, and the general public about the opportunities for integrative medicine and the need for clean, clear science within our modern medical establishment. Dr. Micozzi writes a monthly newsletter called Insiders Cures as well as a free e-letter called The Daily Dispatch. Copyright 2016, OmniVista Health Media, L.L.C. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including recording, photocopying, or via a computerized or electric storage or retrieval system without permission granted in writing from the publisher. The information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All material in this publication is provided for information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this publication; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided in this publication are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, and readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. For additional copies or questions, please contact Reader Services at 100 W. Monument Street, Baltimore MD You may also call (630) or send a fax to (410)