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Proven Ways To Slow Down The Clock
by Isadore Rosenfeld M.D.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Millions of us use these drugs for relief of everything from headache to arthritis. Some of the more popular brands are Nuprin, Advil, Aleve, Motrin, Anaprox, Naprosyn, Oruvail, and Relafen. Several years ago, researchers noted a 50 percent lower incidence of Alzheimer's in persons with rheumatoid arthritis who had been using these drugs for any length of time. In a study of identical twins, those who took anti-inflammatory drugs had a lower incidence of the disease than their siblings who did not. Alzheimer's patients who take daily aspirin or other NSAIDs have better verbal and mental functioning scores too, and the rate of their overall deterioration is measurably slower.
A maintenance dose of NSAIDs may slow the progression of Alzheimer's, but it can cause subtle intestinal bleeding, as well as kidney and liver problems. Two other drugs that may work in a similar way are currently being studied. The first, colchicine, is used mainly in the prevention and treatment of acute gout; the other, chloroquine, is an antimalarial drug. It's too early to recommend either of these agents for the management of Alzheimer's.
• Nicotine is a prime example of how new research data can supersede and negate previously acquired information. We used to believe that smokers were less likely than nonsmokers to develop Alzheimer's. But the antitobacco community is now breathing easier (no pun intended) because more recent studies indicate that smoking actually doubles the risk of getting Alzheimer's.
• Vitamin E: Hardly a day goes by without some favorable report about vitamin E. I can't think of any downside to this vitamin, with the possible exception of its raising blood pressure and causing some "extra beats" in some people. Vitamin E increases fertility in rats (which is why it was originally dubbed the "fertility" vitamin); it's good for the heart; and many doctors prescribe it for the treatment of vascular disease, particularly for narrowing the arteries in the legs. Now comes word that vitamin E may also delay the onset of Alzheimer's, presumably by virtue of its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants, of which there are many (such as vitamin C and selenium), are said to [Illegible] radicals, but this defense can be enhanced by supplemental vitamin E. Although most doctors recommend 400 to 800 international units per day, researchers at the University of California in San Diego observed maximum effects from a daily dosage of 2,000 i.u. in persons with Alzheimer's.
• Choline is a building block for acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter in short supply in Alzheimer's patients. Choline and other drugs that raise acetylcholine levels in the brain (lecithin, physostigmine, deprenyl), used alone or in combination are hot items in pharmacies and health food stores. They are sold for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. I am not impressed with the evidence documenting the claims made for any of them, and I have never seen any beneficial effects from their use in my own practice. Some proponents of choline contend that young people should be taking it before the brain is damaged. There's no downside to doing so as a preventive, assuming you have the money to spend on what may turn out to be a waste. Most of the twenty new "cognition-enhancing" drugs now being evaluated in human subjects potentiate or mimic the effects of acetylcholine.
• Neurofibrillary tangles found at autopsy have an unusually high aluminum content. Some doctors believe that this metal causes Alzheimer's, and they recommend avoiding it whenever possible. That means no aluminum-containing deodorants and no aluminum-rich antacids. Most experts, however, doubt that aluminum is the villain. They are of the opinion that it is deposited after the fact in areas that have previously been damaged by the Alzheimer's process. Although I am not personally convinced that aluminum plays a role in Alzheimer's, I try to keep away from it anyway because I'd rather be safe than sorry. [Illegible] enough to use pots and pans [Illegible] [Illegible] to avoid antacids that contain it. But, frankly, when my heartburn gets really bad, I capitulate and take whatever will give me relief---whether or not it contains aluminum.
From Live Now Age Later: Proven Ways to Slow Down the Clock,by Isadore Rosenfeld. © June 1999, Isadore Rosenfeld. Used with permission.
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