Resveratrol & Alzheimers Disease

Alzheimers & Resveratrol,
Can Vitamin B Supplements halt Alzheimers ?..

RESVERATROL is a phytoalexin anti-oxidant that is produced from the skin of red grapes, Japanese knotweed root, and other plant sources. It is being hailed as the most promising nutritional discovery in modern times and it is being attributed to a host of beneficial health effects. For this reason, we dedicate this site to looking at the disease Alzheimer’s and examine how resveratrol may help in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease or AD as it is known is a disease associated with memory loss and is one of these complex diseases that develops over many years and appears to be affected by a number of factors that may increase or decrease a person’s chances of developing the disease. Among these factors include genetic makeup, environment, life history, current lifestyle and most importantly age. The risk of developing the disease doubles every 5 years after age 65. Many studies show that up to half of all people older than 85 have AD. Inflammation in the brain is a common feature of AD, but it is unclear whether this is a cause or an effect of the disease. What we do know is that the number of people being diagnosed with AD is on the increase and today it is estimated that approx 35 million people worldwide suffer from this disease with over 5 million of these living in America alone.
Alzheimer’s, early warning signs
Among the early warning signs that someone may be in early stages of Alzheimer’s can include
• Memory Loss - forget recently learned info
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks – preparing a meal
• Disorientation- how did I get here?, cannot find car in carpark.
• Misplacing items in unusual places – keys in fridge, iron in freezer
• Changes in mood & behaviour – out of character behaviour
• Problem with language – cannot find word to express

Resveratrol and Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer's disease has one characteristic feature, amyloid-beta peptides that are formed in the brain. Amyloidal-beta peptides, is a key ingredient in the formation of the plaque in the brain that leads to Alzheimer’s. Litwin-Zucker Research Centre for the study of Alzheimer's disease and Memory Disorders in New York, conducted a study to explore how resveratrol applied to cells, which produce human amyloidal-beta, would respond to the polyphenol. They tested the resveratrol's effectiveness by monitoring amyloidal-beta levels inside and outside the cells. The test results showed that the levels of treated amyloidal-beta were much lower than the levels in the untreated cells. Researchers concluded resveratrol acts by stimulating the degradation of amyloidal-beta peptides by the protease; this is a barrel shaped multi-protein complex that can specifically digest proteins into short polypeptides and amino acids. Other studies have shown that moderate consumption of wine is associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease (Truelsen et al., 2002; Luchsinger et al., 2004). Wine is enriched in antioxidant compounds with potential neuroprotective activities. In the early 1990s the presence of Resveratrol in red wine was detected where it is suspected to afford antioxidant and neuroprotective properties (Miller and Rice-Evans, 1995).
So its effectiveness against this peptide is not in the halting of the peptide’s production but instead found in resveratrol’s ability to encourage its breakdown. This might also explain why red wine consumption has been linked to lowering the risk of dementia. Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s disease is less common in populations that consume moderate amounts of red wine.

How might you reduce the possibility of occurrence?
Research suggests that maintaining good overall health habits may be something that individuals can do themselves to hold off AD. Also how we eat may be linked to our risk of developing or not developing AD. A nutritious diet, a diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and is low in fat and added sugar is also being researched to see how such a diet might preserve cognitive function or even reduce AD risk. Foods that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components are being researched to find out whether those foods affect age-related changes in the brain

Other studies support the value of lifelong learning and mentally stimulating activity. It showed that during early and middle adulthood, cognitively healthy older people had engaged in more mentally stimulating activities and spent more hours doing them than did those who ultimately developed AD. More studies have shown that people who are bilingual or multilingual seem to develop AD at a later age than do people who only speak one language. The reasons for this apparent link between social engagement or intellectual stimulation and AD risk aren’t entirely clear, but scientists are working on various possibilities.
Such activities may protect the brain in some way, perhaps by establishing “cognitive reserve.” Cognitive reserve is the brain’s ability to operate effectively even when some function is disrupted or the amount of damage that the brain can sustain before changes in cognition are evident.
These activities may help the brain become more adaptable and flexible in some areas of mental function so that it can compensate for declines in other areas. People who engage in these activities may have other lifestyle factors that protect them against developing AD.
Researchers also found that the risk of AD was approx 40 percent lower for those who exercised regularly each week than in those who did little exercise. Their belief is that exercise can raise the level of specific brain-growth factors in an area of the brain that is particularly important to memory and learning.
They believe that exercise can raise the level of specific brain-growth factors in an area of the brain that is particularly important to memory and learning. Results also showed that brain activity increased in specific brain regions as the participants’ cardiovascular fitness increased.
However, it is important to remember that the suggestions above may not necessarily prevent or delay AD in any one person. Even if these actions were eventually proven effective, they might not offset a person’s individual genetic and other risk factors enough

Vitamin B supplement could delay Alzheimers
This headline or headlines very similar to this appeared in many newspapers, such as the Irish Daily Mail, Sydney Morning Herald and the Guardian on Sept 9th 2010. Their stories were in reference to a study undertaken by a team from Oxford University in conqunction with colleagues in Norway which related to how vitamin B supplements we found to break down Homocysteine which at high levels has been linked to memory loss and alzheimers.
The study was a 2 year clinical trial into the effects of B vitamins on  168 volunteers with MCI  (mild cognitive impairment) . In the trial volunteers were given a vitamin pill containing very high doses of folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 or a placebo dummy pill.These vitamin pills called TrioBe plus were reported to contain 300 times the daily intake of B12, 4 times the daily advised folic and 15 times the recommended amount of B6.
Brain scans were taken at the beginnining and end of the trial to monitor the rate of brain shrinkage or atrophy. The results which were published in the Public Library of Science One Journal  showed that the brain shrinkage was less for the people taking the vitamin pill than for those which took the dummy pill.People who had the highest levels of homocysteine at the start of the trial benefited the most from the treatment with the brain shrinking at half the rate than those on the placebo rate. Brain shrinkage is linked to memory loss so in effect the hope is that such vitamin pills could halt the rate of alzheimers .

Homocysteine explained
Homocusteine is an amino acid derivative that you body produces. Normally homocysteine found in your body gets converted into two substances, SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine) and glutathione.Both have health promoting effects.
However if you do not get enough B vitamins and or folate through diet or supplements,then your body may not be able to convert homocysteine to forms that can be used by your body
In these cases, deficiencies in vitamin folic acid (B2) pyridoxine (B6) or cyanocobalamin (B12) can lead to high homocysteine levels. Studies from 90,s suggest that people that have elevated levels of homocysteine have a greater risk of heart attack and stroke than those with average levels.You can get your homocysteine level checked to determine if you have B12 or folate deficiencies.
Folic acid foods would be cereal grains.
Vegetables and fruits have significients amounts of vitamin B supplement
Vitamin12 an be found in red meat, fish and poultry,etc.
Resveratrol has been also linked to surpressing homocysteine but if you want to find out your homocysteine level, you doctor can carry our the necessary tests to check it for you.
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Clinical Trials
Some scientists are examining the biological bases for AD. This research might lead to the development of drugs that could protect against or block biological processes leading to cognitive decline and AD.
Other scientists are studying health, lifestyle, and environmental factors—such as exercise and diet or the control of chronic diseases like diabetes—that may play a role in preventing or slowing AD or cognitive decline. Recent research suggests that maintaining good overall health habits may help lower our chances of developing several serious diseases, including brain diseases such as AD. This area is of particular interest because it appears that there may be things that individuals can do themselves to hold off AD
The hormone estrogen is produced by a woman’s ovaries during her childbearing years, and its production declines dramatically after menopause. Over the past 25 years, some laboratory and animal research, as well as observational studies in women, have suggested that estrogen may protect the brain. Experts have wondered whether taking estrogen supplements could reduce the risk of AD or slow disease progression. A number of clinical trials have shown that estrogen does not slow the progression of already-diagnosed AD and is not effective in treating or preventing AD if treatment is begun in later life
A company called Curaxis Pharmaceutical are currently doing clinical trials with their treatment which is a Menryte implant .Their solution again looks at the levels of estrogen and testosterone in our bodies as we grow older and they are also looking to reduce our LH ( Luteinizing Hormones) levels. In both males and females, LH is essential for reproduction. LH levels are normally low during childhood and, in women, high after menopause. While clinical trials are ongoing , it may offer a future cure for Alzheimers
You can also keep up to date with clinical trials to determine resveratrol effectiveness in preventing Alzheimer’s at the Clinical trials.gov site.


Purchase Resveratrol
If you would like to start taking resveratrol then please check out our products which can be purchased on our shop page. Our products are Trans Resveratrol which is the better grade of resveratrol. We have a range of purity levels and prices to meet your needs.