1. Alpha-Lipoic Acid
This micro-nutrient available over-the-counter at drugstores may be a best
option for Alzheimer’s patients. A small study from Germany using 600
mg/day supplementation stabilized Alzheimer’s – i.e. halting disease
progression over an 11 month period. Eight of the nine participants had
equal or better
Miracle-Mineral-Supplement E and ADAScog scores at the end of the trial. Scores of
the ninth participant fell below the curve only in the last month [1]. All
participants had been taking anti-cholinergic drugs for one to three years
and were suffering a continuous decline in mental performance as would be
expected. The alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) abruptly arrested this decline.
ALA is a capable metal chelator of transition metals, and removes brain iron
in older laboratory animals which would make it a potential candidate for
chelation of aluminum: i.e. iron chelators often also chelate aluminum.
ALA is a potent anti-oxidant. It has been used as the antidote of choice for
mushroom poisoning, used for radiation poisoning, and for heavy metal and
chemical poisoning – the later at dosages of 300 to 600 mg/day.
These dosages appear to be relatively safe, with the only observed adverse
effect in the mushroom poisoning cases being hypoglycemia in some
individuals. Whether lower dosages may be equally effective for Alzheimer’s
therapy is not known. Scientists at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon
State University are working on estimates of proper dosage for the normal
aging process. ALA is available over-the-counter in drugstores in 50 or 100
mg tablets.
In old laboratory animals, combination of ALA with the micronutrient
acetyl-L-carnitine produced even better results in retarding aging of the
brain. Acetyl-L-carnitine supplements in the 1.5 to 3.0 g/day range have
been used as mono-therapies for Alzheimer’s therapy, but with only a
modest effect in slowing Alzheimer’s progression. ALC is also available
over-the-counter.
2. Aluminum Chelation
A University of Toronto program removed one third of the aluminum from
the brains of Alzheimer’s patients over two years, and slowed disease
progression by 50 percent as measured by living skills, assessed by an
independent review of video records of the patients over a period of time.
The most rapidly declining patients were benefited the most, suggesting that
the metal is a promoter of the disease. Pneumonia rates were dramatically
reduced by the therapy [2].
The injectable drug desferrioxamine was used at 1/20
th
the normal dose to
prevent toxicity. There is a need to find a non-injected chelator with less
toxicity. Several alternatives exist:
• Orally taken deferiprone has been approved by the European
Commission for control of iron overload in thalassemia, and could be
used for aluminum. Feralex-G is another possibly superior oral
option, and has been used with vitamin C to increase brain aluminum
removal from the nuclear matrix of brain cells.
• A British expert is attempting to use silicic acid (soluble silicon) in
mineral water as a therapy. Common European mineral waters often
contain high levels of soluble silicon, which will remove aluminum
from the brain over time.
• If alpha-lipoic acid proves to be an aluminum chelator which seems
likely, it would be an ideal choice: i.e. orally taken, readily available
at the drugstore, and with low toxicity.
• Peptide YY, the appetite hormone, has been used to reduce obesity
which is also a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. PYY powerfully reduced
brain aluminum in laboratory rats over a very short period of time. A
nasally administered version is being developed by Merck and
Nastech for control of obesity, and might be ideal for Alzheimer’s
chelation therapy.
• Magnesium D-aspartate combined with sodium L-glutamate reduced
brain aluminum in laboratory rats. They are available at the
drugstore, but dosage has not been established. Magnesium is
severely depleted in Alzheimer’s patients.
• Curcumin (constituent of turmeric and yellow curry and available at
the supermarket as turmeric) is likely to chelate brain aluminum
since it is effective in reducing iron in the brain of animals and has
been shown to bond with aluminum. But human testing is needed. It
also reverses brain tangles in laboratory animals.
Lithium at normal dosage and combined with anti-oxidant vitamins, can
provide some control of brain damage produced by aluminum, but this has
only been demonstrated in laboratory animals. Other items listed below,
including zinc, melatonin, and Ginkgo biloba will also reduce brain injury
from aluminum.
@Orion
