The progression of Alzheimer's disease can be stopped

Vitamin E slows down the development of Alzheimer's disease
Elvira Koshkina, "Compulenta" 

Vitamin E in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs can slow down the deterioration of mental and physical abilities in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Specialists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Bedford Medical Center and Harvard Medical School conducted a study on 540 patients. All subjects took standard medications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 280 of them additionally received vitamin E, 49 patients received anti–inflammatory drugs, 177 received both vitamin E and anti–inflammatory drugs, and 106 subjects did not take any additional drugs other than drugs for Alzheimer's disease.

The daily dose of vitamin E required for a person ranges from 200 to 2,000 international units (IU). Most of the patients who participated in the experiment received high doses of vitamin – from 800 to 1,000 IU twice a day. Every six months, all the subjects passed cognitive tests and demonstrated the ability to perform everyday necessary actions, such as dressing and personal hygiene.

Three years after the start of the study, the researchers found that the group taking vitamin E slightly slowed down the deterioration of abilities. Moreover, over time, the beneficial effect of the vitamin increased.

In the group of patients receiving anti-inflammatory drugs, the rate of deterioration of cognitive abilities practically did not change. And those who took both vitamin E and a medicine for inflammation showed the best results: their mental and physical condition almost did not deteriorate in three years.

Prepared by Reuters Health.

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru05.05.2009