Vitamin E is supposed to help against Alzheimer's

Vitamin E causes significant delay in the course of Alzheimer's disease

02/01/2014

For years, scientists around the world have been searching for possible Alzheimer's medications that may delay the disease process or possibly even cure it. Now, a new study from the US concludes that Vitamin E significantly slows the progression of the disease. The research team led by Professor Maurice Dysken of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis reports in the renowned trade magazine „JAMA“ (Journal of the American Medical Association) that vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease „compared to placebo to a significantly slower functional decline“ led.

The effect of different vitamins on the course of Alzheimer's disease has been investigated several times in the past, but the results were not convincing. The effect was usually true vanishingly small and it showed various unwanted side effects. In the current study, the US scientists have now taken a closer look at the potential of vitamin E to fight Alzheimer's and found that this may actually cause a significant delay in disease progression. The progression of the disease has slowed by 19 percent per year, the researchers report. For Alzheimer's patients and their families a very good news, even if the results have yet to be verified by further investigations.

More than 600 Alzheimer's patients were examined
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and the number of those affected is forecast to increase dramatically in the coming years. Intensive research has therefore been conducted for years on possible treatment approaches. In particular, so-called antioxidants have repeatedly been the focus of research because they bind the harmful oxygen radicals, which occur more in the brain of Alzheimer's patients. The US researchers have now in their recent studies explicitly dedicated to vitamin E. The effect of high-dose vitamin E concentrations on the course of the disease was investigated in a total of 613 Alzheimer's patients. For at least two years, the researchers observed the development of the subjects. 52 study participants had to be excluded because insufficient data were available for follow-up. The study ran from 2007 to 2014.

Disease course delayed by 19 percent
The vitamin E intake has the course of Alzheimer's disease „in clinical progression by 19 percent per year compared to the placebo effect“ delayed, write Dysken and colleagues. Overall, in the two-year follow-up period, a „Delay of about 6.2 months“ to determine. A quite remarkable result, because for Alzheimer's patients and their relatives at the end of every month counts, in which the affected are still able to independently master their everyday lives. „These results suggest that alpha-tocopherol in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease may cause a slowing of functional decline and a decreasing care effort“, so the cautious conclusion of the scientists. Some of the researchers even talked about a breakthrough, but further studies are needed to verify the results of the current study.

Warning about self-medication
The scientists also make it clear that despite the convincing results, the patient should never be advised to self-medication with correspondingly high vitamin E dosages, as this can cause some health problems. The extremely pronounced effect of the high-dose vitamin E concentrations in Alzheimer's patients also indirectly confirms treatment approaches of natural medicine or, in particular, of orthomolecular medicine, which works against various diseases with high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and amino acids. In the end, it might turn out that this approach is exactly the right way, especially for Alzheimer's. (Fp)