Can leptin help individuals with Alzheimer’s? Part 2

The scientists observed that higher leptin levels were associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer's and all other forms of dementia. At least ¼ of the study who had the lowest leptin levels had a 25% risk of developing AD over a 12-year period. On the other hand those with high levels of leptin had a much lower incidence of developing AD. Moreover, lower leptin levels were also linked to a decrease in brain size.

Dr Seshadri went on to say that at present the role of leptin in the brain is a mystery and, “we're not recommending that anyone get leptin or increase leptin levels."  

As a final note, all consumers should know that there is no correlation between levels of leptin and AD. Even though low levels of leptin have been found in patients with AD, this is by no means a universal or reproducible finding.

Over the past decade, Leptin supplements have been widely sold in many health food stores and experts believe that these are just fake pills. Even though leptin is heavily marketed as a weight loss agent, there is no proof in humans that it does what the vendors of the products claim. At least for now, the only thing leptin can reduce is the weight of your hard earned money.

Study is reported in the Dec. 16 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association,

Vitamin E and Long term risk of dementia

A recent study from Holland indicates that high intake of vitamins E may be associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD). This study which spanned many years looked at 5395 patients over the age of 55. The researchers looked at the relationship between dietary antioxidant intake and long-term risk of dementia over a period of 10 years.

The study showed that individuals who took vitamin E were at much lower risk for developing dementia. The study did adjust for variables like body mass index, age, smoking, geno type, smoking and use of other supplements. Unlike other previous studies, this study did not show any benefit from use of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and flavonoids.

An important aspect of this study is that it looked at a large population for over a decade and evaluated food based antioxidants found in a typical western diet. Despite study restrictions of observational aim with many influencing variables, the study did report a modest decrease in long-term risk for dementia and AD by regular intake of vitamin E enriched foods.

So what does this all mean for the consumer

Vitamin E is a is fat soluble anti oxidant  found in cereals, various seeds, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, crabs, mangoes, asparagus, papayas, and nuts. In moderation, like all foods and supplements, vitamin E is safe. However, consumers should understand that while this study shows positive benefits of Vitamin E, there are many more studies that show no benefit. The overall consensus in the medical community is that there is no solid evidence to support health benefits from vitamin E supplementation, but on the other hand there is a lot of evidence that taking more than 400 IU of vitamin E per day can increase the risk of death.

Therefore, if you want to prevent dementia or related disorders, the best advice is to eat adequate amounts of all foods and vitamins, exercise regularly, do not smoke and avoid reading too much into recent studies- all they do is create more confusion and apprehension.

Arch Neurol. 2010;67:819-825

Is Huperzine effective for Alzheimer’s Dementia? Part 1

Every week it seems that there is a new health supplement that is said to cure or prevent Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). For the consumer, it is very important to understand one very important concept about medicine. Whenever there are many drugs/herbs or novel compounds constantly being developed do treat a medical disorder- most likely none of them work.

Recently the dietary supplement huperzine A has been touted to treat and delay onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Huperzine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in the plant firmoss Huperzia serrata. Laboratory work has shown that it can inhibit the enzyme, acetyl choline-esterase like Aricept, rivastigimine and galantamine. However, in the USA huperzine is sold as a health supplement and not as a pharmaceutical product.

The herb has been widely used in the orient, especially in china to treat a variety of medical disorders like fever, constipation, dry mouth, leg swelling and anemia. Isolated studies from China have shown that the herb is an effective treatment for AD and can enhance memory in young college students.