Alzheimer's is a
type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior.
The number of
people diagnosed with the debilitating Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise.
Alzheimer's is a
progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of
years.
In its early
stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose
the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment.
As Alzheimer's
advances through the brain it leads to increasingly severe symptoms, including
disorientation, mood and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events,
time and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends and professional
caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty
speaking, swallowing and walking.
People with
memory loss or other possible signs of Alzheimer’s may find it hard to
recognize they have a problem.
Alzheimer's is
not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have
early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when
someone is in their 40s or 50s.
It is estimated
that by the year 2050 about 14 million people will be living with that condition.
Recently,
researchers from Britain and Canada have created super-intelligent mice by
altering a single gene to block the phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B) enzyme.
They hope the
discovery may help the search for treatments for disorders such as Alzheimer's,
schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Till they reach
an effective treatment for dementia ,there are no pharmaceutical options
available to treat, halt or reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Drugs being
created now are made to reduce the amyloid plaques, made from a protein called
Amyloid B (AB) that build up on the brain. These are a trademark of the
disease.
However, other
studies have revealed that small clumps of AB call oligomers appear years
before the plaques even start to develop.
The molecular
structure of these oligomers is very different from AB.
Further, they
found that drugs designed to destroy amyloid plaques have no effect on
oligomers.
This could
explain why experimental Alzheimer’s drugs have failed; they are focused on
plaques, not their precursor, oligomers.
Some brain cells
may have a difficult time using glucose
the brain’s main source of energy.
Without this
fuel, neurons begin to die.
An alternative
energy source for brain cells is fats, known as ketones. When the body is
deprived of carbohydrates, it naturally produces ketones.
Most people
however can’t cut carbohydrates out of the body altogether, and in many
respects this can be unhealthy.
So another way to produce ketones is by
consuming oils made from medium-chain triglycerides.
MCT is an oil that is made from coconut and
palm oil.
When MCT oil is
metabolized, ketones, which are created by the
body, not only
protect against Alzheimer’s but may also reverse the symptoms.
This is also a
potential treatment for Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, type 2diabetes and multiple
and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The ketones
actually last for eight hours in the body when coconut oil is used versus three
when the synthetic version is used.
The benefits of
organic coconut oil are remarkable.
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