In a recent Email to me and others Shane Ellison a chemist who is unafraid to take on traditional approaches to medical issues including overweight and high cholesterol touched on Alzheimer’s Disease. Aware of this study I thought I would share with you this scientist’s words. I personally supplement with Acetyl L Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid ever since I became aware of the findings of biochemists that indicate it might help as a mitigator of age related dementia.

There is never any medical advice in this blog. My purpose here is always to bring to your attention things that have come to my attention in the years since personal experiences brought Alzheimer’s into my focus. If this or any other blog encourages you to supplement or adopt some other behavior it should NOT. What it should do is encourage you to learn more and ask your doctor for advice in this and all such matters. Below are Shane Ellison’s emailed comments"

"Whether it’s simple forgetfulness or the all-out scourge of Alzheimer’s, the loss of mental acuity as we age ruins quality of life. To the surprise of most, studies show that this decline can be slowed or even prevented by controlling blood sugar! And with the simple, everyday use of a nutritional supplement, this is easier to do than ever.

The nutritional supplements acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) work to increase our sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is the "sugar taxi." The greater sensitivity you have, the faster your sugar is escorted out of the blood and into muscle cells where it is converted into energy. This not only preserves memory but also keeps skin looking vibrantly young and preserves our heart by helping it beat forcefully without damage caused by spikes in blood sugar.

Better than FDA Approved Drugs

In addition to increasing insulin sensitivity, ALCAR increases memory-boosting neurotransmitters like acetylcholine while protecting neurons from oxidative stress. This makes the ALA/ALCAR combo a potent weapon against Alzheimer’s induced memory loss. In fact, I’d choose it over the commonly used medications, which are known technically as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEs).

Little is known about what causes Alzheimer’s, but all sufferers appear to have low levels of acetylcholine. Using AChEs, the drug industry attempts to increase this essential brain chemical by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine within the brain. Theoretically, this would enhance or preserve memory. But if there is little or no acetylcholine to preserve, the drugs are useless. Perhaps that is why they have only marginal benefits - benefits that do not outweigh their immense risks.

Believe it or not, AChEs are synthetic copycats of naturally occurring poisons and venoms! Their use is rationalized by the "a lot kills, a little cures" mentality. But evidence doesn’t support this. Research consistently shows users to suffer short-term side effects, including diarrhea, anorexia, vomiting, and tremors. Long-term side effects include kidney damage and even cancer.

Where these drugs fail, the energizing ALA/ALCAR combo succeeds.

Once ingested, both ALA and ALCAR pass the blood-brain barrier to nourish brain cells, thereby helping them manufacture more acetylcholine - to preserve and restore life’s most precious memories as we age. "

Thanks you Shane Ellison for this informational email.

  Alpha Lipoic Acid: The Multi-Tasking Supplement

  Alpha Lipoic Acid & Acetyl L-Carnitine Anti-Aging and Energy …

Technorati Tags: acetyl l carnitine and alpha lipoic acid and age relate, age related cognitive decline, sugar and Alheimer's