As we age we need to constantly work toward managing healthy behaviors such as exercising, eating healthy, and being engaged in social/intellectual activities. These are proven ways to mitigate the effects of aging on health, wellness, mood, and memory. It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to start this lifestyle earlier in life to maximize effectiveness. A new study (“Alcohol consumption and cognitive decline in early old age,” Neurology 2014, , in press) adds our drinking behaviors to the formula of proactive lifestyle. Drinking too much alcohol from at least middle age onward may accelerate cognitive decline. The study reports the findings from the Whitehall longitudinal study of 7153 British civil servants 67% of who were male. The study began in 1985-87 with cognitive tests administered in 1997-8 and administered twice during the next ten years. Participants were aged […]
Archive for January, 2014
Does taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement help prevent or delay cognitive decline? In 2012, Mayo Clinic Health Letter (March 2012) reviewed well-conducted research concluding that many vitamins and minerals that we used to think prevented diseases may not help after all. Furthermore, there are consistent findings that under some circumstances vitamins and supplements may cause harm – even use of a multivitamin in those who are well nourished may slightly increase the risk of premature death. A recent editorial, “Enough is enough: stop wasting money on vitamin and mineral supplements,” in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2013, 59: 851) pushed the issue even further. The journal published three articles presenting data that indicate no benefits from a multivitamin/mineral supplement in well-nourished adults. A review of primary prevention studies focused on community dwelling adults with no nutritional deficiencies. There was no clear […]
In 2004 the best available research indicated that supplementation with vitamin E slowed Alzheimer’s disease. A major clinical trial at the time indicated that taking 2000 IU of vitamin E per day delayed placement in care facilities by several months compared to placebo. By the way, treatment with selegiline (a type of antidepressant) produced the same effect. Another study at the time demonstrated that eating a diet high in vitamin E was correlated with higher mental function in men and women aged 65 – 100. Hence, many were taking high doses of vitamin E and supplementation was the standard of care for Alzheimer’s disease. However, there were concerns regarding such a high dose of vitamin E as it produced side effects such as potentiating the effects of anticoagulants such as aspirin and Coumadin and increasing bruising and risk of bleeding. […]
