Diet and lifestyles on Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of age-related memory loss and cognitive impairment, accounting for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases. It is incurable, debilitating and invariably fatal, ranking as the sixth leading cause of death in the US today.

 

When comparing the levels of beta-amyloid (a type of protein) in blood in old and young people, it was found that elderly people had higher beta-amyloid concentrations in both their plasma and red blood cells compared to younger people. It is believed that beta-amyloid inhibits the ability of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to the brain, in part by inducing oxidative damage to cell membranes.

However, when elderly people supplemented their daily diet with astaxanthin, there were significant reductions in red blood cell beta-amyloid concentrations. This suggests astaxanthin may have therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's prevention.

 

Then, what is astaxanthin?

 

Astaxanthin is classified as a xanthophyll, which is a carotenoid pigment and can be found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, crustaceans, and the feathers of some birds. Haematococcus pluvialis, a green microalga, is one of the richest sources of natural astaxanthin,

 

Astaxanthin is most commonly used as an antioxidant and may be beneficial in decreasing the risks of certain chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Astaxanthin may also be effective in carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle strength and endurance, high cholesterol (LDL oxidation), musculoskeletal injuries and male infertility.

 

Besides diet, other lifestyles also have effect. Researchers at the University of Bristol looked at the effects of smoking, body mass, physical activity, diet and alcohol consumption over a 30 year period in 2,235 men aged 45-59 years for the study.

 

They defined healthy behaviors as non-smoking, BMI of 18 to under 25, consumption of 3-4 serving of fruits and vegetables per day, regular exercise, and low alcohol intake.

 

In the study, it was found that those who practiced four or five of these healthy behaviors had a 60% lower risk of dementia and 70% fewer cases of diabetes, heart disease and stroke compared to those who practiced none of them.

 

For cognitive impairment, regular exercise was the most significant behavioral factor, with subjects who got regular exercise reducing their risk of impairment by 36%.