Alzheimer's Epidemic is Coming

The US healthcare system is not ready for the epidemic of Alzheimer's disease that will hit in the next decade as baby boomers age.

Dr. Steven T. DeKosky, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, presented his findings at a briefing sponsored by the American Medical Association.

There are currently 34.8 million Americans 65 years and older, 4.3 million of whom are 85 or older. Dementia strikes 3% of people aged 65 to 74, 19% of those 75 to 84, and up to 47% of people 85 and older.

The number of people with Alzheimer's is expected to triple over the next 30 to 40 years.

This disease would break Medicare and Medicaid all by itself. So strategies for diagnosing Alzheimer's early and treating or even preventing the disease are urgently needed. Delaying the disease course by 5 years could cut its prevalence in half and delaying it by 10 years could potentially wipe it out.

Training the immune system to sweep up amyloid plaques, the abnormal protein fragments that collect in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, has been found to be effective in mice. Preliminary trials in humans have found this approach is safe. Other promising avenues include drugs called neurotrophic factors, which prevent nerve cell death, and drugs that prevent the formation of fibrillary tangles in the brain.

AMA Briefing June 7, 2001 New York, NY

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

Well, just as in most areas of health, with Alzheimer's an ounce of prevention is worth far more than a pound of cure. Alzheimer's is not a pretty picture. Your mind is one of your most precious resources and it would seem only prudent to invest time and resources to maximize its protection.

The key to the treatment of Alzheimer's is to make sure you never get it. So just how do you prevent Alzheimer's?

• Avoid and remove mercury
• Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants, cookware, etc.
• Exercise for 3-5 hours per week
• Eat 15-20 pounds of vegetables per week
• Avoid flu vaccinations

There is NO reason for anyone to have dental amalgams. The evidence is established well beyond any question now that mercury and Alzheimer's are linked. Most people are not aware that flu vaccines contain both mercury and aluminum. Yearly injections of these vaccines can clearly increase one's risk of Alzheimer's.

Ultimately, at some point, one should have their fillings removed. This does not mean you should rush out and have your amalgam fillings removed, as you should be healthy prior to doing that. The first step would be to follow the food choice program.

Then you can follow the mercury detox protocol and find a dentist who does NOT put in amalgams to possibly have yours removed. If the dentist still puts in amalgams, you most certainly do NOT want to use that dentist. A list of mercury-free dentists can be found at the bottom of the home page at www.mercola.com.

Studies have documented folic acid reduces Alzheimer's. This may be related to its decreasing homocysteine levels, or it may be due to other reasons.

Taking folic acid supplements to prevent Alzheimer's disease is probably not your best first choice. It is far more likely that other phytonutrients in the vegetables that are associated with the folic acid are responsible for the observed benefit. So eating 15-20 pounds of vegetables per week should provide more than enough folic acid and accessory micronutrients to not only prevent Alzheimer's, but most other chronic degenerative conditions.

Before finishing on prevention, it is important to note that the fairy tale that estrogen prevents Alzheimer's in women has long been laid to rest.

What to do if you or someone you know already has Alzheimer's?

I am not a huge fan of herbals, but they are clearly far superior to drugs. Ginko Biloba seems to be a very effective agent here, but one needs to make certain a high quality preparation is used.

Lastly, fluoride has been shown to increase the absorption of aluminum (Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol 1996 Feb;91:225-31), so it would be prudent to avoid fluoridated water, and other sources of fluoride, as much as possible.

Related Articles:

Mercury Contributes To Alzheimer's Disease

Aluminum in Water May Increase Alzheimer's Risk

Low Folate Levels Linked to Alzheimer's Disease

Keep Active to Avoid Alzheimer's

Ginkgo For Alzheimer's Disease

Ginkgo Extract May Help Alzheimer's

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©Copyright 1997-2001 by Joseph M. Mercola, DO. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright; contact; creation; and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.

Disclaimer - Newsletters are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.