Tips to Maintaining Brain Health

25 Mar 2018

Tips to Maintaining Brain Health

Every year 25,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s are documented in Canada. At present, there are more than 564,000 Canadians living with dementia. After the age of 65, the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease doubles approximately every five years. The older you become, the higher the risk – 1 in 20 Canadians over age 65 and 1 in 4 of those over age 85 have Alzheimer’s disease.  The sobering news is that the Canadian Institutes of Health Research allocates only 5% of its annual budget towards dementia research. Consequently, it is imperative that Canadians educate themselves in regard to risk factors, lifestyle interventions and treatment options.

7 Risk Factors of Alzheimer’s and Dementia

1. Type 2 Diabetes
2. High blood pressure
3. Obesity
4. Smoking
5. Depression
6. Lack of physical activity
7. Low level of education or cognitive inactivity

Up to 50% of Alzheimer cases globally may be attributed to these 7 key risk factors. Most of these risk factors are lifestyle induced and as such are modifiable. Further many of these risk factors have a biochemical impact on our bodies including our brain cells. What additional support may be needed to reduce the negative impact of lifestyle on cognitive health?

Interestingly, there is a supplement that addresses these key risk factors.
Several studies in Europe and in the United States have proven the effectiveness of an antioxidant know as NADH. NADH stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, the reduced form of vitamin B3 and a powerful free radical scavenger.

NADH has been used in the treatment of high blood pressure and high cholesterol both of which are serious health concerns impacted by Type 2 Diabetes.

NADH is necessary for DNA repair. Cellular DNA is under constant attack from free radicals. NADH targets these potentially harmful by-products and secures cellular integrity. NADH increases cellular energy and nitric oxide production which supports blood flow, glucose uptake and oxygen delivery. More cellular energy may lead to more physical exercise which in turn reduces depression and obesity.

NADH addresses the critical risk factors that may lead to Alzheimer’s or dementia. NADH has a direct impact on mental clarity, memory and concentration. It is essentially a ‘spark plug’ for the brain. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled 6-month clinical trial in Alzheimer’s patients, those who received 10mg of NADH daily showed no further cognitive deterioration compared to the placebo group. 100% of the NADH group showed significantly higher scores on the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) than the group receiving the placebo.

In conclusion we hold the keys to our own long term cognitive health. By understanding the key risk factors we can employ lifestyle changes to significantly reduce our risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. By engaging the ‘muscle pump’, watching our diet and perhaps using a supplement like NADH we can sail into our ‘golden years’ fully charged and active.

1. Alzheimer Society of Canada
2. Lehninger, A, L. Vitamins and Coenzymes, Biochemistry, 2nd Ed.: 337-42. The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, New York: Worth Publishers Inc., 1975
3. Birkmayer, J.G.D. “Coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide: New therapeutic approach to improving dementia of the Alzheimer type,: Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science, 26(l): 1-9, 1996
4. Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease with stabilized oral nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide: A randomized, double-blind study
   DEMARIN V. (1) ; PODOBNIK SARKANJI S. (1) ; STORGA-TOMIC D. (2) ; KAY G. CoAuthor(s ) Affiliation(s)

1. Department of Neurology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb.
2. Institute for Medical Chemistry, University of Graz, Graz, AUTRICHE
3. Department of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C., ETATS-UNIS