Food and diet, what you eat can influence
People who eat fish at least once a week have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and lower risk of dementia, but only if they do not carry the gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer's, called apolipoprotein E4, or ApoE4. Most people do not carry the ApoE4 gene.
   Eating too much sugar could be bad for your brain. Mice bred to develop an Alzheimer's like disease that were given sugar-sweetened water had a greater decline in learning skills and memory compared with mice that drank pure water. The animals that consumed sugar had a greater degree of brain damage.
 
Natural supplements that could be of benefit
While scientists have not fully determined the actual causes of this neurodegenerative disorder, a number of treatment options have been proposed or tried over the years. These include: Exposure to sunlight and sleep pattern restoration. Therapy with B vitamins such as B6, folic acid, and B12 that lower homocysteine levels. The use of antioxidants which could be of benefit. Providing acetylcholine precursors such as choline could be of benefit. Acetyl L-carnitine protects against amyloid-beta neurotoxicity and may be helpful in combination with medicines. Providing anti-inflammatory agents such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Improve blood flow to brain cells. Mood improvement through nutrients and herbs. Use of ginkgo biloba as a mental enhancer. Use of curcumin, the yellow compound found in turmeric, may be helpful. Mind Power Rx has acetyl l carnitine and several brain boosting supplement. Green tea drinking or the use of the extract pills should be considered. Alpha lipoic acid is an important antioxidant nutrient that can be beneficial in a number of conditions including elevated blood sugar. Carnosine antioxidant is becoming more popular but it is not clear yet whether it would be helpful as an AD treatment. Galantamine is available as a prescription drug and also over the counter without a prescription.

Antioxidant benefit
A German study showed alpha lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant, was able to slow the progression. Patients with Alzheimer's disease received 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid daily for several years. The researchers concluded that the rate of progression of the disease was slower in comparison to normal progression. A 600 mg dosage is quite high and we suggest taking not more than 50 to 100 mg every other day for long term use.

Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease with a Cholinesterase Inhibitor combined with antioxidants.
Neurodegener Dis. 2010.
Formula F was prepared to counteract oxidative stress (OS) in the brain. The formula was intended to) protect proteins, lipids, DNA and proteoglycans from oxidation (carnosine, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, selenium, L-cysteine and ginkgo biloba); and reduce homocysteine blood levels (vitamins B6, B9 and B12), and (to sustain the pentose phosphate cycle in circulating cells (vitamins B1, B2 and B3). Formula F contained low doses of each antioxidant component. A cohort of 52 patients (21 males and 31 females) affected with moderate probable AD already being treated with donepezil 5 mg/day for at least two months was randomly divided into two groups, and followed for 6 months. A double-blind design was used in which 26 cases were treated once a day with formula F plus donepezil, and the other 26 with placebo plus donepezil. The MMSE II score remained almost the same in the group treated with donepezil and placebo, whereas some significant improvements were found in the group treated with donepezil plus formula F.

Fish oils, phospholipids and omega-3 fatty acid levels
Alzheimer's research shows high fish oil intake reduces the risk for dementia.
Plasma phosphatidylcholine docosahexaenoic acid content and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Heart Study.
Arch Neurol. 2006..
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an abundant fatty acid in the brain. In the diet, DHA is found mostly in fatty fish. The content of DHA has been shown to be decreased in the brain and plasma of patients with dementia. To determine whether plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) DHA content is associated with the risk of developing dementia. A prospective follow-up study in 899 men and women who were free of dementia at baseline, had a median age of 76 years, and were followed up for a mean of 9 years for the development of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease. Subjects in the upper quartile of plasma PC DHA levels had a mean DHA intake of 0.18 g/d and a mean fish intake of 3.0 servings per week. The top quartile of plasma PC DHA level was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing all-cause dementia in the Framingham Heart Study.

Herbs
Is tongkat ali helpful as an herb for Alzheimer's dementia?
    We doubt if this herb would be helpful.

Nattokinase
Do you have any information regarding using nattokinase for Alzheimer's, ie. dissolving plaque in the brain that causes the disease.
    We have not seen any research with this enzyme for this condition.

Mental exercises
Doing crossword puzzles and other activities to keep your mind active in old age reduces the risk of mild cognitive impairment, dementia and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Physical exercise
People in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease who are more physically fit have less shrinkage in areas of the brain that are important for memory. Fitness and exercise slow age-related changes in the brain in healthy people. People with early Alzheimer's disease are likely to benefit by exercising.

Symptoms
There are several symptoms common to Alzheimer disease patients. They include: trouble remembering things...at first, only short-term memory may be affected. The individual may forget an appointment or the name of a new acquaintance. A person may also forget where they left things. Eventually, long-term memory is also impaired. An inability to correctly identify familiar odors may be an early indication of the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
   Alzheimer disease symptoms include mood or personality changes. A person may suddenly become angry or sad for no apparent reason. Or someone who was social and outgoing may become withdrawn.
  Trouble completing ordinary tasks is another symptom of Alzheimer's disease. Simple tasks that once caused no difficulty may become much more challenging. For example, the individual may forget how to dress, use the oven, etc.
   Others include difficulty expressing thoughts and disorientation. We all know what it's like to be driving and momentarily forget where you are going. But those with AD may get lost in their neighborhood. They may also lose track of dates and the time.
   Unusual behavior. The individual may wander, become agitated, hide things, wear too few or too many clothes, become overly suspicious, or engage in unsafe behaviors.

Characteristic of brain tissue
Alzheimer's dementia is characterized by widespread neuronal loss, beta-amyloid deposits in the cerebral blood vessels, development of neuritic plaques and the presence of neurofibrillary tangles. These changes, occurring in the association area of the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus and the middle and temporal lobes, are accompanied by decreased concentrations of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Recent US census figures suggest that by 2050, the number of people with AD will triple.

Drugs for Alzheimer's dementia, which pharmaceutical companies and campaigners have lobbied the UK government to provide to large numbers of elderly patients with dementia across the country have little effect on their memory and do not stop the distressing deterioration of their lives,. The five-year study, paid for by the NHS, found that the drugs are a waste of the scarce resources available for the condition.