Saturday, June 17, 2006

Restricting calories and carbohydrates may prevent Alzheimer's disease...

Life Extension Update Exclusive

Mechanism defined for calorie restriction's preventive benefit in Alzheimer's disease...
A report that will appear in the July, 2006 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry contributes evidence to the hypothesis that restricting calories and carbohydrates may prevent Alzheimer's disease by stimulating longevity-associated molecular mechanisms in the brain.

Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Director of the Mt Sinai School of Medicine's Neuroinflammation Research Center Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD, and colleagues administered a low calorie, low carbohydrate diet to mice and observed a reduction in amyloid beta peptides, which lead to the formation of plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. Other mice given higher calorie, high fat diets experienced an increase in the peptides. The reduction in amyloid beta occurring in the calorie restricted mice coincided with an increase in brain levels of SIRT1, a member of a family of proteins called sirtuins that are associated with longevity. SIRT1 may initiate the activation of alpha-secretase, an enzyme that can inhibit the generation of amyloid beta. Dr Pasinetti told Life Extension, “When we expressed SIRT1 in brain cells [in vitro] that produce beta amyloid, we found that SIRT1 expression prevented beta amyloid generation.”

"Both clinical and epidemiological evidence suggests that modification of lifestyle factors such as nutrition may prove crucial to Alzheimer's disease management," Dr Pasinetti stated. "This research, however, is the first to show a connection between nutrition and Alzheimer's Disease neuropathy by defining mechanistic pathways in the brain and scrutinizing biochemical functions. We hope these findings further unlock the mystery of Alzheimer's and bring hope to the millions of Americans suffering from this disease."
http://www.lef.org/newsletter/2006/2006_06_17.htm


Comment: Is it possible that The HealthPointe Program could help reverse Alzheimer's Disease? Well, HealthPointe reduces both calories and carbohydrates in your daily diet, so I would say yes, according to this and many other studies.

HealthPointe


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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