Antioxidants Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's

ANTIOXIDANTS REDUCE RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S

Vitamins C and E may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Based on the hypothesis that free radicals are toxic to the neurons in the brain, researchers investigated whether intake of the antioxidants vitamin C, E and beta-carotene from food could protect against Alzheimer's disease.

The study authors analyzed data collected from The Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands, a population-based, prospective cohort study designed to examine the frequency and causes of neurologic, cardiovascular, locomotor, and ophthalmologic diseases in the elderly. At the beginning of the study from 1990 to 1993, 7525 subjects were screened for dementia and 5395 of those were included in the Alzheimer's study. The average age of the subjects was roughly 68 years old. Follow-up evaluations were performed in 1993-1994 and 1997-1999 to monitor for dementia. The researchers then looked at the subjects to determine the incidence of Alzheimer's in relation to the amount of dietary intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene.

After the follow-up period of 6 years, dementia developed in 197 subjects. Of those with dementia, 146 were diagnosed as Alzheimer's. The subjects who consumed the most vitamin C and E had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's. Vitamins C and E conferred especially strong protection to smokers. Beta-carotene consumption was also associated with protection against Alzheimer's, to a lesser extent.

Reference:

Engelhart MJ, Geerlings MI, Ruitenberg A, et al. Dietary Intake of Antioxidants and Risk of Alzheimer Disease. JAMA. 2002;287(24):3223-3229.

The information in this article is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional, and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA.

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