Alzheimer’s: The myths and facts – Echo Live

ALZHEIMERS affects thousands of people in Ireland and almost everybody has heard of it, but this debilitating and complex condition is still often misunderstood.

Classed as a neurological disorder, it causes memory loss and cognitive decline, which usually starts slowly and gradually worsens over time.

Understanding what its really like to live with Alzheimers can be difficult, as theres lots of misinformation about the disease and many myths still prevail.

For instance, its not strictly just an ailment associated with older age, as around 5% of those diagnosed with with Alzheimers are under 65.

Here, with help from the Alzheimers Society in the UK, we sort the fact from the fiction...

Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms that commonly include problems with memory, thinking, problem solving, language and perception.

Its caused by different diseases that affect the brain, one of which is Alzheimers.

The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells that connect to each other and, in Alzheimers disease, the vital connections between these cells are lost.

Currently, Alzheimers is the most common cause of dementia.

Age is the biggest risk factor for developing dementia, including Alzheimers, but it isnt a natural part of growing older and not everyone will get it, which means other factors are involved too.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimers disease, but there are things you can do to help reduce your risk, such as getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.

Some health bloggers have claimed that coconut oil can reverse memory decline in Alzheimers disease, but the Alzheimers Society says there is little evidence to support this.

The theory is that the brain cells in people with Alzheimers disease are unable to use glucose to produce energy properly, and coconut oil has been cited as an alternative energy source for the brain.

The claims are based on a couple of single cases but there isnt enough research to show whether it can really help, says Dr Clare Walton, research communications manager at the Alzheimers Society.

An American trial began looking into the relationship between coconut oil and dementia, but it was cancelled due to a lack of participants.

More high-quality research needs to be done before we can recommend coconut oil for people with Alzheimers disease.

There are almost twice as many women with Alzheimers disease than there are men but because overall dementia risk increases with age, one possible explanation could be that women live longer on average, and therefore have more years to develop and get diagnosed with the disease.

However, there is also a theory that loss of the hormone oestrogen after women go through the menopause may be linked to Alzheimers.

Oestrogen plays an important role in the brain, and so declining levels after menopause may make the brain more susceptible to Alzheimers, says Dr Walton.

Oestrogen has been found to increase the number of connections in the memory centre of the brain, and theres evidence that it may protect against the build-up of toxins.

That said, Dr Walton says we dont yet have enough evidence to recommend HRT (hormone replacement therapy) as a preventative against dementia in post-menopausal women.

One study carried out by researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel and the Northwestern University in Illinois, USA, put forward the idea that cinnamon bark extracts were able to prevent and even reverse Alzheimers disease in mouse and fruit fly models of the disease.

However, the volume of raw cinnamon a person would have to eat to replicate the results of many of the experiments would likely be toxic, and the study authors noted that more research is needed to determine a conclusive link between cinnamon and Alzheimers.

A diet high in vegetables, fruit and whole grains and healthy fats, and low in meat and sugar, has long been touted for its general health benefits and the good news is it can also help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimers disease.

High levels of antioxidants from fruit and vegetables may help to protect against some of the damage to brain cells associated with Alzheimers disease.

A Mediterranean diet also includes lots of oily fish, and the omega-3 oils in these are known to help keep brain cells healthy.

The Alzheimers Society says that research into fish oil supplements thus far shows they dont have the same effect as the real thing, so make sure youre getting enough of the real deal.

As tempting as it may be to curl up with a glass of Pinot Noir after a long day and call it medicinal, the protective qualities of red wine might not be totally beneficial to brain health.

Theres only a small body of evidence which suggests that some of the chemicals found in red wine may be good for the brain, and its not really clear whether this could help reduce dementia risk.

Heavy alcohol consumption over a long period of time, however, has been linked to an increased Alzheimers risk, so moderate drinkers shouldnt feel encouraged to reach for another bottle.

The Alzheimers Society is a partner in Join Dementia Research (joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk), a nationwide service that allows people to register their interest in participating in dementia research and be matched to suitable studies.

For more information on risk factors and dementia research, visit Alzheimers.org.uk.

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Alzheimer's: The myths and facts - Echo Live