Alzheimer’s Disease is an age related health issue that concerns everyone over the age of fifty. If it doesn’t, it should. More than half of nursing home beds are occupied by Alzheimer’s Disease patients AND Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the Number 4 Killer of Americans, causing over 100,000 deaths each year in the USA alone.
As the science of Anti-Aging evolves, a pro-active approach to this identity thief is on the horizon in contrast to medications available to slow the process of early onset. These medications, as you will see, are not always effective.
Bill Deagle, MD has a presentation on the web regarding the dementing brain and disease predisposition. You can locate it easily by typing in his name and Feb 15th 2006 update. Here and elsewhere are stated possible genetic associations of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). For example, of the three common ApoE genotypes*, ApoE4 may increase the risk of developing sporadic and late-onset familial Alzheimer Disease (AD). Other associated risk with gene dose is accumulation of senile plaques in the brain and reduction of the enzyme needed to make acetylcholine. ApoE is critical in the modulation of cholesterol and phospholipid transport between cells of different types and requires the enzyme activity of choline acetyltransferase. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter associated with good memory.
Some studies strongly support the concept that ApoE4 plays a crucial role in the cholinergic dysfunction associated with AD and therefore may be a prognostic indicator of poor response to therapy with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors sometimes used in early intervention of these patients.
In contrast to allopathic medicine, the field of environmental medicine looks at root causes of disease. The premise that occupational dangers and chronic exposure to heavy metals and toxin exposure is at the core of beliefs for Alzheimer’s Disease as it is for many others. One of the chief issues with heavy metals is they inhibit or disrupt enzyme activity. Aluminum has been the center of study for allopathic and environmental medicine related to AD for many years but rather than treat it with a drug to inhibit symptoms, environmental medicine works at removing the cause. At Center for Environmental Medicine, we look at the patient’s body burden of heavy metals with chelators designed for the purpose of detoxifying metals.
Additionally, recent research has suggested organophosphate and chlorinated pesticides play an important role in the inhibition of enzyme activity which can contribute to this disease and others. Testing of these pesticides results in therapies to help reduce levels and symptoms, often using natural agents to bind and emulsify for elimination.
* apolipoprotein E genotype testing is used in risk factors for heart disease
