Ulm, Germany—A new study in the Journal
of Alzheimer’s Disease suggests that vitamin-C and beta-carotene may play a
role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Researchers from the University of Ulm,
including Epidemiologist Gabriele Nagel and Neurologist Christine von Arnim,
analyzed the blood levels of the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E,
beta-carotene, lycopene, and coenzyme Q10 in elderly individuals. It was found that participants with mild
dementia had lower levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene in their blood.
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of
dementia, or an illness that affects memory loss and cognitive skills due to
the disruption of nerve cells in the brain.
It is thought that oxidative stress may be a possible cause of this
disease, and therefore varying levels of antioxidants may help with preventing
the onset of AD.
In this study, 74 patients with
mild AD and 158 healthy individuals were examined in the “Activity and Function
in the Elderly in Ulm” study. The healthy control patients were of the same
ages and genders as those with AD, and the average age was 78.9 years. All participants were asked questions about
their lifestyles, faced neuropsychological testing, and had blood
analyzed. The results of this study
showed that participants with AD had lower concentrations of vitamin C and
beta-carotene in their blood, but all other antioxidants level were the same as
the control group.
The researchers took into account
variables such as school education, intake of dietary supplements, smoking
habits, body mass index and alcohol consumption, but were not able to consider
the effects of food storage and preparation and the everyday stress in the
lives of the individuals. More
longitudinal studies still need to be performed to confirm any link between
vitamin C and beta-carotene and the prevention of AD.
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