The precise cause of Alzheimer’s is, at this time, unknown. But there are a few prevailing theories. For instance, some people think that the disease is precipitated by decreasing levels of neurotransmitters, chiefly acetylcholine. Others believe that dementia is caused by the accumulation of various protein deposits – called “plaques” and “tangles” – in the brain. (For a sketch of the general situation, see my article “What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? A Brief Overview.”) Still others hold that the condition – or at least some variants of it – is brought on by exposure to toxins (a topic I explore at greater length HERE).
But there is a nonneglible group of investigators who think that Alzheimer’s Disease – or at least some forms of it (see HERE) – can be caused by various dietetic deficiencies and similar problems. These problems pertain to a wide range of nutrients and vitamins, including Acetylcholine, Vitamin B (Complex), Vitamin D, and Vitamin E. Additionally, other substances are hypothesized to be helpful for the avoidance or treatment of Alzheimer’s, or for the support of healthy brain function in general. These include Copper, L-Carnitine, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Phosphatidylserine, Platinum, and Vitamin C.
10 of the Best Nutrients & Vitamins to Support Alzheimer’s Treatments (And Possibly Avoid Alzheimer’s to Begin With)
1. Acetylcholine (C7NH16O2+) & Choline (C5H14NO)
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter, that is, a biochemical released by a neuron (nerve cell) that facilitates the transmission of messages in our nervous systems. Neurotransmitters are vital to healthy brain function. Problems with neurotransmitters (including their breakdown or deficiency) can result in cognitive, motor, and other dysfunctions.
In particular, a deficiency of acetylcholine has been suggested as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s.
It is available for direct nutritional supplementation. This being the case, it might be a good idea to take a little bit of the stuff, on the theory that your body will be less likely to “run out” of it.
However, the body is – in theory – capable of synthesizing acetylcholine. Another strategy, therefore, is to supplement with all the things that your body needs to make acetylcholine itself. There are several “ingredients” (loosely speaking), one of which is the essential nutrient Choline. Choline is available as its own supplement, or it may be obtained by taking Soy Lecithin (C35H66NO7P) capsules.
Another ingredient seems to be Vitamin B-5. (For which, see below.) These necessary ingredients are called “precursors.” And since there is more than one precursor, the various ingredients are sometimes said to be “cofactors.”
2. Carnitine[1] (C7H15NO3)
Carnitine is an amino-acid derivative that appears to have several general health benefits. For one, it is supposed to rev up your body’s metabolism which, among other things, assists people in the burning of fat stores (leading to leaner physiques). It’s also reported to give a boost to immunity. But, for present purposes, the relevant fact is that carnitine shows promise as an Alzheimer’s-related intervention. In one study, going back to 1991, subjects treated with acetyl-L-carnitine “showed a slower rate of deterioration” than their placebo-imbibing compatriots.[2]
3. Copper (Cu) & Zinc (Zn)
This one’s a bit tricky. (Or, rather… these two are tricky?)
On the one hand, some reports suggest that Copper is a prominent component of the plaques that gunk up an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain. This could be because the stuff bioaccumulates to a dangerous degree and should be consumed only with great caution. (Or it could be for some other, and as-of-yet unknown, reason.)
In this regard, at least one scientific article noted that Zinc supplementation could help to reduce Copper toxicity. The author stated: “Zinc therapy …protected against cognition loss …[and] significantly reduced …free copper in A[lzheimer’s]D[isease] patients…”.[3] So, perhaps Copper and Zinc “balance” each other in a way akin to that with which the electrolytes Potassium (K) and Sodium (Na) balance each other. Zinc comes in various forms. (For a rundown, see HERE.)
On the other hand, Copper is an important trace mineral that plays crucial roles in healthy nervous-system and neurotransmitter function. So, you don’t want to be deficient in it, either.
Perhaps the moral of the story is to keep your Copper levels in the “Goldilocks Zone” – not to low and not too high. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Copper is around 0.9 milligrams per day. You may wish to consult with a nutritionist for a more personalized recommendation. But, the RDA is as good a place as any to start.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Maybe I should call the omega 3s the “big fish” in this list, in deference to one of their primary sources – fish oil. Joking aside: “Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) exhibit neuroprotective properties and represent a potential treatment for a variety of neurodegenerative and neurological disorders.”[4]
Apart from this, Omega-3s support normal healthy brain, cardiovascular, heart, and other bodily functions. So, they made the cut.
There are actually three (3) subtypes of Omega-3 fatty acids: Alpha-Linolenic Acid, abbreviated ALA; Docosa-Hexaenoic Acid, or DHA; and Eicosa-Pentaenoic Acid, or EPA. Omega-3 supplements may include a blend of these. But, if yours doesn’t, you may wish to round things out by supplementing separately with the ones you seem to be missing.
5. Phosphatidylserine (PS)
This difficult-to-pronounce “phospholipid” supplement has two different sources. On the one hand, it can come from cows (bovine PS); on the other, it can be derived from soybeans (soy PS).
What’s it good for? One article had this to say: “[Phosphatidylserine] decreased cholinesterase, improved memory, and improved hippocampal inflammation injury in A[lzheimer’s]D[isease-afflicted] brains…”.[5]
That’s an impressive list. Unfortunately, a lot of research pertains to bovine PS, which – following “Mad Cow Disease” (and similar) scares – is no longer commercially available. So, for right now, there is a question about whether the soy variety has the same benefits.
But, as I’ve mentioned in other places, I’m less interested in the answer than I am in avoiding Alzheimer’s. So, I’m tempted to add a bit of it to my supplement regimen. This is especially true since one apparent source of PS is soy lecithin – also a source of choline, mentioned earlier.
6. Platinum, Colloidal (Pt)
This just something that I have gotten into recently. For reasons that I won’t go into, presently, I have become impressed that judicious supplementation with some metals might be salubrious.
While I won’t bet the farm on it, I think that platinum is interesting enough to pass along to curious readers. Call it a research lead.
According to one manufacturer of so-called “colloidal”-metal liquids, among platinum’s benefits are the following: “Promotes increased mental focus and concentration. Promotes enhanced mental acuity. …Promotes improved memory.”[6]
Anyway. It intrigues me.
Still, you want to be cautious when supplementing with any metal. You can overdo these things.
And as I have said myriad times on this website, I’m not a dietician, nutritionist, or medical practitioner of any kind. So, I could be way off base, here. Maybe you want to take your Platinum cum grano salis.
7. Vitamin B Complex & Folic Acid[7]
This is called a “complex” because it is really a group of vitamins that, taken together, are vital for various “aspects of brain function.”[8] Not only this, but – as was the case with Vitamin D – “a significant proportion of the populations of developed countries suffer from deficiencies or insufficiencies in one or more of this group of vitamins…”.[9]
Therefore, one study concludes that high-dose “…administration of the entire B-vitamin group …would be a rational approach for preserving brain health.” I agree! (Not that my opinion means much.)
The main functions of the B Complex include supporting blood and brain health and promoting robust energy levels.
The numbering of the B Vitamins gets a little squirrely.
In point of fact, the scientific community only recognizes eight (8) Vitamin-B components (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-9, and B-12), even though the final entrant in the sequence – Cobalamin – is designated B-12. B-4, B-8, B-10, B-11, B-13, B-14 were all at one time proposed as components of the B Complex but were, for one reason or other, rejected.[10] A few of the later designations – B-15, B-16, and B-17 – were proposed by some scientists but rejected by others and, in any case, never were part of the B Complex as far as I could tell.
I like lists, however. And it bugs me (from an “aesthetic” point of view) to have gaps in numbered sequences.[11] Therefore, I am supplying all the various “B”-designations that I could find. But to differentiate the standardly accepted components of the B Complex from the rest, I have “grayed out” those compounds that have been rejected (or which were never included by the scientific community).
The Vitamin-B complex
- B-1 (Thiamine)
- B-2 (Riboflavin)
- B-3 (Niacin)
- B-4 (Adenine)
- B-5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- B-6 (Pyridoxine)
- B-7 (Biotin)
- B-8 (Inositol)
- B-9 (Folic Acid; Folate)
- B-10 (Para-Amino-Benzoic Acid, PABA)
- B11 (Pteryl-Hepta-Glutamic Acid, PHGA)
- B-12 (Cobalamin)
- B-13 (Orotic acid)
- B-14 (Xanthopterin)
- B-15 (Pangamic acid)
- B-16 (Di-Methyl-Glycine, DMG)
- B-17 (Amygdalin)
When it comes to Alzheimer’s Disease, several of the B-Complex components are relevant.
Thiamine has been discovered to be deficient in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers. It stands to reason, therefore, that Thiamine supplementation could provide a real benefit. One journalist, writing for the British newspaper Independent, has picked up on this. He relates that “[a] diet rich in thiamine can reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, but some groups, such as the elderly, aren’t getting enough.”[12]
However, as we age, we lose some of our ability to absorb and use orally administered Thiamine.[13] So, it’s a bit of a pickle. You can try to eat more of it. But it may or may not actually make its way into the body where its needed. Still… I suppose that we must try. After all, just consider the alternative.
Riboflavin is, among other things, “…responsible for helping make oxygen available for use by your body…”.[14] Among the many hypotheses for the origination of Alzheimer’s is that it might be caused by brain “hypoxia,” that is, a state in which the brain receives less oxygen than it should.[15]
Niacin – particularly “sever…insufficiency” – is likewise associated with the onset of certain forms of dementia. Additionally, it appears that increasing dietary intake of niacin may have a “protective effect” on the cognitive powers of Alzheimer’s sufferers.[16]
Pantothenic Acid is a little less straightforward. According to one source that I consulted,[17] Vitamin B-5 is a “precursor” to the body’s generation of the vitally important neurotransmitter acetylcholine. B-5 supplementation, when administered alongside choline supplementation, supports the body’s ability to increase its own acetylcholine levels. (For more on this, see the first entry on Acetylcholine …& Choline.)
Vitamin B-5 doesn’t act alone, however. “The process is also dependent on zinc …and magnesium.” (For more on Zinc, see the Copper & Zinc entry, above. For more on magnesium, see HERE.)
Pyridoxine seems to be most relevant to dementia in terms of its supposed role in the regulation of human emotion. “Vitamin B6, …[including] pyridoxine, is involved in the regulation of mental function and mood.”[18] Since Alzheimer’s causing emotional disturbances (among other things), it’s probably wise to try to ensure that your (or your loved one’s) Vitamin-B-6 levels are where they ought to be.
Biotin is supposed (by at least one, Multiple-Sclerosis-related study[19]) to have “neuroprotective potential.” This may have wide application and come to be relevant to Alzheimer’s.
Folic Acid looms so large in current Alzheimer’s research that the important website WebMD published an article with the provocative title “Folic Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s.”[20] That’s remarkable.
What’s the big deal? Well, it turns out that – among other things – Alzheimer’s-afflicted brains have higher levels of an amino acid called homocysteine as well as lower levels of Folic Acid. And this disparity doesn’t strike investigators as coincidental.
“Researchers suspect that high levels of homocysteine in the brain may damage the DNA of nerve cells in the brain. They think that folic acid may help protect the brain by allowing nerve cells to repair this DNA damage.”[21]
So, again…you may feel an urge to stock up on the stuff.
Cobalamin’s alleged importance can be communicated concisely. The current state of the research suggests that “Cobalamin deficiency may cause cognitive deficits and even dementia.”[22]
Summary: In all, the presently available evidence suggests that supplementation with the Vitamin-B Complex, whether through appropriate foods or vitamins, could be of vital importance for the avoidance and treatment of Alzheimer’s.
8. Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)
With Vitamin B (for which, see above), a recurring trouble seemed to be that many people don’t have enough of it – in one or many of its various components or forms. Relatedly, several studies suggest that “vitamin D deficiency is associated with a substantially increased risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease.”[23]
Is all this true? I haven’t a clue. I’ll let the researchers duke it out in the corridors or laboratories and on the pages of scholarly articles. Meanwhile, I’ll be trying to get more sunlight exposure and taking vitamin-D capsules. You can do what you like.
Just a word of caution. It’s easy to think that vitamins and other supplements have no risk. But this isn’t the case. Vitamin D3 is a particular striking example of this since its actually used as a rodenticide.[24] I’d say that this shows that it can be deadly to some animals in high enough amounts. Therefore, you need to keep a close watch on the dosages that you or your loved one take. This is especially important to remember when you’re the caretaker for a person with a cognitive impairment. (For more on household toxins and poisons, and the dangers they pose for the cognitively impaired, see HERE, HERE, and HERE.)
9. Vitamin E
One online source got right to it, stating: “[A]dequate lifelong intake of Vitamin E may help maintain normal brain function in middle and old age and possibly ward off Alzheimer’s disease.”[25]
Firstly, “a large proportion of individuals may have a sub-clinical deficiency of vitamin E that over time contributes to an increased risk of developing AD.”[26] (Are you noticing a common theme with many of the vitamins listed? For more on this deficiency angle, see HERE.)
This has led some investigators to posit that, at the very least, “Vitamin E may be an effective agent in pre-emptively slowing the progression of AD.”
Additionally, some researchers believe that oxidation within the body “plays a main role in A[lzheimer’s] D[isease] pathology. …Vitamin E is one of the most important antioxidant and some data indicated that it could counteract …[certain kinds of] oxidative stress. Evidence from preclinical studies showed that vitamin E administration may be beneficial in AD. …[V]itamin E is not only able to reduce …oxidative stress, but also able to improve memory and cognitive deficits.”[27]
10. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Various studies have underscored the notion that Vitamin C – that is, ascorbic acid – plays “a crucial role …in promoting healthy aging of the brain.”[28] In fact, ascorbic acid is vital in at least three respects that are relevant both to the aging process in general and to Alzheimer’s in specific.
Firstly, it is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
Secondly, and relatedly, it is a potent antioxidant.[29]
Thirdly, it helps to check so-called “immunosenescence,” a 64-dollar word that designates the decreased effectiveness of our immune systems as we grow older.
Since it is both water-excreted and widely regarded as a prophylaxis against viruses – like the common cold – I don’t really see too much of a downside to supplementing with it. It’s in my medicine, er… vitamin cabinet.
Notes:
[1] This is sometimes known as “Vitamin B-20.” For the B-Complex Vitamins, see further on.
[2] A. Spagnoli, U. Lucca, G. Menasce, L. Bandera, G. Cizza, G. Forloni, M. Tettamanti, L. Frattura, P. Tiraboschi, M. Comelli, et al., “Long-Term Acetyl-L-Carnitine Treatment in Alzheimer’s Disease,” Neurology, vol. 41, no. 11, 1991, pp. 1726-1732, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1944900>.
[3] George Brewer, “Alzheimer’s Disease Causation by Copper Toxicity and Treatment With Zinc,” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, vol. 6, May 16, 2014, p. 92, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4030141/>.
[4] Simon Dyall, “Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Brain: A Review of the Independent and Shared Effects of EPA, DPA and DHA,” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, vol. 7, Apr. 21, 2015, p. 52, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4404917/>.
[5] Y. Zhang, L. Yang, L. Guo, “Effect of Phosphatidylserine on Memory in Patients and Rats with Alzheimer’s Disease,” Genetics and Molecular Research, vol. 14, no. 3, Aug. 10, 2015, pp. 9325-9333, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26345866>.
[6] “MesoPlatinum® – Nanoparticle Colloidal Platinum,” Purest Colloids, 2019, <https://www.purestcolloids.com/mesoplatinum.php>.
[7] Folic Acid is actually part of the B Complex. But since it is often listed this way, I figured I would follow suit.
[8] David Kennedy, “B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy — A Review,” Nutrients, vol. 8, no. 2, Jan. 28, 2016, p. 68, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/>.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Sometimes, this was because it was discovered that the human body was able to synthesize the component in question. When this occurs, the compound fails to meet some of the definitional requirements for something to count as a vitamin – namely, that the thing be essential to healthy human life, but also that it be only obtainable from dietary sources.
[11] Elsewhere (see the relevant entry), I note that L-Carnitine is sometimes called “Vitamin B-20.” I have skipped that here because I was unable to locate anything answering to the labels “B-18” or “B-19.”
[12] Richard Hoffman, “Are You Getting Enough Vitamin B1 to Help Fend Off Alzheimer’s?” Independent, Jan. 31, 2017, <https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/are-you-getting-enough-vitamin-b1-to-help-fend-off-alzheimer-s-a7553581.html>.
[13] K. Lu’o’ng, L. Nguyen, “Role of Thiamine in Alzheimer’s Disease,” American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias, vol. 26, no. 8, Dec. 2011, pp. 588-598, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22218733>.
[14] David Samadi, “The Role of B Vitamins in the Prevention of Alzheimer’s,” Fox News, May 23, 2013; updated Oct. 28, 2015, <https://www.foxnews.com/health/the-role-of-b-vitamins-in-the-prevention-of-alzheimers>.
[15] See, e.g., “Could Lack of Oxygen Trigger Alzheimer’s?” New Scientist, Nov. 20, 2006, <https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10613-could-lack-of-oxygen-trigger-alzheimers/>.
[16] M. Morris, D. Evans, J. Bienias, P. Scherr, C. Tangney, L. Hebert, D. Bennett, R. Wilson, and N. Aggarwal, “Dietary Niacin and the Risk of Incident Alzheimer’s Disease and of Cognitive Decline,” Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, vol. 75, no. 8, Aug. 2004, pp. 1093-1099, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1739176/>.
[17] Jonathan Wright, “Brain Breakthrough! Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Decline are Reversed Using This Revolutionary Natural Program,” Nutrition and Healing, May 2015; excerpted at Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine, <https://www.faim.org/brain-breakthrough>.
[18] R. Malouf, J. Evans, “The Effect of Vitamin B6 on Cognition,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 4, 2003, p. CD004393, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14584010>.
[19] M. McCarty, J. DiNicolantonio, “Neuroprotective Potential of High-Dose Biotin,” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 109, Oct. 16, 2017, pp. 145-149, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29150274>.
[20] “Folic Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s,” WebMD, archives, Mar. 1, 2002, <https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20020301/folic-acid-may-help-prevent-alzheimers>.
[21] Ibid.
[22] A. Osimani, A. Berger, J. Friedman, B. Porat-Katz, J. Abarbanel, “Neuropsychology of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Elderly Dementia Patients and Control Subjects,” Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, vol. 18, no. 1, Mar. 2005, pp. 33-38, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15681626>. See also Carlos Rieder, “Vitamin B12 and Folate in Relation to the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease,” Neurology [dot] org, Jun. 26, 2001, <https://n.neurology.org/content/vitamin-b12-and-folate-relation-development-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-disease>.
[23] Thomas Littlejohns, William Henley, Iain Lang, Cedric Annweiler, Olivier Beauchet, Paulo Chaves, Linda Fried, Bryan Kestenbaum, Lewis Kuller, Kenneth Langa, Oscar Lopez, Katarina Kos, Maya Soni, and David Llewellyn, “Vitamin D and the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer [sic] Disease,” Neurology, vol. 83, no. 10, Sept. 2, 2014, pp. 920-928, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4153851/>.
[24] “Cholecalciferol,” Pet Poison Helpline, <https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/cholecalciferol/>.
[25] Frank Murray, 100 Super Supplements for a Longer Life, Los Angeles: Keats Publ., 2000, p. 12, <https://books.google.com/books?id=q-PgoNm5HBIC&pg=PA12>.
McGraw Hill Professional, Nov 22, 2000
[26] Breana Cervantes and Lynn M. Ulatowski, “Vitamin E and Alzheimer’s Disease – Is It Time for Personalized Medicine?” Antioxidants (Switzerland), vol. 6, no. 3, Jun. 24, 2017, p. 45, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618073/>.
[27] Agnese Gugliandolo, Placido Bramanti, and Emanuela Mazzon, “Role of Vitamin E in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidence from Animal Models,” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 18, no. 12, Nov. 23, 2017, p. 2504, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5751107/>.
[28] Fiammetta Monacelli, Erica Acquarone, Chiara Giannotti, Roberta Borghi, and Alessio Nencioni, “Vitamin C, Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease,” Nutrients, vol. 9, no. 7, Jun. 27, 2017, p. 2504, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537785/>.
[29] Fiona Harrison, “A Critical Review of Vitamin C for the Prevention of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer’s Disease,” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, vol. 29, no. 4, 2012, pp. 711-726, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3727637/>.