The Myths and Facts We Needs to Know About Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms that commonly include problems with memory, thinking, problem solving, language and perception. It’s caused by different diseases that affect the brain, one of which is Alzheimer’s.

The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells that connect to each other and in Alzheimer’s disease, the vital connections between these cells are lost. Currently, Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia.

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

The theory is that the brain cells in people with Alzheimer’s 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 isn’t enough research to show whether it can really help,” says Dr Clare Walton, research communications manager at Alzheimer’s Society.

“A US 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 Alzheimer’s disease.”

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

“Oestrogen plays an important role in the brain, and so declining levels after menopause may make the brain more susceptible to Alzheimer’s,” says Dr Walton. “Oestrogen has been found to increase the number of connections in the memory centre of the brain, and there’s evidence that it may protect against the build-up of toxins.”

That said, Dr Walton says we don’t yet have enough evidence to recommend HRT (hormone replacement therapy) as a preventative against dementia in post-menopausal women.

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’.

High levels of antioxidants from fruit and veg may help to protect against some of the damage to brain cells associated with Alzheimer’s 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 Alzheimer’s Society says that research into fish oil supplements shows they don’t have the same effect as the real thing, so make sure you’re getting enough of the real deal.