Are You at Risk for Getting Alzheimers Disease

Here's another great article on Alzheimers disease from one of our guest authors. We have written many articles on Alzheimers that you'll find elsewhere on this site, but we though it might also be useful to read what other people have written, hence this page. The more you know about this disease, the easier it will be to manage it. I hope you enjoy it. If you want to read more, click here...

Author: Kris Kelkar

Introduction

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that damages areas of the brain involved in
intelligence, memory, behavior, judgment, and language. It is the most common form of mental decline in
older adults. Alzheimer's gets worse over time, but the course of the disease varies from person to
person. Some people may still be able to function relatively well until late stages of Alzheimers
disease. Others may lose the ability to do daily activities in earlier stages. Over time, Alzheimer's
disease causes severe mental and functional problems and eventually results in death.

Causes

Scientists do not yet fully understand the causes of Alzheimer's disease. There probably is not one
single cause, but several factors that affect each person differently.

Recent studies indicate that amyloid beta protein may cause Alzheimer's disease. In healthy people,
this protein can cross the blood-brain barrier (the wall of blood vessels that feed the brain and
regulate the entry and exit of brain chemicals) and leave the brain. In people with Alzheimers disease,
amyloid beta protein can't pass through that barrier. As more amyloid beta protein accumulates in a
person's brain, they become more and more mentally disabled.

Research has recently revealed that consumption of sugar could be one of the biggest threats to our
overall health - especially when it comes to age related diseases such as Alzheimer's. One of the major
problems stemming from sugar over-consumption is a chemical process called glycation. Glycation refers
to the combination of a sugar and a protein molecule and occurs in your body when glucose in your blood
combines with the amino acids tryptophan, lysine or arginine. This reaction releases byproducts called
Advanced Glycation Endproducts (appropriately given the acronym AGE).

The formation of AGEs is accelerated when you have lower levels of antioxidants in your system and when
your kidneys are weak or malfunctioning. The formation is also accelerated when blood sugar levels are
high. Researchers now believe that glycation and the formation of AGEs lie at the heart of the
alteration of proteins in the brain that cause Alzheimer's disease.

Risk Factors

Age is the most important known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The number of people with the
disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.

Blood sugar problems that cause excess glucose in the blood, such as diabetes, has now been added to
the list of risk factors for Alzheimer's, given the role of glycation.

Family history is another risk factor, depending on the type of Alzheimer's . Familial Alzheimer's
Disease, a rare form of Alzheimer's that usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 60, is inherited -
so family history is a big risk factor. The more common form of Alzheimers disease is known as late-
onset Alzheimer's. It occurs later in life, and no obvious inheritance pattern is seen.

Relationship to Aluminum

Since 1965, researchers have suspected that Alzheimers disease is related to accumulations of aluminum
in the brain. A relationship between aluminum in drinking water and Alzheimer's has now been
established. Additionally, a study looked at the association of Alzheimer's and lifetime exposure to
aluminum in antiperspirants and antacids. Scientists found a direct correlation. The more
antiperspirant that was used, the more likely the person would develop Alzheimers disease. The same
held true for aluminum antacids. It is hard to deny that environmental exposure to aluminum is at least
related to Alzheimer's.

Symptoms and Cures

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease for which there is no known cure. However, various
therapies and treatments can slow the progression of Alzheimer's. Therefore, it is important to know
the warning signs for each http://www.the-natural-path.com/stage-of-alzheimers.html"
target="_new" >stage of Alzheimer's and detect the condition early. If caught early http://www.the-natural-path.com/alpha-lipoic-acid.html" target="_new" >alpha lipoic acid and other
Alzheimer's treatments can be used to slow (and possibly stop) the progression of the disease.

About the author: Mr. Kelkar has been practicing alternative healing techniques for years. These
routines have proven effective in curing a variety of common ailments - addressing the root cause of
the malady, rather than merely the symptoms. He is an contributor to http://www.the-natural-path.com/index.html" target="_new" >Body Cleansing / Detox and Natural
Cures, a high content site focused on alternative healing techniques.

So, there you have it... another useful Alzheimers Disease article, filled with insights, tips, and techniques related to caring for someone with Alzheimers. I hope you found it useful and informative. Keep checking back, as I'll be adding more articles to our library regularly.

You may also want to visit our Resources page, where you'll find links to some of the best Alzheimers resources on the Web.