A daily regimen of over the counter, non specific vitamins, have been shown to be more effective at delaying Alzheimers disease than some of the very expensive medications that have so far been developed to delay onset of the disease.
Some of the biggest drugmakers in the world, such as Pfizer and Eli Lilly have spent billions chasing a cure or at least a compound that could prove effective in delaying the devastating disease.
The recent studies have instead confirmed that diet, exercise, socializing together with a daily regimen of vitamin supplements are the best hope for staving off the condition. In particular vitamin B6 and B12 together with folic acid seem to slow the brain's tendency to atrophy with age.
The disease is becoming a very large threat to the world's population. By 2050, almost 115 million people will develop the disease. The cost is already at 604 billion worldwide for its treatment and care.
In people with high levels of the proteins that cause dementia, homocysteine, the ones who took vitamin supllements showed an almost 10 fold slower decline in gray matter.
Since there are no new drugs to treat the condition for a decade, the discovery goes a long way in offering at least some hope for those who are going to develop the condition.
Four experimental chemical treatments in development have failed dismally.
The discovery is very important for one simple reason: if the regimen can stave off the disease for at least five years, it can halve the number of patients who die from it, and improve their quality of life.
The patients in the study were given 0.5 mg of B12, 20 mg of B6 and 0.8 of folic acid.
The regimen however is not effective for those who are already in full Alzheimer symptomatology or advanced stage of the disease.
Source : Bloomberg/ 5.26.13
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