July 2001 - Nr. 7
Caused by Vitamin Deficiency
TWIG - Medical researchers in Hamburg have concluded that a vitamin deficiency may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. A pilot study involving patients at the Hamburg University Clinic showed a connection between the disease and a shortage of vitamins C and E in the blood and brain fluid, biologist Ulrike Beisiegel told reporters Monday (June 18). Past research has shown Alzheimer’s disease may be linked to an increase in the oxidation of brain cells, and vitamins C and E are believed to offer protection against this process. In the Hamburg study, ten patients were treated with vitamins C and E for a four-week period. As the concentration of vitamins C and E in the brain fluid increased, oxidation subsided, explained Beisiegel. The experiment adds to the findings of a U.S. study conducted in 1997, which indicated that the progress of Alzheimer’s disease can be retarded with high doses of vitamin E.
