Further evidence that antioxidant vitamins reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease
Vitamins E and C, when taken together, may offer protection against Alzheimer's disease, say US researchers.
Their finding adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests antioxidants
may reduce or prevent neurological damage associated with the disease.
Peter Zandi, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues
examined data from the Cache County Study, a large, population-based
study into the prevalence and incidence of Alzheimer’s disease
among elderly residents. Among 4,740
residents aged 65 years or older, the researchers identified 200 cases
of Alzheimer’s disease between 1995 and 1997, and 104 new cases
during follow-up in 1998 to 2000.
At the initial assessment, participants were asked about their use of
vitamin supplements. The researchers observed a trend towards reduced
Alzheimer’s disease with a combination of vitamin E and C supplements,
even after controlling for age, sex, education and general health. However,
there was no significant reduction in risk of the incidence of Alzheimer’s
disease with either vitamin E, or vitamin C alone, or with multivitamins.
There was also no association between Alzheimer’s disease risk
and use of B-complex vitamins.
The researchers say there is some biological rationale for benefit from
combining vitamin E and C. “Because vitamin C is water soluble
and rapidly excreted after ingestion, its effect may be limited to the
reduction of lipid-soluble vitamin E after the latter has been oxidised,” they
suggest.
The study is published in Archives of Neurology (2004;61:82). |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal