Anti Aging Online

Two health supplements that have been widely used to combat brain aging and the mental deterioration that comes with it (dementia and Alzheimer’s disease) have noteworthy scientific evidence to support their use. These are: Ginkgo Biloba and phosphatidylserine. Axona, produced by Accera and marketed as a subscription supplement, is a new dietary supplement that claims to help people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. This article takes a brief look at the latest news concerning all three.

Ginkgo Biloba
The seeds of the Ginkgo tree have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat various conditions. In the West, this herb first became popular in the 1980s and 1990s and it is now a popular supplement used to treat a variety of diseases associated with aging – specifically, brain-aging. Ginkgo leaf extracts (in the form of tablets, capsules, or teas) are used to enhance memory loss; help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and various forms of dementia, as well as to treat multiple sclerosis.

A study sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the Office of Dietary Supplements and published in the December 23, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the ‘Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study’ (GEM), concluded that Ginkgo does not effectively contribute to slowing the rate of cognitive decline or to decreasing the overall incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease among the elderly. This clinical trial, which involved over 3000 participants (average age 79 years), ran from 2000 until 2008 and participants were followed-up for a six-year period. The popularity of Ginko as an effective natural supplement for protecting cognitive functioning among the elderly is based on a number of small clinical trials (particular German and French) with positive results. The GEM study has been criticized by the supplement industry, which points out that assessment of Ginkgo’s effects on the aging brain should be based on studies involving middle-aged participants rather than participants already at the high¬est age risk for devel¬op¬ing dementia.

The GEM study results are by no means the definitive and the scientific community has not reached a consensus on the effectiveness of this herbal supplement to ward off brain-aging. More research is being undertaken. Results of a large-scale 5-year study on the effects of Ginkgo Biloba on brain aging, the ‘GuildAge Study,’ presently being con¬ducted in France, should be pub¬lished some¬time in 2010. If you are already using Ginkgo supplements, you will be glad to know that the GEM study provides valuable evidence supporting the safety of its use.

Phosphatidylserine
A number of studies indicate that phosphatidylserine supplements can be beneficial for improving cognitive abilities and behaviors. However, most of these early studies were based on supplements derived from the brain cells of cows. With the appearance of mad cow disease, most manufacturers switched to producing plant-based phosphatidylserine supplements made from soy or cabbage derivatives and these have not been tested. Furthermore, memory improvements detected in initial trials and studies did not last for more than a few months and usually involved people with very mild symptoms.

Axona
This prescription supplement’s claim to improving cognitive function among people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease is based on a limited-size study (funded by Accera, the manufacturer). Additional scientific investigation is needed to determine both the extent of the benefits provided by this dietary supplement and its safety. Although Axona is marketed in the U.S. as a medical food (a dietary supplement that helps manage a disease or condition that causes nutritional deficiencies), the Alzheimer’s Association, does not agree that Alzheimer’s disease causes nutritional deficiencies and requires a medical food. It therefore does not recommend the use of Axona (or any medical food) for treating Alzheimer’s disease – pending the publication of further data.

Alzheimer’s is believed to affect brain cells and hamper their ability to break down glucose. Microscopic examination shows evidence that parts of the brains of people suffering with Alzheimer’s present a reduced ability to use glucose for energy (a condition known as “hypometabolism”), and this is the problem that Axona claims to address by providing an alternative source of glucose that the brain can use. The theory is that ketone bodies can be substituted for glucose and Axona’s principal ingredient, caprylic acid, causes ketone bodies in the blood to increase, providing alternative energy for brain cells. Critics of course point out that the brain cells reduced ability to utilize glucose is only one of many physiological and neurological changes that are associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Although Axona is classified as a medical food, meaning it is a dietary supplement that is available only by prescription, it (like any other dietary supplement) is not subject to FDA review and approval. Always consult your physician before taking ANY dietary supplements.

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