Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, constituting about two thirds of all cases.
In March of 2008, the Alzheimer's Association reported that 5.2 million Americans are living with AD, the seventh
leading cause of death nationwide and the fifth leading cause of death for those over age 65.4 According to their
report, one of eight baby boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) will likely develop AD in the United States, affecting
an estimated 10 million people. This translates to roughly 7.7 million people with the disease by 2030.
Increasing age is the greatest risk factor for AD. In most people with the disease, symptoms first appear
after the age 65.5 About one in 10 individuals over 65 and nearly half of those over 85 are affected.
Those with the disease survive about half as long as those of similar age without dementia.
A healthy diet is the first line of defense in the prevention AD.
This includes foods high in antioxidants and other phytochemicals, and avoidance of food and water with healthy
metals and pesticides.
Some of the key dietary players in the neurodegeneration found in AD are carbohydrates (glucose administration
or depletion), proteins (amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine), and fat (unsaturated fatty acids).
Mediterranean Diet
In 2006, Claudia Kawas from the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California, Irvine,
reviewed a number existing studies on the Mediterranean diet and its impact on AD. Kawas noticed better cognitive
performance and a reduced risk of AD in persons who consumed the Mediterranean diet, with significant amounts of
fruits, vegetables, fish, and olive oil on a regular basis.
Another study by investigators at Columbia University Medical Center in New York followed more than 2,200
individuals over 4 years, tracking the development of AD. The results suggested that those who had the highest
adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a 40% reduced risk of developing the disease, whereas those more modestly
adhering to this diet had only a 20% risk reduction. The beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet is due to
the complex nutritional components contained in the foods, which are rich in antioxidants and high in unsaturated
fatty acids.
The following are additional dietary and nutritional guidelines that have been found helpful in studies in preventing
or attenuating AD.
