Research from the University of Western Australia has found that a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants can prevent or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in Open Biology, found that taking a combination of antioxidants in increased doses was more beneficial in preventing debilitating disease than any other treatment currently available.
Chronic degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s are attributed to more than 70 percent of deaths globally, and oxidative stress, chronic metabolic acidosis, and free radicals in the body play a key role in the aging process.
The results showed that antioxidants react with free radicals in the body and make them harmless.
Dr. Gerald Veurink conducted the research while working at UWA School of Medicine and examined a number of antioxidants to discover which are most effective in protecting neurons in the body’s nervous system.
He found that complex phenolic carotenoids, as well as antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E in high concentrations, are most effective in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Veurink said a diet rich in nutrients helped stabilize pH levels in the body causing oxidative stress, and concomitant supplementation with cocktails with antioxidants was most effective in preventing and managing chronic diseases.
“The combination of antioxidants in sufficiently high, personalized doses and a nutrient-rich diet appears to have the greatest impact on patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Veurink said.
He also found a combination of antioxidants rather than one antioxidant that helped fight oxidative stress.
Dr Veurink said a holistic approach to healthcare that optimizes individual nutritional needs is needed to delay and prevent these chronic diseases.