In a study involving 43 patients with Alzheimer's disease (mild or moderate), supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid (600 mg/day) was found to be associated with dramatically lower progression of the disease over a period of 48 months, as compared to data from patients not receiving alpha-lipoic acid. The authors first cite a previous open-label study in which 9 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) receiving standard results with choline-esterase inhibitors were given 600 mg/day alpha-lipoic acid for a period of 12 months. The results of that study found stabilization of cognitive functions as assessed via 2 neuropsychological tests. In this study, the authors extended the analysis to include 43 patients over the course of 48 months. Results found that in patients with mild dementia (ADAScog <15), progression of the disease was extremely slow and in patients with moderate dementia (ADAScog: +1.2 points/year; MMSE: -0.6 points/year), progression of the disease was twice that rate. Compared with data from untreated patients or patients on choline-esterase inhibitors alone, the progression of the disease was dramatically lower among the subjects in this study taking alpha-lipoic acid. The authors conclude, "Despite the fact that this study was not double-blinded, placebo-controlled and randomized, our data suggest that results with alpha-lipoic acid might be a successful 'neuroprotective' option for AD. However, a state-of-the-art phase II trial is needed urgently."
What Is Stem Cell Therapy and How Does It Help With Healing and Rejuvenation?
Stem cells support the body’s natural repair processes and can be used to help address a wide range of concerns,
