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Abby's Magazine - November/December 2015 | Page 31 was greatest during a study period of 4.4 years were 76% less likely to die than those whose adherence was least. Alzheimer's patients who adhered to the Mediterranean diet to a moderate degree lived an average 1.3 years longer than those who adhered to the diet to the least degree. Patients who followed the diet very strictly lived, on average, 3.9 years longer. Exercise Regular exercise is associated with increases in brain- derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, brain volume, dendritic spines, and vascular function, as well as a reduction in cell death. Research focusing on Alzheimer's patients found that those who exercised had reduced brain atrophy compared with those who did not. As little as three minutes of very intense exercise has been shown to sharply raise BDNF* levels, as well as produce a 20% improvement in memory. (*Brain-derived neurotrophic factor improves neuron function; neuron growth protects neurons from cell death). Nutritional Interventions Studied in Alzheimer's 1. Huperzine A Derived from the plant Huperzia serrata, huperzine A is an NMDA receptor blocker than can help prevent or reduce glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. It can also help block acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that destroys acetylcholine, which is critical for cognition and memory. This mechanism of action is similar to that of several Alzheimer's drugs, such as donepezil and galantamine. Some studies show that huperzine A may penetrate the blood-brain barrier, have greater bioavailability, and have longer duration of action than some pharmaceuticals. Although not all studies on Huperzine show positive effects on cognition, a review of previous studies revealed that doses of 300-500 mcg of huperzine A daily significantly improved the standardized cognitive test scores of Alzheimer's patients, and were slightly safer than some drug alternatives. 2. Lipoic Acid This potent antioxidant has been shown to reduce inflammation, chelate metals, and increase acetylcholine levels in animal studies. Although there have been only a few small human studies on lipoic acid in Alzheimer's, the results hold promise. In one study, nine patients with Alzheimer's or similar dementias took 600 mg of lipoic acid daily, for an average of 337 days. At the outset of the study, cognitive scores were declining continuously. By the end of the study, they had stabilized. A second study extended this regime to 43 patients for 48 months and the disease progressed extremely slowly (compared with the typical disease progression rate seen in untreated patients). 3. Acetyl-L-carnitine Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) is an antioxidant that has been shown to correct acetylcholine deficits in animals and protect neurons from amyloid beta by supporting healthy mitochondria. A group of researchers combined ALC with lipoic acid and found they could reverse some mitochondrial decay in aged animals. The same research group conducted a comprehensive review of 21 clinical trials of ALC in cases of mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease. They found significant benefit in the ALC group compared to placebo. ALC has been noted to reduce the effects of high homocysteine levels in mice (e.g., deterioration of blood-brain barrier integrity, increased levels of amyloid beta, neurofibrillary tangle formation, and cognitive dysfunction). Further, a small clinical trial among people with Alzheimer's disease showed that 3,000 mg of ALC daily resulted in significantly less cognitive deterioration over a 1 year period. Laboratory studies have found that ALC can reduce amyloid beta neurotoxicity by affecting amyloid precursor protein metabolism. 4. Panax ginseng Ginsenosides, steroid-like compounds in extracts of the plant Panax ginseng (P. ginseng), are believed to be the active chemicals that produce memory benefits. A study that tested 200, 400, and 600 mg