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Page 32 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com of P. ginseng on healthy patients without cognitive problems found that 400 mg produced the greatest benefit and boosted memory for 1-6 hours after dosing. When higher dosages were tested on 58 Alzheimer's disease patients, 4.5 g of P. ginseng given daily over 12 weeks produced gradually increasing improvements, as compared to the 39 control patients whose cognitive abilities declined over the same period, though the improvements faded 12 weeks after discontinuation. 5. Vitamins C and E Vitamins C and E are well known for their antioxidant properties. Several studies have examined their combined potential in reducing the oxidative damage associated with Alzheimer's disease. One observational study showed that supplementation with vitamins C (500 mg/day) and E (400 IU/day) was associated with reduced prevalence of Alzheimer's disease. Another team of researchers found that the combination of vitamin C and E was associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, but neither supplement alone conferred substantial protection. However, a placebo-controlled clinical trial found that high doses of vitamin E alone, up to 2,000 IU daily, slowed the mental deterioration of Alzheimer's patients, and in an animal model, vitamin C helped reduced amyloid beta aggregation. Deficiencies of vitamin E in Alzheimer's patients are associated with increased lipid peroxidation (oxidative deterioration of lipids), which appears to increase platelet aggregation. Combination therapy with vitamins C and E has been shown to reduce lipid peroxidation in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. A high intake of vitamins C and E may be associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer's in the healthy elderly. One method by which vitamin E might protect Alzheimer's disease has to do with its relation to apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4). Researchers suspect that, in people with the apoE4 phenotype, impaired antioxidant defense systems in neurons may increase oxidative damage (Mas 2006). Another theory suggests that vitamin E might be able to reduce the oxidative damage caused by large amounts of inducible nitric oxide synthase, a pro-oxidant that has been linked to progression of Alzheimer's. Moreover, a recent study suggested that vitamin E may combat amyloid beta- induced oxidative stress, a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. (Note: Inducible nitric oxide synthase should not be confused with endothelial nitric oxide synthase that is needed to maintain healthy arterial function.) 6. Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo biloba is an antioxidant that may serve as an anti-inflammatory agent, reduce blood clotting, and modulate neurotransmission. In one study, ginkgo was tested on patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's dementia. The results were inconsistent. However, in a subgroup of those patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms, 120 – 240 mg of ginkgo daily over 26 weeks significantly improved cognitive performance over placebo. Another study found that ginkgo inhibited amyloid beta production in the brain. Ginkgo, if effectively combined with other brain- supporting nutrients, appears to offer a synergistic cognitive effect, resulting partly from its ability to improve cerebrovascular function. Research has shown that combining G. biloba with other nutrients such as phosphatidylserine, B vitamins, and vitamin E can deliver cognitive benefits to both animals and humans. In addition, a study found that ginkgo extract can rescue neuronal cells from beta amyloid- induced cell death