http://painreliefsciences.com/articles/grs-nicotinamide-no2.php
While Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, it can be prevented through proper nutrition. An article in Natural Health 3651 states that one of the natural ways to avoid this and other forms of dementia is to increase our intake of nicotinamide riboside (NR).
This is a formulation of vitamin B3, which helps produce and regulate energy levels in cells. Vitamin B3 also helps burn carbohydrates and fats.
The human body converts NR into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The latter form ensures the good health of mitochondria (tiny organelles within a cell) – which acts as “power stations”, promoting the repair of damaged cellular DNA, and keeps brain cells from dying2.
On top of that, NAD+ also activates sirtuins, special proteins that fight the aging process. NAD+ and its precursor NR have therefore been linked to longer, healthier lifespans.
As we grow older, the amounts of NAD+ in our bodies begin to deplete. The brain becomes less capable of repairing damage to cellular DNA. It also becomes much more vulnerable to dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease.
Study Shows Nicotinamide Riboside Reverses Effects Of Alzheimer’s Disease In Mice
A joint study3 by researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHU-SM) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) investigated the effect of NR on Alzheimer’s disease.
They used an animal model with mice that possessed high levels of pTau, a protein that cause the formation of Alzheimer’s4.
pTau causes brain cell death, hampers the synaptic connections between nerve cells and weakens cognition. Mice with high levels of pTau protein suffered the same problems as humans with Alzheimer’s disease:
- Poor memory
- Inability to learn
- Problems with movement
- Deteriorating grip strength
These “Alzheimer’s” mice received NR supplements for three months. The supplement raised the amount of NAD+ in their brains by a significant margin.
The JHU-SM-NIA researchers reported that the supplemented mice quickly recovered their physical and cognitive abilities. In addition to doing better at learning and memory tests, they also grew less anxious, which is a common problem in humans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Vitamin B3 Formulation Protects And Boosts The Brain
A separate study1 reported that NR also protected against excitotoxicity, a state when excessive stimulation of neurons in the brain starts damaging or killing the affected nerve cells. Excitotoxicity is one of the precursors for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The second study suggested that increasing NAD+ levels in neurons can serve as an effective therapy for the disease. And the best way to raise those levels is to take more NR.
While there is no serious side effects or safety concerns identified for NR yet, the gaps in the existing evidence and the safety and potential benefits are unknown. Furthermore, the lack of long-term studies means we don’t know if it’s safe for extended use.
What’s Another Alternative Way to Protect Ourselves from Diseases Now?
Thankfully, recent studies have shown that there is a “master antioxidant” that has been clinically proven to protect the body from oxidative damage and neutralize dangerous free radicals...
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's are caused in part by oxidative stress overload in the nervous sytems. Optimising our bodies with this antioxidant would help to overcome free radicals and prevent excessive oxidative stress, keeping these diseases at bay7...
And the best part is that it can also:
- Supercharge energy levels...
- Increase mental clarity...
- Decrease heart disease risk by 80%...
- Rebuild cells "protective coating"...
References:
- https://www.naturalhealth365.com/nicotinamide-riboside-dementia-2553.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3018712/
- http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2018/5/NAD-Reduces-Alzheimers-Risk/Page-01
- https://www.dnalc.org/view/2030-Tau-protein-and-Alzheimer-s-disease.html
