According to the Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium, more than 5 million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Due to an aging U.S. population, the number of people with the disease is expected to top 7.7 million by 2030. Medications used to treat this condition are only moderately effective and are accompanied by side effects, such as vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss. People who wish to avoid Alzheimer's or slow its progression often turn to alternatives, such as curcumin, even though such remedies have not been shown to prevent or cure the disease.
Cause
The pathological changes that occur in the brains of Alzheimer's patients -- neurofibrillary tangles, senile plaques and ß-amyloid -- have been well-described. However, the cause of the disease remains unknown, and multiple factors are probably involved in its development. Hereditary factors, such as mutations in genes that produce proteins called presenilin I and II or ApoE-e4, have been identified as risk factors for Alzheimer's, but not all carriers of these genetic traits are destined to develop the disease. A March 2011 "Journal of Neuroinflammation" review implicated inflammation and vascular injury in the genesis of the disease.
Curcumin and Inflammation
Curcumin is the bright yellow-orange pigment found in the root of the turmeric plant, Curcuma longa. Turmeric has been used for centuries by Chinese and Ayurvedic physicians as a digestive aid, a liver tonic and a treatment for arthritis. A study published in the March 2011 issue of "Interdisciplinary Toxicology" demonstrated that curcumin not only inhibits the formation of inflammatory compounds in animal models but speeds the resolution of inflammation by regulating the activities of white blood cells.
Curcumin in Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease is a complex disorder involving a series of events that terminate in brain damage and loss of mental function. Many of the precipitating events leading to the disease occur years before the onset of cognitive decline. Scientists at the Geriatric Research and Clinical Center in Los Angeles believe that a multi-pronged approach to Alzheimer's -- one that exploits the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-amyloid properties of curcumin -- will prove useful for preventing and treating it in the future. However, there is currently insufficient evidence to support the use of curcumin for treating Alzheimer's.
Considerations
Curcumin exhibits properties that make it an intriguing agent for treating Alzheimer's. However, most studies have been done in tissue culture or animal models, and curcumin's benefits have not been adequately demonstrated in humans. Furthermore, curcumin is not well-absorbed from your digestive tract -- although newer formulations containing phytosomes, nano-particles or piperine carriers are better absorbed -- and optimal doses have not been established for any condition. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University reports that curcumin doses up to 12 g daily have been well-tolerated in clinical trials. Curcumin has not been shown to prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease. Ask your doctor if you should take curcumin.
References
- Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium: Latest Alzheimer's Statistics -- U.S. (2010)
- "American Family Physician"; Pharmacologic Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: An Update; V.W. Delagarza; October 2003
- "Journal of Neuroinflammation"; Neurovascular Dysfunction, Inflammation and Endothelial Activation: Implications for the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease; P. Grammas; March 2011
- "Interdisciplinary Toxicology"; Pharmacological Regulation of Neutrophil Activity and Apoptosis: Contribution to New Strategy for Modulation of Inflammatory Processes; V. Jancinova, et al.; March 2011
- "Molecular Neurobiology"; Why Pleiotropic Interventions Are Needed for Alzheimer's Disease; S.A. Frautschy, G.M. Cole; June 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Curcumin
