Herbal Cures For Dementia Possible: Study

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Herbal cures for dementia possible: study

KASEM CHANATIRAJ

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A study that links certain trace elements found on hair to dementia has also shown that the disease could be treated by traditional Thai herbal medicines.

"I think Thai researchers should be able to create herbal medicines for dementia patients within three to five years based on the findings of this study," Dr Wanwisa Pattanasiriwisawa, a researcher from the Synchrotron Light Research Institute, said yesterday.

According to the research, dementia patients had higher amounts of calcium, chlorine and phosphorus in their hair than normal. The research covered 30 subjects, half of whom were suffering from Alzheimer's, Parkin-son's or other forms of dementia. All patients were above the age of 60.

Wanwisa said tests had been conducted using the particle accelerator synchrotron, which provides very accurate results. "The study took more than a year to complete," she said.

The research team, which was backed by the Synchrotron Light Research Institute, also included Asst Prof Jaruwan Siritapetawee from the Suranaree University of Technology and Dr Unchalee Sirithepthawee from Nakhon Ratchasima Rajanagrindra Psychiatric Hospital.

Wanwisa said the findings were significant because they suggested that the amount of calcium, chlorine and phosphorus in a human's hair could be an indicator of dementia. The findings have been published in the latest edition of the Journal of Synchrotron Radiation.

She added that the latest findings corresponded with other studies linking the presence of high amounts of calcium to brain problems.

Jaruwan said there were about 800,000 dementia patients in Thailand, most over 60 years of age. "The cause of dementia varies from person to person, though stress, heredity and chemical exposure are among the most common," she said.

Wanwisa said some researchers had started exploring herbs based on the findings of the study. "This process will possibly take a lot of time and money, but I'm sure Thai herbal medication for dementia patients should be found within five years," she said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-16

[Valentine]

Coconut oil is supposedly helpful in the treatment of Alzheimers.

[Scott]

Coconut oil is also a not very good for the heart.

[HarrySeaman]

[jbrain]

I prefer Alzheimer over Parkinson anytime.

I rather forget to pay for my beer, than pushing it over.

[Payboy]

Breaking news in 2005 elsewhere.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15668631

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

If you can recover from it by whatever method then it wasn't dementia in the first place.

Dementia is a chronic organic brain disease as distinct from an acute organic brain disease, which may be treatable.

Dementia may be avoidable through diet and lifestyle choices. I think the claim is an exaggeration though they may hit upon something that would help avoid dementia generally or in predisposed persons.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Rajab Al Zarahni

[SoCalChris]

Coconut oil is also a not very good for the heart.

True, but a good ole' "rub n tug" with coconut oil could give the heart a bit of exercise to mitigate that.

Edited October 16, 2012 by SoCalChris

[khunken]

So if you're bald you're ok?

[marquis22]

So if you're bald you're ok?

I'm bald but keep forgetting which side I part my hair .. is that a sign of Alzheimer?

[khunken]

So if you're bald you're ok?

I'm bald but keep forgetting which side I part my hair .. is that a sign of Alzheimer?

Not as long as you don't use a comb.

[dressedingreen]

The idea that coconut oil isn't good for the heart has many challengers now.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/323419-is-coconut-oil-bad-for-your-heart/

http://www.nutritionvista.com/NutritionBuzz/is-coconut-oil-good-or-bad-for-heart-health-coconut-s-effects-on-cholesterol-health,344.aspx?pId=2

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html

I take a tablespoonful with cereal every day.

[growe237]

I prefer Alzheimer over Parkinson anytime.

I rather forget to pay for my beer, than pushing it over.

I'd rather spill a few drops than forget where I hid the bottle.

[MikeJohnson]

I take a tablespoonful with cereal every day.

The 15 ml that a tablespoonful gives you are not really enough to provide the extra energy for the brain - as ketones and medium chain fatty acids, both of which can reach the brain cells - for the whole day. Better to take a tablespoonful three times a day, to get to about 45 ml and giving you that energy spread out of the whole day.

For more information, check out www.coconutresearchcenter.org or the book by Bruce Fife on Alzheimer. Or Dr. Newport´s book on the same. She has improved her husbands Alzheimer considerably with the use of coconut oil.

[CaptHaddock]

Either bad science or bad reporting or both. The study has a statistically insignificant number of participants. They found a correlation between some minerals in the hair and the illnesses. On the basis of a control group of only 15 subjects they determined that the levels of the three minerals exceeded that in the healthy population. The strength of that observation must be close to zero with an n of 15. There is no evidence of causality, nor apparently any plan to establish it. And there is no reference to research that identifies herbs that affect mineral concentrations, but the researcher is nevertheless confident in projecting a timeline to effective treatment.

Bizarre.