What is Alzheimer's? How does it affect nutrition in disease?

The Alzheimer's disease is a disorder, neurodegenerative and multifactorial, this being the main cause of senile dementia; for this cruel disease so far there is no cure, or drugs to stop it have been discovered. In this disease, cognitive impairment is directly grape with loss of neuronal synapses, i.e. the junction between neurons. He has not yet discovered the reason for this loss, but it is an event that appears early in the development of the disease.

The neuronal membranes are composed of a lipid called phospholipids, which is formed by biological processes that occur in the brain, which is dependent on some nutrients such as omega-3s and uridine among others, this Phospholipid may also be increased by other vitamins and antioxidants that improve the availability of key nutrients. Certain inhibitors which slow down the breakdown of acetylcholine is used to try and reduce the progression of the disease.

An increasingly diagnosed illness

It is believed that there are at least 36 million people with this disease in the world, and the number seems to be increasing. The risk factor is undoubtedly the age, since the majority of Alzheimer's patients are over 65 people. Genetics has a lot to do, but we can find other risks such as: have had head injuries, smoking, alcoholism, high blood pressure and diet. Each of these factors are studied carefully.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

The stages of this disease affect each patient in a very different way, but you may notice some signs that make unmistakable the damage that is being presented. The symptom most recurrent tends to be the memory loss; patients can forget words, names, objects, among other things.
These symptoms in the early stages of the disease may not be too noticeable, and may be confused with the 'normal' forgetfulness of age, but must take into account other important signs such as: confused known places, frequent changes of mood, takes it to perform daily tasks, recent events are often forgotten.
Quickly symptoms become more frequent and appear new, as several times repeating the same things, they ask the same thing over and over again, they do not recognize their own family members. When the disease reaches its maximum expression, the brain is affected in all their functions, to the extent of having incontinence and loss of all functionality.

Nutrition matters

Recent research has shown that levels of certain nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids and certain vitamins are much lower in patients with this disease, which in healthy people, however this does not mean to consume these nutrients be exempt of suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
So far no special type of power that prevent this disease, however is not known, there are studies which indicate that the diet recommended for reducing cardiovascular risk is beneficial to slow the advance of the symptoms of the disease. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, all kinds of fish, and low in sugars and starches, much favours the reduction of these symptoms, but it does not prevent the disease as such.

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