Do Carbs, Calories Affect Alzheimer's Risk?

Thursday, January 13, 2005
By Miranda Hitti

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,144320,00.html


Reducing calorie and carbohydrate intake may affect Alzheimer’s disease (search) risk.
In a recent experiment, mice eating fewer calories and carbohydrates than those allowed to eat all they wanted showed no signs of Alzheimer’s-like disease, even though they had been bred to have the condition.

But don’t jump to conclusions. It’s too soon to know if the same is true for people, says psychiatry professor Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD.

“While it is far too early for us to make specific recommendations for human diets, these findings provide the first solid evidence that dietary changes may prove to be a new approach to treatment and prevention of this devastating disease,” says Pasinetti in a news release.

Pasinetti and colleagues from New York’s Mount Sinai Medical School conducted the experiment. Their findings are due to appear in February in The FJ Express.

Fewer Carbs and Calories

The researchers wanted to see if cutting calories was beneficial against Alzheimer’s. Other studies have suggested that consuming too many calories might be an Alzheimer’s risk factor.

I've often felt that my Dad's Alzheimer's is due to his diet. He's quite obviously insulin resistant, something none of his doctor's have ever even diagnosed. Poor old guy.