A whole new horizon
Fortunately, alternatives to pharmaceutical medicine have become more and more popular for people suffering the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Anyone who has a loved one with this affliction knows how heartbreaking and lonely the patient and family can be.
Pharmaceutical medicine carries with it astounding side effects, sometimes worse than the disease itself, so practicing natural medicine just makes sense to avoid these pitfalls.
There has been a turnover of events in regard to the use of CBD and MCT for Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Testing Alzheimer’s patients with just a single dose of MCT (medium-chain triglycerides), improved symptoms of nearly half the recipients and all exhibited significant improvement in cognitive testing.
MCT and ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
MCT oil is an organic compound derived from a type of fat called medium-chain triglycerides which can be extracted from Coconut Oil. MCT molecules are smaller than those in most fats that you eat (long-chain triglycerides [LCT]), which makes them easier to digest. With smaller molecules, MCT can be absorbed into the bloodstream quickly.
Alzheimer’s disease is associated with a decrease in SIRT3 levels in the brain. The properties in MCT oil are converted into keytones which replicates glucose and increase the SIRT3 levels that are missing in Alzheimer’s patients. This leads researchers to conclude that keytones from MCT are significant in helping boost brain function in Alzheimer’s patients.
Many studies have also confirmed that hippocampal insulin resistance lead to cognitive dysfunction and insulin resistance is an important factor that causes Alzheimer’s disease. In patients, glucose does not enter parts of the brain (cells) which causes mental decline after time. When MCT oil is consumed, it is converted to keytones which acts as an alternative to glucose then stored to use in brain cells. Most Alzheimer’s medication does not address this issue or treatment in this way.
PHARMACEUTICAL ALZHEIMER’S MEDICATION
A problem with Lecanemab and Aduhelm is that they both are designed to aid in removing plaque in the brain but does not address the missing keytone levels in the brain. These medications also carry serious side effects like bleeding of the brain or adhema (fluid leak in the brain). Another problem is many people that have low plaque levels do not necessarily have Alzheimer symptoms.
CBD & ALZHEIMER’S / DEMENTIA
(aka Cannabidiol) is a compound derived from the Cannabis plant that has powerful medicinal effects but (without THC) and does not make people feel high or anxious. In recent studies, CBD has been shown to reduce or remove the impact of inflammation, oxygen buildup, and brain cell decline.
There are several ways CBD works to improve the health of Alzheimer’s / Dementia patients. It reduces inflammation, reduces oxygen buildup, work as a brain stimulant and a neuroprotectant, and eliminate dead brain cells and the protein tangles that cause brain deterioration and dementia.
STUDIES OF CBD FOR ALZHEIMER’S & DEMENTIA
According to California’s Salk Institute, a 2016 study found evidence that cannabinoids (such as CBD) helps remove dementia and increase connections between brain cells. Other laboratories validated those results.
CBD has been shown to reduce or remove the impact of inflammation, oxygen buildup, and brain cell decline. CBD also increases levels of proteins that eliminate dead cells and plaques in brains with Alzheimer’s, improving both memory and motor function.
VASCULAR DEMENTIA
Vascular Dementia is a general term. This describes patients with problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory, and other thought processes caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to one’s brain. To effectively treat vascular dementia, a 2016 study by the US National Institute of Health found that activating CB2 (cannabinoid) receptors in the brain helped stimulate a better blood flow to the brain. Activating the CB2 receptors with CBD increases brain cell activity while reducing brain cell damage also helped significantly.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s is a chronic, progressive disease of the nervous system that mostly affects middle-aged and elderly people. Parkinson’s is linked to decreased dopamine production and is generally characterized by tremors, muscular rigidity, and slow, imprecise movements. A digestive imbalance may also play a role in the progression of Parkinson’s and it’s severity of symptoms. Cannabinoids such as CBD have been shown to contain effective brain protectors, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties which can be beneficial for managing Parkinson’s disease.
* Lecanemab (Leqembi™) and Lecanemab have received accelerated approval as a treatment for early Alzheimer’s from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
* While MCTs aren’t actually ketones, they can be used as a source of energy, both in the form of fat (because they’re a fat) and ketones (because the body can quickly convert MCTs to ketones). MCTs can be used directly by mitochondria for energy production and can also be made into ketone bodies.
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