How might vitamin E supplements benefit a person with Alzheimer’s disease?
The normal cell function termed “oxidative metabolism” results in byproducts known as free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive compounds that quickly “attack” other cell substances, causing damage to the cell wall, metabolic machinery and genetic material (DNA). The cells have natural defenses against this damage, which include the antioxidants vitamins C and E, but with age some of these protective mechanisms decline. Brain cell damage caused by free radicals may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. What was the result of the multicenter national study of vitamin E and Alzheimer’s disease? Research reported in the April 24, 1997, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine investigated the effectiveness of vitamin E and selegiline, a drug with antioxidant properties that is prescribed for treating Parkinson’s disease. The research was part of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, a consortium of academic Alzheimer research centers sponsored by the U.S. National Institute
