Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website
Evidence mounts against DHEA use in treating cognitive decline
DHEA is a naturally-occurring hormone in the human body that declines with age. Previous research looking at the effect of DHEA supplementation on cognitive function and quality-of-life has produced inconsistent results. In the first long-term study (12 months) of healthy older adults, 110 men and 115 women aged 55-85 received either daily 50 mg doses of DHEA or a similar looking placebo pill for 1 year. It was found that, although youthful levels of DHEA were restored in the treatment group, the supplements had no benefits for cognitive function or quality-of-life in this representative sample.
[1222] Kritz-Silverstein, D., von Mühlen D., Laughlin G. A., & Bettencourt R.
(2008). Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone Supplementation on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life: The DHEA and Well-Ness (DAWN) Trial.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 56(7), 1292 - 1298.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/w-ema052108.php
French maritime pine bark improves memory in elderly
A double-blind, placebo controlled, matched pairs study examined the effects of Pycnogenol (an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree) on a range of cognitive and biochemical measures in 101 senior individuals aged 60-85 years old. Participants had a daily dose of 150mg for three months. Pycnogenol improved both numerical working memory as well as spatial working memory. Blood samples revealed that F2-isoprostanes significantly decreased with Pycnogenol, a sign of reduced oxidation of nerve membranes, suggesting that the antioxidant activity of Pycnogenol plays a major role for the clinical effects. Several recent research studies have found Pycnogenol reduced ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity and improved attention, concentration and motor-visual coordination in children with ADHD. Pycnogenol extract has been studied for 35 years and is available in more than 600 dietary supplements.
[2425] Ryan, J., Croft K., Mori T., Wesnes K., Spong J., Downey L., et al.
(2008). An examination of the effects of the antioxidant Pycnogenol(R) on cognitive performance, serum lipid profile, endocrinological and oxidative stress biomarkers in an elderly population.
J Psychopharmacol. 22(5), 553 - 562.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/mg-nsp031708.php
Long-term beta carotene supplementation may help prevent cognitive decline
A large, long-running study has found that men who took beta carotene supplements for 15 years or longer had significantly higher scores on several cognitive tests compared with men who took placebo. There was no such effect in those men who took the supplements for a year. The researchers suggest that although the benefits were modest in themselves, they may predict substantial differences in eventual risk of dementia. However, it should be noted that beta carotene is not without risks—for example, it may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers — and that it would be premature to advise use of such supplements.
[710] Grodstein, F., Kang J H., Glynn R. J., Cook N. R., & Gaziano M. J.
(2007). A Randomized Trial of Beta Carotene Supplementation and Cognitive Function in Men: The Physicians' Health Study II.
Arch Intern Med. 167(20), 2184 - 2190.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/jaaj-lbc110807.php
Dietary supplements improve old rats' memory and energy levels
After only a month, older rats fed two chemicals normally found in the body's cells and available as dietary supplements — acetyl-L-carnitine and an antioxidant, alpha-lipoic acid — performed better on memory tests, and had noticeably more energy (on a par with a “middle-aged” rat). It is thought that these chemicals act on the mitochondria, the “power-houses” of the cells. Mitochondria are increasingly being implicated as especially vulnerable to the aging process. Carnitine is a natural compound produced in the cell and obtained in the diet through meats and vegetables. It has been shown to improve balance and short-term memory in human. Lipoic acid is found in green, leafy vegetables.
The University of California has patented use of the combination of the two supplements to rejuvenate cells. Human clinical trials are currently underway.
[1215] Hagen, T. M., Liu J., Lykkesfeldt J., Wehr C. M., Ingersoll R. T., Vinarsky V., et al.
(2002). Feeding acetyl-l-carnitine and lipoic acid to old rats significantly improves metabolic function while decreasing oxidative stress.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99(4), 1870 - 1875.
[618] Liu, J., Head E., Gharib A. M., Yuan W., Ingersoll R. T., Hagen T. M., et al.
(2002). Memory loss in old rats is associated with brain mitochondrial decay and RNA/DNA oxidation: Partial reversal by feeding acetyl-l-carnitine and/or R-α-lipoic acid.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99(4), 2356 - 2361.
[1232] Liu, J., Killilea D. W., & Ames B. N.
(2002). Age-associated mitochondrial oxidative decay: Improvement of carnitine acetyltransferase substrate-binding affinity and activity in brain by feeding old rats acetyl-l- carnitine and/or R-α-lipoic acid.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99(4), 1876 - 1881.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/uoc--dsm021502.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/osu-crr021902.htm