A Sunny Treatment for Alzheimer's


Over the course of a small study, researchers at the University of Wisconsin uncovered strong links between low levels of vitamin D in Alzheimer's patients and poor outcomes on cognitive tests.

Scientists launched the study after family members of Alzheimer's patients who were treated with large doses of prescription vitamin D reported that they were acting and performing better than before.

Researchers believe that optimal vitamin D levels may enhance the amount of important chemicals in the brain and protect brain cells.

Other recent studies have indicated that vitamin D and sunlight exposure can substantially reduce the risk of cancer, the flu, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases and neurological disorders. Vitamin D plays a role in the activation of at least 100 genes, many of which are involved in disease prevention.

Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics January 8, 2007

KansasCity.com February 23, 2007

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Considering how low vitamin D levels affect the mental health of the elderly, I'm not at all surprised to learn the sunshine vitamin may also be an ideal natural treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

And, of course, getting the optimal amount of vitamin D every day can also be used to help treat and prevent conditions like heart disease and cancer too ... as well as diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and osteoporosis, to name just a few.

Your body was designed to regularly be exposed to sunshine and when you limit or avoid the sun you will start to suffer health problems. Good, old-fashioned commonsense tells you that it is beneficial to have some healthy sun exposure.

But vitamin D deficiency, the result of too little sun exposure, is the single most common vitamin deficiency in the United States -- the result of misguided scare campaigns about skin cancer, which safe sun exposure (that is to say, tanning without burning) actually helps to prevent.

Over 85 percent of the U.S. population has sub-therapeutic blood levels of vitamin D that will predispose them to the diseases mentioned above.

As you know, however, getting the right amount of vitamin D naturally via safe sunshine exposure is especially tricky right now in the Northern Hemisphere, as sunlight is weak in the winter months. If you want to boost your vitamin D levels with cod liver oil or any other supplement, please be sure to monitor your blood levels closely and regularly to prevent overdosing.

On Vital Votes, health coach Josh Rubin from San Marcos, California adds:

"There are lots of theories out there on why one would get Alzheimers. This is what I have found:

1. Chronic dehydration: the body robs the CNS first when you are dehydrated.

2. Chronic low levels of DHEA and Pregnenolone

3. Chronic low level so SIgA: SIgA is are first line of defense against pathogens. This is usually low secondary to stress, affecting the adrenal glands, which help to produce immunocytes, which produce SIgA.

4. Severe gluten intolerance's has shown to have a negative affect on the white matter of the brain, per Jeffery Bland."