Newswise — Information on seven available supplements that may improve mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been posted on the new website, MCI911.com, says Leslie Norins, M.D., Ph.D., CEO.
Five are not widely known: plasmalogens, ashwagandha, lion’s mane, curcumin, and low-dose lithium. Two are familiar, but their aid to cognition is less publicized: caffeine and green tea.
Millions of cases of MCI occur in seniors annually, often indicating that an Alzheimer’s-type neurodegenerative process is at work in a patient’s brain. The precise cause is unknown, and unfortunately, there is no pharmaceutical drug to arrest or reverse the process.
However, Dr. Norins and his team search the medical literature to find possible remedies that have been largely overlooked. Interestingly, they are usually non-prescription, relatively cheap, and available online or in health food departments.
Although all have at least a few medical journal articles reporting their benefits, they are mostly ignored in conventional medical practices. Dr. Norins attributes this to the fact these substances cannot be patented, and therefore no pharmaceutical company can afford to invest millions of dollars conducting what he calls “gold-plated” clinical trials that would satisfy all statisticians and other critics.
Instead, the journal articles describe more modest trials with fewer subjects, and some evidence comes from experiments with lab animals.
Still, Dr. Norins says, the spotlighted substances have few if any harmful side effects, so why not consult with one’s physician about taking some or all for a few months or more? “If one or more ‘works’ to improve your cognition, and is ok’d by your physician, then who cares if the published evidence was not ‘gold-plated’”?
Why not select just one supplement? “At the present state of science, it’s not possible to find out in advance which one of many could help a particular patient,” says Dr. Norins. “And people vary so much in their genetics, diets, occupations, and living conditions.” He cites shoes as an analogy; one size does not fit everybody.
MCI911.com, LLC is a privately held, independent company. It does not seek outside donations. Its mission is to provide information that may assist people coping with MCI. “MCI is the new frontline in the fight against Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. Norins.
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