Nearly half of all Americans who reach age 85 will develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). And authorities estimate that by the year 2040, more than 14 million Americans will suffer from this disease. These are disturbing statistics, especially if you’ve seen the devastating toll this disease can take as a vital, healthy mind is turned against itself.
But there is hope. Of course, the mainstream approach generally centers on prescription drugs like Cognex, Aricept, and Excelon. But as we wrote about in the Members Alert in March 2001, there is a natural alternative available that has been shown to be more effective and have fewer side effects than all three of those drugs. Now new research supports those findings and confirms the growing body of evidence that this natural supplement – galantamine – may actually be our most promising defense against AD and other types of dementia.
Continued use offers 200% improvement in symptoms
In this current research, doctors at the Helsinki University Central Hospital in Finland set out to evaluate galantamine treatment over the course of a year in patients with either probable vascular dementia or mild-to-moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease with cerebrovascular disease.
The first phase of the study divided 537 patients into two groups: the first group of 359 subjects received 24 mg of galantamine each day, while the balance received a placebo. Both groups followed their regimens for six months. All patients who completed the first phase were eligible to enter a subsequent 6-month phase in which all subjects received 24 mg/day of galantamine. Almost three-quarters of the placebo group, and more than 85% of the galantamine group went on to the second phase.
The scientists used several well-recognized assessment scales to measure the participants AD and dementia at baseline and after 12 months of treatment. On the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive subscale score (ADAS-Cog), patients treated with galantamine for the entire 12 months maintained or improved their status when compared to baseline. And on the two other assessment scales (the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (SPI) and the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD), subjects who took galantamine for 12 months produced scores TWICE as high as the participants who only took the supplement for 6 months.
Throughout the testing period, a few patients reported some side effects, mostly gastrointestinal problems. But most of the side effects were short-lived, and seemed to occur when the dosage was being increased. Interestingly, side effects were less frequent in the group that took galantamine for the full 12 months, which suggests that tolerability improves over time.
Spread the word
Galantamine is an extract from the snowdrop flower, daffodil, spider lily and other plants. It’s been used in Eastern Europe to treat a variety of minor ailments for centuries, but its positive effects on memory and cognitive function have only been uncovered recently. When we first wrote about this discovery last year, we told our members about a specific formula called GalantaMind, which combines the optimal dose of galantamine with vitamin B5 and choline, both of which play essential roles in brain chemistry. You can learn more about GalantaMind by calling Life Enhancement Products at (800)543-3873.
As a result of this most recent study, the mainstream is starting to take notice – and the pharmaceutical companies are beginning to sniff around too, looking for ways to seize this natural therapy and turn it into more profits. In fact, we understand there are patentable (read: synthetic) versions of this substance currently under review by the FDA. But you don’t have to wait for them.
If you or someone you love is concerned about the threat of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, take action today before the symptoms become advanced. It’s important to note that galantamine is best used as a preventive – patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s have been showing remarkable improvement using it. But as powerful as it is, it simply is not as effective for patients with advanced Alzheimer’s.
As we’ve told you before, it can take up to 10 years for news of a natural breakthrough to spread. Just think about this: we first brought this news to our members 14 months ago. Have you heard about it since? That’s why this e-Alert is such an important communication tool. We’ve heard from some of you that forward e-Alerts to 30, 40, even 50 people in your address book when you think the topic is important to them. I can’t imagine many more important topics than this one. Please, forward this to your family and your friends so they’ll know that, if diagnosed early, there is now hope for treating and reversing Alzheimer’s.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
American Academy of Neurology: “Galantamine Demonstrates Broad Clinical Efficacy over 12 Months in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease with Cerebrovascular Disease and Probable Vascular Dementia” www.aan.com
HSI Members Alert, March 1, 2001
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C
