A seemingly low level health risk might prompt dementia -- find out how to stop it in its tracks

Cool iron as needed

New research may finally give us an easy answer for preventing and reversing dementia.

But the solution isn’t quite as easy as some people think. And that could lead to making people — those who are already scared and confused — suffer even more.

This new research comes to us from the University of California, where they’ve uncovered a surprising link between anemia and dementia.

That’s an especially urgent discovery, because as many as one in four seniors are anemic. Of course, many folks don’t even realize they have it since the most common symptom is fatigue. And you know how that goes. Most people just resign themselves to fatigue is a natural part of aging. But anemia has also been linked to “early death” again and again in studies.

Blinders firmly in place

The good news is the primary cause of anemia is simple — and fairly simple to address.

Deficiencies of iron and other nutrients contribute to the drop in red blood cell count that characterizes anemia. These cells deliver oxygen throughout the body. When that delivery system breaks down, the result is weakness, fatigue, and now we know…dementia risk.

But as I’ll explain in a moment, the “obvious” treatment, most conventional doctors recommend, is all wrong — so I’ll show you a better way to keep anemia at bay. But first, let’s dive a little further into that study…

University of California researchers followed more than 2,500 over-70 adults for 11 years. Those who began the study with anemia were 41% more likely to develop dementia compared to healthy subjects. Even scarier, the lead author, Dr. Yaffe said, “We found a 60% increased risk of dementia with anemia — after controlling for other factors such as other medical illness, demographics, etc. the risk remained elevated 40-50%.”

That’s just about a 1 in 2 chance that if you have anemia, it will lead to dementia! But as you’ll see in a moment, you can take some easy steps to prevent it.

The reason why anemia is so devastating for the brain is no mystery. When your brain is deprived of oxygen, neurons are damaged.

Unfortunately, the “solution” to this dilemma is usually summed up in one word: iron.

That’s the wrong word.

Remember the Geritol ads back in the 60s? They described anemia as “iron-poor tired blood.” So with typical myopic vision, mainstream medicine calls for pumping up the iron.

But supplementing with iron isn’t the best approach

As Dr. Spreen explains, iron supplements can prompt free radical formation. Not only that, if you get too much iron, you’ll find yourself with an increased risk of heart disease. That’s why some multivitamin labels include a “No iron!” notice.

But this is hardly a rock-hard place situation. It just means you’re better off getting your iron from the foods you eat.

Good sources of iron include, red meat, fish, pork, poultry, spinach, beans, broccoli, nuts and dried fruits like raisins and prunes and artichokes. Beef and chicken livers are especially high in iron, too.

So you can see how easy it is to ramp up the iron in your diet.

And there are still supplements you’ll want to take. Just not iron supplements.

Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron. And it’s also important to boost folic acid and vitamin B-12 because they’re crucial to helping your body create more red blood cells.

The battle against dementia is a terrible one. It’s hard on the victim and the family. This new research is a real bright spot. If someone you love is showing signs of dementia, have them tested for anemia. And begin introducing dietary and supplement changes right away to pump up the iron the right way.

Sources:
“Anemia Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia” American Academy of Neurology Press Release, 7/31/13, newswise.com