Common test failing women with Alzheimer’s

This is one battle of the sexes that nobody wants to win.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman, or how old you are – the thought of developing Alzheimer’s disease is downright terrifying. Alzheimer’s doesn’t just rob you of your precious memories – it can take away your independence and even your life.

But a new study from one of America’s top hospitals has found that a common Alzheimer’s test is failing countless women with the disease.

And it could leave you undiagnosed for years.

Fortunately, with a few simple steps you can still catch Alzheimer’s warning signs early – and give yourself a fighting chance at turning the tables on the disease.

Lady luck? Not exactly

Sorry, guys – but it’s been scientifically proven that women remember things better than men.

And that doesn’t just go for anniversaries and Valentine’s Day.

For years scientists have known that women regularly outscore men on something called a verbal memory test that measures how well we recall things we read and hear.

But believe it or not, that’s a big, big problem.

Because the verbal memory test is regularly used to help detect Alzheimer’s disease early.

And according to a new study out of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, lots of women can still ace it, even when they’re in the early stages of the disease.

In fact, researchers found that even when a part of the brain, called the hippocampus, had shrunk (which is a big tip-off to Alzheimer’s and dementia), women could still pass verbal memory tests with flying colors.

That means that lots of women with Alzheimer’s could go undiagnosed for years. And it also may explain something that brain researchers have been trying to figure out for decades – why women seem to deteriorate from Alzheimer’s more quickly than men.

It may be that by the time many women are diagnosed, their Alzheimer’s is already very advanced.

Alzheimer’s is just like lots of other diseases. Your best chance to slow its progression is if you catch it early.

And, as always, the mainstream doesn’t have any good answers. They’re talking about developing new tests (which could take years) or loading up more seniors on Alzheimer’s drugs that have been proven not to work.

You know, just in case.

They may be great for Big Pharma’s bottom line – but for you, not so much.

The real solution is to spot early Alzheimer’s symptoms that lots of people (men and women alike) and their doctors miss, and to take natural steps to keep the disease in check for as long as you can.

Aside from the telltale memory loss, some of the other early symptoms that some people don’t realize are a tip-off to Alzheimer’s include:

• Trouble with everyday tasks that used to be easy, like managing a budget.
• More trouble keeping track of important dates, like birthdays or when bills are due.
• Changes to your mood, like becoming more irritable or having less desire to go out and socialize.
• Vision problems, like having trouble reading or judging distances.

And, especially during the early stages of Alzheimer’s, research shows that there are some proven things you can do to prevent memory loss and maybe even reverse some of the damage.

And not one involves a dangerous pharmaceutical. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

For example:

• Research with 130 active and retired NFL players found that putting them on a program of certain “brain-healthy” supplements, such as fish oil, gingko and alpha lipoic acid, significantly improved their cognitive function.
• The supplement vinpocetine has been found to improve blood flow to the brain, and was even recommended by Hungarian researchers to treat “mild cognitive impairment.”
• Danish researchers, in a study partnering with the National Institutes of Health, found that high-quality, medium-chain fatty acids (such as in coconut oil) can slow the aging of brain cells and keep them functioning more effectively.
• A regular exercise routine can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s – and even slash your risk of developing the disease if you don’t have it.

 

Sources:

“Men may get head start on Alzheimer’s treatment, study says” Sandee LaMotte, March 16, 2016, CNN, cnn.com