Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects close to 50 million people worldwide and at this time, has limited effective treatment options. In fact, 99 percent of new Alzheimer’s drugs have failed to reach the market. The 1 percent of drugs that do make the market offer marginal improvements in symptoms but have no significant impact on the disease course. The multifaceted, biological complexity of Alzheimer’s disease will continue to challenge drug developers in the coming years and decades.
Beta-amyloid, a key pathological feature of Alzheimer’s, has been the molecular target of choice for drug developers during the past decades and has yielded less than favorable results. Researchers are now developing a more comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology and the active role that lifestyle factors play into this condition. This evolution has prompted emerging emphasis on Alzheimer’s prevention.
Dr. Richard Isaacson in many ways has pioneered this preventative approach to Alzheimer’s. A Neurologist that heads the Weill Cornell Medicine Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic has demonstrated that a risk management model may be the answer to at least delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s in at risk individuals. One of the targeted interventions outside of sleep, nutrition, and the correction of metabolic metrics is the novel application of curcumin in individuals with early signs of Alzheimer’s (MCI) or with a genetic predisposition.
Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from Turmeric, has demonstrated clinical efficacy in multiple conditions. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial capacity of Curcumin largely constitutes its therapeutic application in select inflammatory disorders. However, recent research has shown that a highly bioavailable form of curcumin called Theracurmin may exert neuroprotective effects and offer a viable option for Alzheimer’s prophylaxis.
A 2017 Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled study demonstrated that the targeted use of Theracurmin at a therapeutic dosage improves memory and decreases amyloid and tau binding in key areas of the brain. These findings lead researchers to conclude that Theracurmin may have a potential for not only improving age-related memory decline but also preventing or possibly staving off the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
A more recent retrospective study, conducted in 2021, found that Theracurmin offered clinically significant outcomes for elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The nanoparticle compound mediated these positive effects by the stabilization of the disease course and preventing progressive loss of cognitive function and activities of daily living.
Alzheimer’s disease has a substantial impact on those who are both directly and indirectly affected by this devastating condition and Theracurmin has emerged as a cost-effective, legitimate therapeutic option.
Dr. Tanner Wilson, DC, IFMCP is an Evidence-Based Functional Medicine Provider that specializes in the treatment of chronic disease conditions in Kansas.
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