From: "Claire W. Gilbert" <claire@...>
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Dudine" <ddudine@...>
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 4:20 PM
Subject: Vit. E & C reduce Alzheimer's risk


http://www.jhsph.edu/Press_Room/Press_Releases/Zandi_vitamins.html

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

January 19, 2004

Vitamin Supplement Use May Reduce Effects of Alzheimer1s Disease

Peter P. Zandi, PhD
Antioxidant vitamin supplements, particularly vitamins E and C, may protect
the aging brain against damage associated with the pathological changes of
Alzheimer1s disease, according to a study conducted by the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions. The researchers
believe antioxidant vitamin supplements may be an ideal prevention strategy
for our aging population as they are relatively nontoxic and are thought to
have wide-ranging health benefits. The study, 3Reduced Risk of Alzheimer1s
Disease in Users of Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements2 is published in the
January 2004, issue of the journal Archives of Neurology.
Peter P. Zandi, PhD, lead author of the study and an assistant professor in
the School1s Department of Mental Health, said, 3These results are extremely
exciting. Our study suggests that the regular use of vitamin E in
nutritional supplement doses, especially in combination with vitamin C, may
reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.2
The researchers examined data from the Cache County Study, which is a large,
population-based investigation of the prevalence and incidence of
Alzheimer1s disease and other dementias. Residents who were 65 or older were
assessed from 1996-1997 and again from 1998-2000. Study participants were
asked at their first contact about vitamin usage. The researchers then
compared the subsequent risk of developing Alzheimer1s disease over the
study interval among supplement users versus nonusers to come to their
conclusions.
Approximately 17 percent of the study participants reported taking vitamin E
or C supplements. These individuals were significantly more likely to be
female, younger, better educated and reported better general health when
compared to non-supplement users. In addition to those who took vitamin
supplements, another 20 percent of study participants used multivitamins,
but without a high dosage of vitamin E or C.

The researchers found a trend towards reduced Alzheimer1s disease with a
combination of vitamin E and C supplements, even after controlling for age,
sex, education and general health. However, there was no notable reduction
in the risk of Alzheimer1s disease with vitamin E or vitamin C alone or with
multivitamins. Multivitamins typically contain the recommended daily
allowance of vitamin E (22 IU or 15 mg) and vitamin C (75-90 mg), while
individual supplements contain doses up to 1,000 IU of vitamin E and
500-1,000 mg or more of vitamin C.
The researchers explained that the use of vitamins E and C may offer
protection against Alzheimer1s disease when taken together in the higher
doses available in individual supplements. In addition, there may be some
protective effect with vitamin E when it is combined with the lower doses of
vitamin C found in multivitamins.
Dr. Zandi said, 3Further study with randomized prevention trials is needed
before drawing firm conclusions about the protective effects of these
antioxidants. Such trials should consider testing a regimen of vitamin E and
C in combination. If effective, the use of these antioxidant vitamins may
offer an attractive strategy for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.2

The study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and
National Institute of Mental Health. The Bryan Alzheimer1s Disease Center at
Duke University completed the APOE genotyping.

James C. Anthony, Ara S. Khachaturian, Stephanie V. Stone, Deborah
Gustafson, JoAnn T. Tschanz, Maria C. Norton and John C. S. Breitner
co-authored the study.

Public Affairs Media Contacts for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health: Kenna Brigham or Tim Parsons at 410-955-6878 or
paffairs@....