Protect eyes to prevent this devastating disease...

The health of your eyes reveals a lot about the health of your brain. [Click here](1770d7/ct0_0/1/ms?sid=TV2%3A0yHvT5kTI) to view this message in your browser | [Click here](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3A0yHvT5kTI) to stop receiving our messages [] [] Al Sears, MD 11905 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 [] August 19, 2024 [] Reader, The health of your eyes reveals a lot about the health of your brain. In fact, vision loss could be one of the first indications of Alzheimer’s disease. According to a groundbreaking study published in Scientific Reports, declining vision can predict cognitive decline more than a decade before memory tests do. Let me explain… For the study, researchers followed more than 8,600 healthy participants in England for “many” years. At the start of the study, the patients took a visual sensitivity test that involved pressing a button as soon as they saw a triangle forming in a field of moving dots on a computer screen.1 Visual sensitivity refers to an individual’s ability to detect and process visual information accurately and efficiently. In the study, 537 patients who were later diagnosed with dementia had a much harder time seeing the triangle. According to the researchers: “The toxic amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease may first affect areas of the brain associated with vision, with parts of the brain associated with memory becoming damaged as the disease progresses. “So vision tests may find deficits before memory tests do.” Up to 12 years, in fact… Other aspects of visual processing that can predict early Alzheimer’s disease include the inability to see an object’s outline… failure to tell the difference between colors, especially in the blue-green range… and a lack of eye movement control. The Scientific Reports study backed up earlier research that linked poor visual sensitivity with greater cerebral amyloid plaque and tau in patients with or at risk of Alzheimer’s.2 At the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine, I’ve been helping my patients protect their eyes and their brains with a combination of nutrients, including CoQ10. Studies show that CoQ10 protects against the formation of beta-amyloid plaque. In one study, when mice were given CoQ10 treatments it reduced oxidative stress and amyloid plaque. And, more importantly, it improved cognitive performance.3 Our primal ancestors got lots of CoQ10 from their diet because they ate plenty of organ meats. The best organ meat sources are organ meats from pasture-raised animals. But unless you’re eating organ meats every day, you’re not getting enough CoQ10 from your diet. I recommend everyone take 50 mg of CoQ10 daily. But to protect against Alzheimer’s and AMD, increase it to 100 mg a day. And be sure it’s the ubiquinol form of CoQ10, which is the most potent. Ubiquinol carries an extra electron and is 8 times more powerful than ubiquinone. And it stays in your bloodstream longer. Take These 3 Vision-Saving Nutrients To Protect Your Eyes – And Your Brain CoQ10 is one of the most important nutrients I recommend to patients. But it’s certainly not the only one to improve brain and vision function. Here are three more to try… - L-Taurine. This amino acid strengthens the cells of your retina and protects your lenses from drying out. Recent research has shown that it also acts as a neuroprotective agent against Alzheimer’s by increasing cerebral blood flow and boosting mitochondrial function.4 I recommend taking 320 mg per day. - Bilberry extract. This super berry helps treat cataracts and retina problems. During World War II, British Royal Air Force pilots ate bilberry jam before their missions to improve their night vision. But new research shows it can reverse Alzheimer's disease-induced cognitive dysfunction, decrease inflammation in the hippocampal region, and stimulate immune cells in the brain to clear out beta-amyloid protein plaques.5 To get the best results, look for an extract standardized to 25% anthocyanosides. These are bilberry’s powerful antioxidants. Get 100 mg daily. - Ginkgo biloba. This herb boosts healthy blood circulation to your eyes and reduces inflammation, the root cause of chronic disease, including Alzheimer’s. A large meta-analysis found that patients who supplemented with ginkgo during the early stages of Alzheimer’s showed improved cognitive function.6 To protect your eyes and brain, I suggest supplementing with up to 240 mg of extract daily. That’s the dosage used in the study above. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS --------------------------------------------------------------- References: - Begde A, et al. “Visual processing speed and its association with future dementia development in a population-based prospective cohort: EPIC-Norfolk.” Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 29;14(1):5016. - Risacher S, et al. “Visual contrast sensitivity is associated with the presence of cerebral amyloid and tau deposition.” Brain Commun. 2020; 2(1):fcaa019. - Dumont M, et al. “Coenzyme Q10 decreases amyloid pathology and improves behavior in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.” J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;27(1):211-223. - Aamer H, et al. “Exploring Taurine's Potential in Alzheimer’s Treatment: A Comprehensive Review.” Cureus. 2024 May; 16(5): e60997. - Li J, et al. “Bilberry anthocyanins improve neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in APP/PSEN1 mice via the CD33/TREM2/TYROBP signaling pathway in microglia.” Food Funct. 2020 Feb 26;11(2):1572-1584. - Xie L, et al. “Can We Use Ginkgo biloba Extract to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease? Lessons from Preclinical and Clinical Studies.” Cells. 2022 Feb; 11(3): 479. alsearsmd@send.alsearsmd.com [Preferences | Unsubscribe](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3A0yHvT5kTI) 11905 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, United States