Alzheimer’s

Dear Dr. Meletis,My father, who is 72, was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He is probably at about stage four or five. He has been prescribed Aricept®, and has shown some improvement. Today the doctor also prescribed Namenda®, and I am concerned about possible side effects. I would like to give him Galantamine, but I am worried about interaction with the Aricept, since cholinesterase inhibitors are specifically contraindicated. I was also interested in your thoughts about Resveratrol, Turmeric, and Green Tea Extract, as well as any other supplements that could possibly enhance cognitive function or delay progression of the disease.I am a 20-plus-years customer of your company, and I have enjoyed incredible results with supplements purchased from you. I would like to thank you for providing such excellent products, information, and service to your customers.Ms. S.

Dear Ms. S.,Thank you for the kind words about our supplements. I am in agreement that we want to avoid potential interactions with the Aricept. It might be worth visiting with your father’s doctor about DMAE. You would also want to start with very small doses since it feeds into the acetylcholine pathway as a precursor; yet I have had good clinical results with its use.I like your idea of Resveratrol, and I would say that Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) would be another consideration. Yet, I would start with either DMAE or ALC but not both at the same time. Start slowly with his doctor supervising.Additionally, it is essential that he drinks sufficient water daily, 64 ounces per day unless his doctor is restricting fluids. Also having his total and free testosterone levels measured and TSH and Free T3 would be strong considerations. Furthermore, rule out anemia, making sure his Vitamin B12 levels are sufficient and that he does not have a homocysteine level above 7.Sincerely,Chris D. Meletis, ND