When it comes to medical diagnoses, Alzheimer’s is a grim one. Those who develop the disease, which causes ever-worsening memory and behavioral problems, don’t have many treatment options.
There are a handful of drugs that can ease symptoms, but none of them slow down the disease’s progression or offer a cure. But one approach, outside the realm of drugs and medications, is quickly showing some strong potential for treatment — fasting.
Fasting and Alzheimer’s Disease
Typically touted as a weight loss method, fasting has been shown in animal studies to help improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and slow cognitive decline in mice. Research on the link between diet and brain health is now moving to humans, with some researchers hoping that fasting could one day be used to treat and prevent a debilitating disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is quite common among older adults: an estimated 5.8 million Americans live with it today. The disease manifests itself as memory loss, changes in behavior and problems in thinking. These changes are mirrored internally by the degradation of parts of the brain responsible for memory.
