Nutrient Found in Meat Could Treat Alzheimer's Disease: Journal 'Current Developments in Nutrition'
Creatine supplementation linked to improvement in brain function as well as Alzheimer's Disease biomarkers and cognition.
A November study published in Current Developments in Nutrition found a link between creatine supplementation and improvement in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
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Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that helps supply energy to cells, particularly muscle cells, by increasing the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy carrier in cells.
Besides creatine supplementation, the consumption of animal skeletal muscle (meat products) is the primary human dietary source of creatine, especially beef.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes, impairing daily functioning, and primarily affecting brain regions associated with cognition and language.
AD affects approximately 6.5 million older adults in the United States alone.
“The brain creatine (Cr) system plays a crucial role in maintaining bioenergetic flux and is disrupted in AD,” the study authors explain. “Recent studies using AD mouse models have shown that supplementing with Cr improves brain bioenergetics, as well as AD biomarkers and cognition.”
The new study set out to investigate the benefits of Cr supplementation in humans.
Although no trials have specifically examined Cr effects on AD patients, the study authors pointed to indications that it could improve certain brain dysfunctions associated with the disease.
They cited two studies conducted on rodent models of AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to support this notion:
Snow et al. demonstrated that Cr supplementation improved various AD-related measures in mice.
Mao et al. found similar positive effects in a rat model.
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“Evidence from these 2 studies in AD and MCI rodent models suggests CrM (creatine monohydrate) supplementation is potentially beneficial for cognition, bioenergetics, and AD-related biomarkers,” the new study reads.
The cause of AD remains unclear, with various theories proposed, including the involvement of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation.
Creatine monohydrate supplementation is suggested to impact these processes, potentially benefiting individuals with AD.
Studies indicate that Cr may improve mitochondrial function and glucose uptake in the brain, counteract oxidative stress, and modulate inflammation.
Additionally, Cr might influence the accumulation and processing of key proteins involved in AD pathology, such as Aβ and tau.
Furthermore, Cr supplementation could have peripheral benefits, including promoting muscle strength and function, which may indirectly benefit individuals with AD.
“Taken together, it is reasonable to hypothesize that Cr supplementation may offer benefits to humans in prevention as well as the early stages of AD through both brain bioenergetic and peripheral mechanisms,” the authors write.
They stress it is “imperative to identify effective, early treatments for AD,” that Cr “is an important bioenergetic molecule,” and that the Cr system “is shown to be dysfunctional in the brain of individuals with AD.”
“Therefore, Cr may serve as a potential target for prevention and therapy and CrM supplementation may be beneficial in AD,” the study authors conclude.
They emphasize the need for further human studies:
“To date, only rodent studies have investigated the use of CrM as a treatment for AD. Thus, clinical trials investigating the effects of CrM on cognition and CrM’s mechanisms in humans with AD as well as its potential as a strategy to prevent cognitive decline in those with normal cognition, are needed. There is much to be learned about CrM intervention and brain health in different life and disease phases.”
The authors’ affiliations include:
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Kansas, Fairway, KS, United States
Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
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A study published in December confirmed a nutrient found in beef and dairy foods improves immune response to cancer.
Another study published in August revealed that meat-free diets in schoolchildren are linked to higher rates of obesity.
Retired neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock offers another away to improve cognition in victims of Alzheimer’s. He states that Alzheimer victims have very little magnesium in their brain, and the quickest way to increase the level of magnesium in the brain is the supplement magnesium L-threonate.