| What if there was a cure for Alzheimer's Disease | | | | disturbances resolved, his gait normalized and he |
| and no one knew? This question is the title of a | | | | was able to run again; conversation skills improved |
| truly amazing case study demonstrating that the | | | | and he was able to recognize family members |
| medium chain fats found in coconut oil can | | | | that he couldn't a year earlier. |
| positively affect brains cells to both prevent and | | | | Between four and 10 months after treatment |
| treat the damage caused by Alzheimer's Disease. | | | | began, conversation skills continued to improve, |
| Why isn't this common knowledge in a world | | | | reading comprehension and short term memory |
| where an estimated 26.6 million people have | | | | improved, and Steve is able to be involved in |
| Alzheimer's—a number predicted to quadruple | | | | meaningful work such as home chores and |
| by 2050? | | | | volunteering outside of the home. Steve's |
| The scientific articles presenting such evidence are | | | | depression also lifted and he says, "I have my life |
| not found in journals that the average physician | | | | back." |
| would read, much less us, the lay public. Luckily | | | | How is this type of healing possible with just |
| for us, however, Dr. Mary Newport, researcher | | | | coconut oil? The little known research mentioned |
| and author of the Alzheimer's case study, is not | | | | earlier is about ketones as medicine and was done |
| your average physician. The Alzheimer's patient | | | | by Dr. Richard L. Veech of the National Institutes |
| she is most concerned about is her husband, | | | | of Health, and others. MCT oil is digested |
| Steve. | | | | differently than other fats. Instead of storing |
| "Many days, often for several days in a row, he | | | | MCTs as fat, the liver converts them directly to |
| was in a fog; couldn't find a spoon or remember | | | | ketone bodies. |
| how to get water out of the refrigerator," says | | | | "Brain cells, specifically neurons, are very limited, |
| Dr. Newport of her husband, a former accountant. | | | | more limited than other cells, in what kinds of fuel |
| Drugs slowed the decline somewhat, but many | | | | they can use to function and to stay alive. |
| devastating changes surfaced. Newport says she | | | | Normally, they require glucose (sugar), but they |
| felt helpless as she watched his decline—a | | | | can also use ketone bodies," Dr. Newport explains. |
| decline so significant that he did not qualify for the | | | | We know from earlier research that in Alzheimer's |
| many drug trials she researched. While | | | | Disease neurons in certain areas of the brain are |
| researching, however, Dr. Newport came across a | | | | unable to take in glucose. "If these cells had |
| very interesting completed pilot study that | | | | access to ketone bodies, they could potentially |
| showed remarkable results for the treatment of | | | | stay alive and continue to function," Dr. Newport |
| Alzheimer's even after the first dose. She | | | | suggests. In short, coconut oil gives the brain |
| obtained the patent application for this treatment | | | | what it needs to be healthy. |
| and learned that the promising ingredient was | | | | Additional research is pointing to the importance |
| medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. Dr. Newport's | | | | of MCTs. An animal study published in the journal |
| sharp eye and relentless hunting through the | | | | Brain Research (August 2008) concluded that |
| 75-page long document found the author's | | | | adding MCTs to the diet increase cellular activity in |
| one-time mention that MCT oil is derived from | | | | the parietal lobe, a part of the brain that is |
| coconut oil. | | | | severely impact by Alzheimer's Disease. A |
| | | | University of Toronto study (Neurochemical |
| After two months of treatment with coconut oil, | | | | Research, September 2009) found that adding |
| Dr. Newport says, "Steve walks into the kitchen | | | | MCTs to the diet of dogs with age-related |
| every morning alert and happy, talkative and | | | | cognitive decline also increased the levels of |
| making jokes." His tremor is no longer very | | | | beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in the parietal lobe. |
| noticeable, he is able to concentrate on things that | | | | "Steve is a very different person than he was a |
| he wants to do and stay on task, whereas | | | | year ago," Dr. Newport says. "I plan to tell |
| before coconut oil he was easily distracted and | | | | everyone I can and get this information to |
| rarely accomplished anything unless directly | | | | persons in positions to investigate this with the |
| supervised. | | | | hope that Dr. Veech and other MCT oil and |
| Between two and four months after Steve | | | | ketone body researchers get the funding they |
| started taking the coconut oil his visual | | | | need. |