A supplement could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to “exciting” new findings. The naturally occuring amino acid was shown to block the build-up of a harmful plaque in the brain.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, leading to problems with memory, language, and behaviour. It is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells.
One of these proteins is called amyloid, which can form as plaques around the brain cells. Now a study has shown that taking an oral supplement could reduce amyloid in the brain.
The research, published in Neurochemistry International, found that arginine can significantly reduce amyloid β (Aβ) aggregation and its toxic effects in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. Also known as l-arginine, arginine is an amino acid that helps your body produce proteins.
It is found in many foods that are high in protein such as meat, fish, nuts and seeds, and dairy. Arginine can also be taken as a supplement found in many health stores.
However, it is important to note that the doses used in the study were designed for research and do not match commercial products. One of the study’s leads, Professor Yoshitaka Nagai, said: “Our study demonstrates that arginine can suppress Aβ aggregation both in vitro and in vivo.
“What makes this finding exciting is that arginine is already known to be clinically safe and inexpensive, making it a highly promising candidate for repositioning as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s disease.”
As reported by Science Daily, in the mouse model, oral arginine lowered amyloid plaque formation and reduced insoluble Aβ42 levels in the brain. Mice receiving arginine also performed better in behavioural assessments and showed decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes linked to neuroinflammation, a key contributor to the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Prof Nagai said this could provide new potential options for the prevention of Alzheimer’s.
“Our findings open up new possibilities for developing arginine-based strategies for neurodegenerative diseases caused by protein misfolding and aggregation,” he said.
“Given its excellent safety profile and low cost, arginine could be rapidly translated to clinical trials for Alzheimer’s and potentially other related disorders.” However, the researchers noted that additional preclinical and clinical studies are essential to confirm whether these effects will translate to humans and to determine appropriate dosing strategies.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
According to the NHS, in the early stages, the main symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is memory lapses.
For example, someone with early Alzheimer’s disease may:
- Forget about recent conversations or events
- Misplace items
- Forget the names of places and objects
- Have trouble thinking of the right word
- Ask questions repetitively
- Show poor judgement or find it harder to make decisions
- Become less flexible and more hesitant to try new things
- If you think you, or someone you know is displaying symptoms, you should speak to a GP.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
