Health
Can we reverse Alzheimer’s disease? Experts suggest ‘new paradigm’ for combating dementia
With more people dying from Alzheimer’s disease than ever before, experts are emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.
The number of fatalities due to the disease increased by 141% between 2000 and 2021, according to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report.
Also, the number of Americans living with the disease is on the rise as well — up to 6.9 million and counting.
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“As older adults — mostly baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 — are the fastest-growing segment of the population, and this same demographic is at the highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, it is not entirely surprising that the number of cases continues to grow,” Dr. James Galvin, chief of cognitive neurology and director of the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at The University of Miami Health System, told Fox News Digital.
The number of fatalities due to the disease increased by 141% between 2000 and 2021, according to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report. (iStock)
Another factor contributing to the uptick of cases is that the disease is getting detected earlier, he noted — “due to scientific advances in knowledge, diagnostic criteria and laboratory tests that enable health care professionals to make diagnoses with greater surety and accuracy.”
Importance of early detection
Early detection and diagnosis allows the family to plan for future care at a time when the patient is able to express their wishes and desires, Galvin noted.
Also, many of the available medications to reduce symptoms are most effective when started early in the course of the disease, he added.
Patients who are diagnosed early will also have a better chance of enrolling in clinical trials for new medications and diagnostics.
Many of the available medications to reduce symptoms are most effective when started early in the course of Alzheimer’s disease, said one expert. (iStock)
“There are newer medications that have the potential for disease modification that are approved or under consideration for approval, so patients have more treatment options,” Galvin said.
The current medications largely treat symptoms and slow progression of disease — but several trials are underway to test prevention therapies.
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“Specifically, these are monoclonal antibodies against the amyloid beta-protein, the building block of the senile plaques in the Alzheimer’s brain,” Galvin said.
“This is particularly exciting, because rather than being reactive after the disease starts, these new programs are proactive and could potentially have a much greater impact on public health.”
Can Alzheimer’s be reversed?
Dr. Heather Sandison, a leading expert in Alzheimer’s and related dementia care who is based in California, said that in some cases, the disease can be slowed or even reversed.
“The ways for individuals to potentially reverse Alzheimer’s vary, because the causes of Alzheimer’s vary from person to person,” Sandison, author of the upcoming book “Reversing Alzheimer’s: The New Toolkit to Improve Cognition and Protect Brain Health,” told Fox News Digital.
Early detection and diagnosis allows the family to plan for future care at a time when the patient is able to express their wishes and desires, a doctor noted. (iStock)
“Instead of thinking of one way or one of two ways, I propose an entirely new paradigm of thinking about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease — identifying them for the individual and creating a targeted, precise approach to treatment.”
One person, for example, may have Alzheimer’s that is associated with genetic predisposition, high blood sugar and a history of strokes, she noted.
“The choices you make each day about what you put in your mouth, how much you move and what time you get to bed have the biggest impact on your long-term brain health.”
Another individual may have Alzheimer’s caused by the inhalation of toxins from environmental pollution, obstructive sleep apnea reducing the oxygen supply, and a history of traumatic brain injuries.
Someone else may have all of these factors.
“We would treat these individuals differently,” Sandison said.
“The way for an individual to potentially reverse Alzheimer’s varies, because the causes of Alzheimer’s vary from person to person,” an expert said. (iStock)
Regardless of risk factors, Sandison said the best ways to prevent Alzheimer’s are to eat a diet high in vegetables, good fats and proteins, while also getting regular vigorous exercise, quality sleep and daily stress management practices.
“The choices you make each day about what you put in your mouth, how much you move and what time you get to bed have the biggest impact on your long-term brain health,” she said.
Like any complex system, the brain and body require a “homeodynamic balance” to function well, according to Sandison.
“Imbalance — too much, too little, in the wrong place, at the wrong time — will create dysfunction and, in the case of the body and brain, disease,” she warned.
“The primary causes of imbalance in the brain include toxins, nutrients, stressors, structure, infections and signaling.”
The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease has risen to 6.9 million. Like any complex system, the brain and body require a “homeodynamic balance” to function well, said one expert. (iStock)
With her reversal techniques, Sandison said she sees the best results with patients who are younger than 75, have MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) scores of 18 and above, and have a supportive network of loved ones around them, “so they can dive fully into the lifestyle changes.”
She added, “That being said, we have seen miraculous results with patients in their 80s with single-digit MoCA scores.”
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“You don’t have to be perfect, but in order to get results, you need to be willing and able to make some changes,” Sandison continued.
“If you have that, there is room for hope, no matter how much the disease has progressed.”
To her patients, Sandison recommends combining lifestyle recommendations with conventional medicine.
“Diet, lifestyle and functional medicine approaches are best used collaboratively with a primary care provider and neurologist on your team,” she said.
“I am hopeful that in the future, we will use the plaque-busting drugs to reduce structural changes in the brain … in combination with the multi-pronged approach to reversing Alzheimer’s.”
‘Connection over correction’
Sandison coined the “connection over correction” approach as a way of helping caregivers deal with what can often feel like an “overwhelming burden.”
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“There are complex emotions — ranging from joy and gratitude for the precious time with a loved one to grief and despair as you lose them slowly,” she said.
“The physical, financial and emotional toll adds up.”
Regardless of what risk factors someone has, experts recommend eating a diet high in vegetables, good fats and proteins combined with regular vigorous exercise to help reduce dementia risk. (iStock)
One way to reduce the burden is to accept that your loved one has changed and stop correcting them, according to Sandison.
“Focus your energy on connecting with them in a way that honors their current capacity,” she advised.
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“If they make a mistake with a word or repeat a question or miss an appointment … make accommodations and focus on the positive aspects of the day, not dwelling on or emphasizing the mistake.”
The “connection over correction” approach is a way of helping caregivers deal with what can often feel like an “overwhelming burden,” an expert said. (iStock)
Having compassion for loved ones with dementia and understanding they have a disease they cannot control can help to reframe these frustrating situations, she said.
“We all function best when we are experiencing connections with others and when we can avoid the unnecessary stress of feeling we are wrong or as if we have displeased someone,” Sandison added.
The biggest myth surrounding brain health, she said, is that nothing can be done to prevent or reverse dementia or Alzheimer’s.
“That just isn’t true,” she said. “It’s almost overwhelming how much you can do to optimize cognitive function at any stage of life.”
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A popular class of weight-loss drugs may prevent life-threatening cardiac complications by opening microscopic blood vessels that often remain blocked after a heart attack, according to a study published this week in Nature Communications.
The research, led by the University of Bristol and University College London, identified a biological brain-gut-heart signaling pathway.
This discovery appears to explain how GLP-1 drugs — which mimic glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite — protect heart tissue from a condition known as “no-reflow.”
“In nearly half of all heart attack patients, tiny blood vessels within the heart muscle remain narrowed, even after the main artery is cleared during emergency medical treatment,” Dr. Svetlana Mastitskaya, the study’s lead author and a senior lecturer at Bristol Medical School, said in a press release.
“This results in a complication known as ‘no-reflow,’ where blood is unable to reach certain parts of the heart tissue.”
In nearly half of all heart attack patients, tiny capillaries (blood vessels) remain narrowed even after the main blocked artery is cleared. (iStock)
This lack of blood flow increases the risk of heart failure and death within a year. GLP-1 medications could prevent this, according to the researchers.
How it works
When the GLP-1 hormone is released in the gut or administered as a drug, it sends a signal to the brain, which then sends a signal to the heart that switches on special potassium channels in tiny cells called pericytes.
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When these channels open, the pericytes relax, which allows the small blood vessels (capillaries) to widen and improve blood flow to the heart muscle, the researchers noted.
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The new study used animal models and cellular imaging to track how GLP-1 interacts with heart tissue. When the researchers removed the potassium channels, the drugs no longer protected the heart — confirming they play a key role.
The findings suggest that existing GLP-1 medications, already used for type 2 diabetes and obesity, could be repurposed as emergency treatments. (iStock)
The findings suggest that existing GLP-1 medications, already used for type 2 diabetes and obesity, could be repurposed as emergency treatments during or immediately after a heart attack to reduce tissue damage.
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The researchers noted several limitations, including that the study relied on animal models.
Clinical trials are necessary to determine whether the brain-gut-heart pathway operates with the same timing and efficacy in humans.
While the study highlights the drug’s immediate benefits during a heart attack, it des not establish whether long-term use of these drugs provides a pre-existing level of protection. (iStock)
Additionally, while the study highlights the drug’s immediate benefits during a heart attack, it does not establish whether long-term use of the medication provides a pre-existing level of protection.
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The research was primarily funded by the British Heart Foundation.
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Collagen supplements have exploded in popularity, touted as everything from an anti-aging miracle to a muscle recovery booster.
But a sweeping new review conducted by U.K. researchers suggests that while collagen may help improve skin elasticity and ease arthritis pain, it does little for athletic performance or wrinkle reduction.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University analyzed 16 systematic reviews and 113 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 8,000 participants worldwide, which they say is the most extensive evaluation of collagen’s health effects to date.
The review found consistent evidence that collagen supplementation improves skin elasticity and hydration over time and provides significant relief from osteoarthritis-related joint pain and stiffness, according to findings published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum.
A large U.K. review found that collagen supplements may improve skin elasticity and hydration over time. (iStock)
The researchers, however, did not find meaningful improvements in post-exercise muscle recovery, soreness or tendon mechanical properties (strength, springiness and stretch resistance).
“Collagen is not a cure-all, but it does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis,” co-author Lee Smith, professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University, said in a statement.
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“Our findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy aging, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use,” Smith added.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, supports skin, bones, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue, according to experts. Natural collagen production begins to drop in early adulthood and declines more sharply with age.
The study found that collagen supplements may help reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis. (iStock)
The review found that long-term collagen supplementation was linked to improved skin firmness and hydration, but did not help skin roughness — a proxy for visible wrinkles.
Benefits appear to accumulate gradually, suggesting that collagen should not be viewed as an “anti-wrinkle ‘quick fix,’ but as a foundational dermal support for individuals seeking holistic skin maintenance,” the researchers said.
“If we define anti-aging as a product or technique designed to prevent the appearance of getting older, then I believe our findings do support this claim for some parameters,” Smith told the BBC. “For example, an improvement in skin tone and moisture is associated with a more youthful-looking appearance.”
Collagen supplementation was linked to reduced pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis, with stronger benefits seen over longer periods of use, and showed modest improvements in muscle mass and tendon structure that may support healthy aging.
Collagen did not significantly improve skin roughness, a marker of visible wrinkles. (iStock)
However, it did not show meaningful results when used as a fast-acting sports performance supplement, and evidence for benefits related to cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and oral health was mixed or inconclusive.
Dr. Daniel Ghiyam, a California-based physician and longevity specialist, said the findings align with what he sees in clinical practice.
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“Collagen is a targeted support tool, not a foundation of health or performance,” Ghiyam, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “When marketed that way, it makes sense. When marketed as a cure-all, it doesn’t hold up to the data.”
The authors noted that while many previous collagen studies have received financial support from the supplement industry, the current review did not receive industry funding.
Experts say collagen supplements may offer modest benefits for skin hydration and joint comfort, but they are not a cure-all. (iStock)
The team called for more high-quality clinical trials examining long-term outcomes, optimal dosages and differences between collagen sources, such as marine, bovine and plant-based alternatives.
Among its limitations, the review could not determine whether certain forms of collagen work better than others or what the optimal regimen should be.
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While the review included randomized controlled trials, the quality of the studies varied, with newer research generally showing stronger results.
Experts say more data and studies are needed to build on the findings. They also noted that diet plays a crucial role in skin health.
Collagen supplements, often sold as powders or pills, may improve skin elasticity and ease joint pain, experts say. (iStock)
Dr. Erum Ilyas, a Pennsylvania-based dermatologist and chair of dermatology at Drexel University College of Medicine, noted that the review analyzed previously published meta-analyses rather than generating new primary data.
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“At this time, I have not seen sufficiently strong independent evidence to routinely recommend collagen supplements to my patients,” Ilyas, who was not involved in the review, told Fox News Digital.
“Although some studies show modest improvements in markers such as hydration and elasticity, there remains limited independent, biopsy-confirmed evidence demonstrating sustained increases in dermal collagen content,” she added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for comment.
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