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Archive for Alzheimer’s Disease

Can L-arginine and Nitric Oxide Help With Alzheimer’s Disease?

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 05/08/2021
Can L-arginine and Nitric Oxide Help With Alzheimer's Disease

In today’s article I want to examine L-arginine, nitric oxide and Alzheimer’s Disease. Currently, there are approximately 6 million people in the United States with this disease.

This age-related neurodegenerative disease is characterized by memory impairment and cognitive issues that become more severe as time passes. Which causes increasing stress and health related challenges for both the patient and their family members.

And while there is currently no effective strategy to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, every study that I know of that improves blood flow to the brain improves cognitive function.

Maybe a better understanding of L-arginine and nitric oxide can help provide a way to lessen the impact of this disease.

(If you would prefer to view this information in a video format, then please click on my YouTube video below:)

L-arginine in a semi-essential amino acid. What this means is that your body can create this amino acid but not in sufficient quantities to fuel all the metabolic pathways that it’s needed for.

Because of this you need to consume additional food sources or nutritional supplements for this critically important amino acid.

L-arginine fuels 7 different metabolic pathways, but the two most critical ones are: Read More →

Sage Extract For Improved Cognitive Function

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 05/22/2020
Sage Extract For Improved Cognitive Function

It’s a long title but this article is going to discuss using sage extract for improved cognitive function. Especially for short-term memory.

As we age one of our concerns is cognitive function. Especially the ability to remember. Not just past events. But recent activities. What would be called “short-term memory.”

There are many factors that can contribute to this decline.

One is poor circulation, which robs the brain of the needed oxygen and blood glucose to operate at peak efficiency.

But another factor are chemical compounds called neurotransmitters. These compounds are used to help your brain cells communicate with each other.

Acetylcholine is a key neurotransmitter. It is critical for memory, attention, and reasoning.

As we age acetylcholine declines. This decline plays a major role in poor memory and your inability to pay attention to tasks.

The pharmaceutical industry has created a drug that boosts your level of acetylcholine by inhibiting an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme degrades your brains level of acetylcholine, which then effects your memory.

Sage extract can inhibit this same enzyme resulting in an increase in acetylcholine levels.

In a 2018 clinical study that used a standardized sage extract, the participants, when compared to the placebo group, had:

  • Nearly a 60% increase in memory performance.

  • An approximate 2.5 fold improvement in attention.

And the improvements were within hours of taking this sage extract.

This interest in a natural way to address cognitive function as spawned additional studies for both younger adults and those with Alzheimer’s disease.

For younger people, the sage extract showed the following improvements within hours: Read More →

Taurine and Brain Health

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 05/01/2019
Taurine and Brain Health

Recently I stumbled across an article that talked about taurine and brain health, especially as it applies to protecting brain cells from further destruction after a stroke.

As many film buffs know, two famous people in the movie industry recently died from a stroke. One was the actor Luke Perry. The other is the director John Singleton. Luke Perry was 52. John Singleton was 51.

Could they have benefited from taurine?

I don’t know.

But I recently did an article on taurine and its ability to eliminate certain types of heart arrhythmia. So it’s worth looking at the research on taurine and brain health to see if this conditional amino acid can be helpful in age-related cognitive concerns.

Taurine and Brain Health – The Basics

Taurine is an amino acid. Your body needs 20 different amino acids to maintain optimal health. And while all 20 are important, only nine of them are classified as essential. They are:

Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, and Valine.

These are classified as essential because your body can’t make them. They must come from your diet.

Taurine is not an essential amino acid because your body can make its own. But only in small amounts.

If your diet is rich in meat, fish, and dairy, then you most likely get enough of this amino acid to meet normal needs. However, as we age our taurine levels decline, especially its concentration in the brain.

Taurine helps your mitochondria, the “power plants” of every cell, function optimally in their production of cellular energy. It’s most abundant in your muscles, heart, eyes, and brain. Which would make sense since these organs need a great deal of energy to function properly.

Taurine and Brain Health – The Specifics

Taurine is a key amino acid in helping to protect, maintain, and optimize brain health. Let me first give you an overview and then we’ll specifically highlight 3 key elements of taurine and brain health:

Taurine helps to stimulate new brain cell growth.

Taurine helps to protect against a condition called excitotoxicity, which is harmful overactivity in the brain.

Taurine minimizes brain damage caused by head injuries and strokes.

Taurine protects your brain cells against environmental toxins like lead and organic pesticides.

Taurine helps maintain normal mitochondrial function within the brain to help sustain energy levels.

Taurine synergistically works with other neurotransmitters to help form memories and aid in retaining information.

Taurine helps to reduce brain inflammation especially in key brain health concerns like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Taurine helps to protect against damage caused by beta amyloid protein, which is a major contributing factor in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

That’s an impressive list of health benefits to the brain. And I would like to focus on three key items from the above list.

Taurine and Brain Health – Neurogenesis

For a long time it was assumed that once a person was fully grown they stopped producing new brain cells. That is no longer true.

Recent research shows that adults at any age have the capacity to create new brain cells. This process is called neurogenesis. And it’s a key element in preserving a healthy brain as you age.

Multiple animal and cellular studies on the use of taurine have demonstrated how this amino acid helps to activate brain stem cells, stimulate new brain cell production, and then is key in supporting their survival.

Taurine and Brain Health – Alzheimer’s Disease

One of the major contributing factors to Alzheimer’s disease is the toxic effects of beta-amyloid formation and the resulting inflammation associated with it.

In a resent study published in Neuropharmacology, taurine was shown to protect rat brain cells from the toxicity associated with beta-amyloid production. It seems that taurine can directly bind to the beta-amyloid protein to reduce its impact on cognitive function.

Additionally, taurine helped to protect brain function, reduce brain inflammation, protect against oxidative stress, and boost neurotransmission all leading to improved cognitive function.

Taurine and Brain Health – Diminishing Stroke Impact

Every year more that 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. For those that do not die, the vast majority of them live the rest of their lives disabled, which impacts them and their loved ones.

Most of these strokes are due to an ischemic stroke were blood flow is reduced or blocked to a part of the brain because of a blood clot.

In animal models of ischemic stroke conditions, supplementing with taurine deceased the volume of brain damage by about 55% compared to animals that didn’t receive treatment.

Taurine’s ability to reduce oxidative stress and improve energy production were helpful in reducing the damage. As well as aiding in the healing process.

And the use of taurine also reduced brain swelling.

As I shared earlier you can get the amino acid taurine from your diet. However, if you’re like most Americans your diet is heavy in carbohydrate intake and low in protein consumption.

This means that supplementation can be a good option for increasing your intake of this amino acid. It is low cost and most good capsule formations will have 1,000 mg per serving.

One note of caution. Taurine is usually added to most energy drinks. I would highly recommend that you not use energy drinks to get your daily intake of taurine because the anhydrous caffeine and sugar used in these drinks create more health problems than benefits.

For additional information on taurine and brain health, please click here.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 04/22/2019
Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Today we’re going to focus on the health benefits of olive oil. Specifically extra virgin olive oil. Not only is it a key component of the Mediterranean diet, it’s also recognized as a Biblical food. Here’s the Scriptural reference.

“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey.” Deuteronomy 8:7-8

Now what is key to our discussion on the health benefits of olive oil is that the version you want to consume is unrefined extra virgin olive oil. Back in Old Testament times of the Bible they did not have today’s manufacturing processes that can alter the olive oil by stripping it of the key nutrients you need.

These key nutrients are called polypenols. Here are the 3 key ones that researchers have identified in having the greatest health benefits:

  • Oleuropein
  • Tyrosol
  • Hydroxytyrosol

And new research in this area is showing that the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol makes up about 50% of the total polyphenol content of extra virgin olive oil.

In this article we’re going to focus on three main areas:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Bone Health

Health Benefits of Olive Oil – Cardiovascular Health

The number one killer of men and women worldwide is still heart disease. Anything that you can do to improve your cardiovascular health helps to lower your risk for heart disease.

In 2017 the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study to focused on the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol found in extra virgin olive oil.

There were 1851 participants. Both men and women. And the average age was 67. Additionally, they had to have had either type II diabetes or at least three or more cardiovascular risk factors like:

Smoking

Hypertension

Dyslipidemia

Overweight/Obesity

Family History of Premature Cardiovascular Disease

These participants were put into one of three groups:

  • Group 1 – Consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil
  • Group 2 – Consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts
  • Group 3 – Consumed a low-fat diet and acted as the control group

The group that had the best outcome, as it relates to lowering the risk for cardiovascular disease, was Group 1 who consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil. Here were their results:

56% Reduced Risk of a cardiovascular event, which included heart attack, stroke, or death from a cardiovascular cause.

On average, 9.5 years longer life after the age of 65!

Now some would say that their diet made the difference. And I’m sure the Mediterranean diet was helpful. But the difference between adding nuts versus adding extra virgin olive oil was overwhelming:

56% Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Event and 9.5 Years Longer Life Span!

Now let’s look at the health benefits of olive oil as it applies to cognitive function.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil – Alzheimer’s Disease

The main cognitive health concern that gets most of the attention is Alzheimer’s Disease. Researchers have identified three main biomarkers associated with this disease. They are:

  • Beta-amyloid, which contribute to myloid plaque that interferes with cognitive function.
  • Tau Proteins, which also contributes to myloid plaque formation that interfere with cognitive function.
  • Synaptophysin, which is a protein marker for synaptic integrity helping to maintain cognitive function.

A Temple University study on mice, that were bred to be genetically prone to neurodegenerative changes similar to Alzheimer’s disease, show the potential for extra virgin olive oil to help protect brain health.

One group of mice were fed a standard diet. The other group were fed a standard diet plus extra virgin olive oil. After six months on their respective diets the following results were found:

The mice that consumed the extra virgin olive oil had a significant decrease in the destructive biomarkers of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. These same mice also had a significant increase in the beneficial biomarker called synaptophysin.

Not only did the extra virgin olive oil help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease issues, but it helped to initiate the brain cell’s ability to clear itself of cellular debris, which can interfere with normal brain function.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil – Bone Health

Hip fracture, especially in older adults, can be a significant health concern. In meta-analysis of several studies using just the Mediterranean diet, there was a 21% reduced risk of hip fractures.

This lead to a new study that tested the use of the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil. The researchers wanted to see if olive oil would be even more effective in bone health. The results of this study showed an additional 51% lower risk of hip fracture.

Now here is the key to enjoying the health benefits of olive oil as it applies to cardiovascular health, Alzheimer’s disease, and bone health:

It Must Be Unrefined Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

Unfortunately, here in the United States it’s estimated that 80% of the extra virgin olive oil sold does not meet the legal standards to be called “extra virgin.”

This means you need to be proactive in making sure that the product you use is not mass produced and refined or altered with other pro-inflammatory oils like corn, safflower, and sunflower.

It might cost you more to buy, but the health benefits are worth the investment.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Can Probiotics Boost Cognitive Function?

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 01/22/2019
Probiotics Boost Cognitive Function

We have an interesting question for today’s blog post: Can Probiotics Boost Cognitive Function

Maybe you’re not familiar with the term probiotics.

Very simply probiotics are good bacteria that help you recolonize your gut flora with the types of bacteria that promote good health.

You can obtain them from supplements, food, or both.

And there is plenty of good research that shows how probiotics aid in digestion as well as help in easing gas and bloating.

Now current research out of UCLA and other scientific organizations are showing a clear link on how probiotics boost cognitive function.

Here are several examples.

Probiotics Boost Cognitive Function – Studies

Scientists at UCLA designed a study to determine if probiotics boost cognitive function. They split their group of participants into two categories. One group consumed a placebo. The other group consumed a probiotic mixture. Both groups were subject to the same brain scans.

Both groups watched a series of pictures designed to stimulate an emotional response.

The brain scans of the placebo group showed activity in the emotional and sensory areas of the brain.

The brain scans of the probiotic group showed activity in the emotional and sensory areas of the brain. But they also showed brain activity in the pre-frontal cortex that helps to facilitate higher thinking and executive function.

Executive function is a term used to describe reasoning, thinking, judgment, and self-control. When this part of your brain (pre-frontal cortex) is engaged it helps you stay calm, be less anxious, and have improved clarity of thought.

In another study, researchers looked at the effects of probiotics on the cognitive functioning of elderly men with advanced stages of memory loss. There were 60 participants and they were split into a placebo group and a group that got a probiotic combination that contained L. acidophilus and B. bifium.

The group that consumed the probiotic combination showed significant improvements in memory testing.

Probiotics Boost Cognitive Function – Antibiotics

The use of antibiotics is wide spread. And as scientists explore the microbiome it has become apparent that antibiotics negatively effect your gut flora.

As most of us know, antibiotics help to destroy bad bacteria and fight infection. But antibiotics also kill the good bacteria. This has consequences to your overall health.

In studies on mice, antibiotics were used to remove good bacteria. This wiped out the good probiotics that help colonize their gut microbiome. Almost immediately the mice showed signs of memory loss. And their brain cell growth stopped.

When these mice were given a diet that included probiotics their brain cells started to grow and their memory and recall also improved.

These types of studies have shown a clear connection between gut health and cognitive function. Using probiotics to improve the good bacteria of the gut microbiome helps to improve memory and clear thinking.

Probiotics Boost Cognitive Function – Harvard Medical School

The Harvard Medical School also noted how probiotics boost cognitive health. In their article titled “Probiotics may help boost mood and cognitive function” they make the following statement:

“Research shows that the gut and brain are connected, a partnership called the gut-brain axis. The two are linked through biochemical signaling between the nervous system in the digestive tract, called the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system, which includes the brain. The primary information connection between the brain and gut is the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body.

The gut has been called a ‘second brain’ because it produces many of the same neurotransmitters as the brain does, like serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, all of which play a key role in regulating mood. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of serotonin is made in the digestive tract.”

They go on to point out several research studies that showed how the use of probiotic foods improved cognitive function in both Alzheimer’s patients and in women.

As you research this area you will find numerous studies that demonstrate how probiotics can not only improve cognitive function, but also help to balance hormones, boost your immune system, and reduce inflammation.

This makes the consumption of probotic foods like yogurt and sauerkraut more attractive. Or using a good probiotic supplement to help reset your gut health while boosting your cognitive function.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Damaging Effects of Sugar

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 12/01/2018

This blog post is all about the damaging effects of sugar. Most people acknowledge that too much sugar is bad for Damaging Effects of Sugaryou. Unfortunately most people don’t understand the following:

How much sugar they consume each day!

How the damaging effects of sugar are slowly and consistently compromising their health!

Let’s look at the first question to help you understand how much sugar you consume each day.

When I tell people that the average American is consuming a 4 pound bag of sugar every 2 to 3 weeks, the reaction I get is:

“No Way!”

Well, I produced a video 7 years ago titled “A Simple Dietary Change” that helps you understand how much sugar you consume each day. The information that I shared back then is still true today.

At minimum, watch the first 5 minutes to see how 4 foods items, that many people consume each day, are causing them to consume a 4 pound bag of sugar every 2 to 3 weeks. Read More →

Two Promising Approaches to Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 05/08/2018

Resent medical news shows that there are two promising approaches to Alzheimer’s disease. One is natural and one is chemical. And both show significant developments to warrant further study.

Now before we study how these two promising approaches to Alzheimer’s disease can significant impact cognitive function let’s first try to understand the issue.

Below you will see two images of modern day freeways to help you better understand what’s going on in a normal brain and a brain that is developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer's disease

The left picture would be like a normal brain where our brain cells use a “transport system” made of fairly straight and parallel “roads” to help move food molecules, nutrients, and metabolic waste into and out of the brain to help it function properly.

And to maintain this “transport system” a healthy brain will use a protein called “tau” to keep these “roads” straight and parallel.

However, in people with Alzheimer’s disease, the protein tau increases to abnormal levels forming harmful structures called tangles. Read More →

Nitric Oxide Therapy Videos

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 01/22/2018

To help you understand the power of nitric oxide therapy I’ve updated my nitric oxide therapy videos on Nitric Oxide Therapy VideosYouTube. These videos focus on the Master Signaling Molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

What the medical community has labeled “The Miracle Molecule” because of how it can naturally improve your cardiovascular health to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Below you will find the following nitric oxide therapy videos and how this miracle molecule naturally addresses:

  • High Blood Pressure

  • Diabetic Complications

  • Cognitive Function

  • Sexual Function

  • Wound Healing

  • Cardiovascular Health for Black Americans

  • Athletic Performance

If you find these videos helpful, then please share them with others.

Nitric Oxide Therapy Videos

Read More →

Resetting Your Gut Microbiome With Protein Foods

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 06/22/2017

Choosing the right type of protein foods can play a major role in helping reset your gut microbiome for Protein Foodsimproved health and wellness. And here’s why.

When you properly select your protein source you can effectively address the 3 E’s to gut health. These 3 E’s are:

Eliminate Dysbiosis

Eliminate Inflammation

Eliminate Leaky Gut

And if your diet is lacking in protein, not only will you experience abdominal distress but you could also experience the following symptoms: Read More →

New Alzheimer’s Treatment Program Shows Promise

Posted by Dan Hammer //
 01/15/2017

Our friends in Australia have released information on a new Alzheimer’s treatment program that showsAlzheimer's Treatment promise. At least in mice. I’ll share the information below but before I do it reminds me of this section from a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1785. Here it it:

But little Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!

There have been many attempts to help solve the grief and pain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s hoping that this new Alzheimer’s treatment does not go askew but actually delivers a real hope to untangle the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s the article that caught my attention.

New Alzheimer’s treatment fully restores memory function

Read More →

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