Real Hope or Snake Oil?

DJnAZ

An online article titled "Is This The End of Alzheimer's?" caught my attention this morning. 

Do I wish it was real? Absolutely! Do I suspect they may be selling a lot of sizzle rather than the steak? Maybe. But it is worth taking a look at for those of us caring for loved ones with the hideous disease. While this particular information may be false hope, it is about time all of the years of research work and money invested find ways help or cure this disease.

Link to the article: 

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/bredesen-alzheimers-research/

Paris20

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/05/417431/pricey-protocol-not-proven-prevent-or-reverse-alzheimers-says-ucsf-neurologist

https://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/alzheimers-cure-prevention-false-claims/

Jo C.

I was just about to send you the same link. USF is renowned for their excellent dementia clinic. They are awesome.

Another report re a woman who placed her husband on the protocol:

https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/alzheimers-inc-colleagues-question-scientists-pricey-recipe-against-memory-loss/

Dr. Bredesen has training for physicians to become part of his referrals and more.  It is not cheap; MDs have to pay for the training. If you note in the link, Bredesen also has a menu of vitamins and other such items which are sold to the patient$200 a month for them and also had other "extras" she had to pay for outside of the initial expensive amount she already had paid..  Dr's who are trained and pick up patients sell the vitamins, etc.  It can be a lucrative business in addition to all else.

I myself would not buy into this, but that is just me.  If it were working astoundingly well, we would hear it being shouted from the rooftops, every media outlet world-wide would be packed with the information and interviews and the Alz Assn would be right there with the news; supporting and letting us know.   Certainly have not seen any of that happen.

Will keep hoping for that "real hope" to appear and be so amazing that it IS indeed shouted from the rooftops and have the world-wide media outlets in overdrive.

Until then we do the best we can with Best Practices.

J.

dayn2nite2

The only thing that “ends Alzheimer’s” is death.

Stuck in the middle

I read his book.  His treatment involves many expensive tests and a very strict diet/exercise/medication regimen to correct the deficiencies pinpointed by the tests.  The theory is AD is the result of dozens of diseases, from heavy metal poisoning to bacterial infection to whatever, so rigorous testing is required to isolate the cause(s) of the disease and prescribe treatment.  None of this is covered by insurance, so it's all out of pocket.

A local neurologist is offering the protocol, and has published his own book that very nearly plagiarizes Dr. Bredesen's.  I can pay the $10,000+ the treatment would cost, but my wife won't even eat blueberries on her ice cream or go for walks, so the thought of her complying with any kind of holistic treatment with physical therapy etc. is laughable.

That doesn't mean the treatment wouldn't work, if you have the money and if the patient will comply.  The only things I'm sure of are Dr. B et al. are making a lot of money, and it won't be mine they get.

M1

The bottom line:  No lifestyle intervention has been shown to prevent Alzheimer's or slow the progression.  Period.  Snake oil.  Sorry, DJ.

Marta

Don’t you think that if the Bredesen protocol was of any benefit, it would make the national news?

Shame on Dr. Bredesen for making money off desperate people.

DJnAZ

As I suspected. Snake oil. My first reaction was if this is really news worthy, why am I only hearing about it through a news feed on the Internet? And, yes, it is a shame this doctor and many others are opportunists taking advantage of those suffering through AD.

But the real shame there is still so little known and even fewer possibilities for a cure. 

Jo C.

Multiple countries working fast and furious striving to do just that; but  thus far it has been elusive.

J.

M1

You’re right DJ, some internet app has profiled you and fed you that story.

GothicGremlin

Sorry, I just have to weigh in on this.

When my sister was first diagnosed, my brother went searching around online and found the Bredesen stuff. At the time I knew nothing of Alzheimer's so I went along with it -- until I saw how much the whole thing cost ($5,000 for the first month). Then I dug around some more, and it really seemed scammy to me.

When you sign up for the program you have to sign up for their 'newsletter' as well - which costs $75 a month.  It's essentially curated news articles that anyone can find on the internet. The whole program (expensive supplements aside) is essentially what we know as 'best practices'. So yes, get good sleep, follow a good diet (although Bredesen prefers keto), and get enough exercise. All of that is good (although I'm agnostic on the keto part), but ground breaking it is not.

My brother still wanted to try it (hey, it's our sister's money, not his own, so why not?), but thankfully I'm the one with POA, and I put my foot down and said no. He's been upset with me ever since.  Meh.

I'm still considering filing an unfair and deceptive business practices complaint with the CA state AG's office.  That's how offensive I find all of this.

Stuck in the middle

Bredesen's book is titled "The End of Alzheimer's" FWIW

Iris L.

Whatever you read is old news.  Dr. Bredesen has been promoting his regimen for years now.  One of the members of my Memory Club consulted with him.  The food program was restrictive.  I don't know how much it cost but they said it was expensive (out-of-pocket).  They eventually stopped because they did not see evidence of improvement.

Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai of Loma Linda University Medical Center are involved in clinical studies.  They have a book which details what we call Best Practices.  It is more about prevention but you could get their book and follow along.  

Best Practices may prolong the early stages.  Following Best Practices is NOT treatment towards a cure.  Results in more advanced than early stage PWDs may be elusive.  I have been following Best Practices for years.  I don't have AD, my diagnosis is cognitive impairment nos.

Iris

Stuck in the middle

I do best when I do what I learned in Kindergarten.  Eat my veggies, get some exercise, clean up my room, brush my teeth, do my homework, save some money, don't smoke . . .