A Functional Approach to Neurodegenerative Disease: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS
An estimated 4 million people in the U.S. have dementia, most with Alzheimer's disease. By 2050, that number could be as high as 16 million, according to the Alzheimer's Association. This very debilitating disease is characterized by reduced levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in certain parts of the brain, a substantial loss of neurons (brain cells), and the development of pathological changes in the brain called plaques and tangles. Although genetics and age are major risk factors in the development of Alzheimer’s, it is more likely caused by environmental factors.
Theories as to the cause of these abnormalities include the death of nerve cells (often the effect of lack of oxygen to the cells), deficiencies of neurotransmitters, poor diet, environmental exposures to toxins, the deposit of B-amyloid plaques, and virsus/infection. Therefore, the important elements of treatment include improving blood oxygenation and flow, availability of neurotransmitters, nutrition, elimination of toxins, improved immunity, reduction of inflammation, and inhibition of B-amyloid plaques. These are attractive treatments to many Alzheimer’s patients because of their low side effect risk and due to the lack of usefulness of currently marketed drugs, as noted in Archives of Neurology (June 1999) by Dr. William Pryse-Phillips.
The treatment approach to Alzheimer’s can also be beneficial in the treatment of other neurological disorders and dementia, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, autism, memory loss, dystonia, liver related dementia, and ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Because functional medicine targets prevention and underlying cause of disease, the methodology to Alzheimer’s disease is to reverse and slow the development and progression neuronal damage. Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases are unique from person to person in their development and symptoms. Functional medicine provides a patient centered approach to the dynamic balance of internal and external factors of these diseases. The systems of the human body are interconnected. Functional medicine considers the interaction of these systems with environmental inputs, genetic predisposition, and patient individuality.
There are a number of complementary treatments to Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders, including supplements, nutrition, and brain and body fitness. At Austin Wellness Clinic, our central approach to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders involves the PK Protocol, which involves and IV infusion of Essential Phospholipids, Leukovorin (a specific type of folate), and Glutathione. Other essential components to the treatment plan include proper nutrition and supplementation, detoxification, and mental and physical exercise.
PK Protocol
Dr. Patricia Kane, PhD, has developed a highly effective protocol to treat neurodegenerative disease and has a large body of successfully treated patients to support her claims. The protocol, widely known as the PK Protocol, has brought to light the crucial importance of phosphatidylcholine (PCh), glutathione, and folate in the prevention, treatment, and reversal of neurological disease and cognitive decline. The protocol involves IV pushes of these three substances.
Phosphatidylcholine (PCh): A precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, whose deficiency is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies, such as those by Sorgatz in 1987, and Ladd in 1993, have shown that dosages of 10-25g of PCh result in significant improvement of neurological deficits, including memory, cognition and motility. It is a component of lecithin, and the major phospholipid of every human cell membrane and a precursor to acetylcholine, a major neurotransmitter, via its intermediary choline. Therefore, it functions to restore cellular receptivity and communication across the membrane. It has been found that IV and oral PCh along with balanced fatty acids can also improve neurologic, liver, and memory function. It may be able to reverse fatty liver, enhance brain development in children, and restore more normal functioning in autism which is thought to result from arrested brain development. PCh levels in all tissue decrease with age, and PCh treatment is able to reverse age related changes in the lipid membrane composition, thus rejeuvenating all cells. The lipid neuronal cell membranes are turned over and made new every 24 hours, so adequate presence of PCh and the correct balance of essential fats and oils can make rapid and significant progress into neurodegenerative conditions.
Glutathione: The brain's master antioxidant and plays an important protective role in the brain. Generation of free radicals and oxidative damage are an important cause of brain cell death. Free radicals and oxidative damage in neurons is known to be a primary cause of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid plaques, a hallmark indication of Alzheimer’s, encroaching on the brain increase the production of free radicals. Antioxidants "mop up" the damaging free radicals. Therefore, Glutathione can prevent death of brain cells induced by amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease, while substances that deplete Glutathione increase cell death. Taking glutathione itself as a supplement does not boost cellular glutathione levels, since it breaks down in the digestive tract before it reaches the cells. IV glutathione bypasses this barrier.
Glutathione is key to our existence as our body's most powerful healing agent and antioxidant. Glutathione works with all the other antioxidants and even regenerates them. Low glutathione levels are associated with disease and infections, and it often is the missing ingredient in our diets.
Folate: Studies have shown that older individuals who have consumed an excess of folate, reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer's by more than half, according to a study. During a nine-year study appearing in the inaugural issue of Alzheimer's and Dementia, researchers showed that older adults whose diets were high in folate reduced their risk of Alzheimer's disease by half compared with those whose diets contain less than the Recommended Dietary Allowances. More specifically, folate has also been shown to lower blood levels of homocysteine. High homocysteine levels, as well as decreased folate and vitamin B-12 levels, have also been associated with Alzheimer's disease. Welsh GP, Andrew McCaddon, showed that the more homocysteine that patients with Alzheimer's had, the worse their mental performance, and the worse their "cognitive impairment”.
Further, a study in the Journal of Neuroscience (2002), concluded that by giving adequate amount of folate to mice with progressing Alzheimer’s disease, nerve cells in the damaged brain region were able to repair damage to their DNA. But in the mice fed a folate-deficient diet, nerve cells were unable to repair this DNA damage. Due to these results and many others, folate is an essential component to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
We encourage anyone suffering from neurodegenerative disorders to make an appointment to discuss this very important approach to chronic illness today.
