Researchers in the US say vitamin E might slow the progression of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease, but warn it’s not a miracle or a cure.
The study, sponsored by the US Department of Veterans Affairs and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first time any treatment has been shown to alter the course of dementia at any stage. In a study of more than 600 older veterans, high doses of the vitamin delayed the decline in daily living skills, such as making meals, getting dressed and holding a conversation, by about six months over a two-year period. However, vitamin E did not preserve thinking abilities. Those taking vitamin E alone required less help from caregivers.