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The evidence on iron and Alzheimer's Disease is still unclear. Iron deposits are increased in the brain and are toxic. However, what is causing the iron to be deposited is unclear at this point as best as I can tell. There is very little mention of iron stores and iron supplements before the development of Alzheimer's Disease although there is a small amount of suggestive evidence that high stores might be harmful. This might fit findings that low mammal meat diets are linked with lower rates of Alzheimer's Disease. I expect more research will clarify this issue in the next several years.
Iron: Increased Iron, Zinc, Mercury Deposits: Study of 59 AD and 21 control at U Kentucky by Cornett found increases of iron and zinc in multiple areas of AD brain. Notes that Selenium is protective against Mercury with some increase in mercury in AD and in some controls. Neurotoxicol 6/98;19:339 Iron: Transferrin Receptor Concentration in Parkinson’s: Increased concentration found linked to increased death. Abnormal iron metabolism in Parkinson's Disease. Marder, Columbia U, Neurol 4/98;50:1138 Iron: Transferrin C2 Incr in AD: Variant transferrin in AD may be cause of disrupted iron and aluminum transport. Van Landeghem, Umea U, Neuroreport 1/98;9-177 Iron Generates Hydroxyl Radicals: Evidence found that iron deposits in brain may be responsible for oxidation. Smith, Case Western Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 9/97;49:9866 Iron: Incr Iron & Zinc Deposits and Decr Copper Found: U Kentucky study. Deibel found increases of iron and zinc deposits in amygdala and hippocampus of AD pts where AD destruction is common but not in cerebellum where AD defects are not common, J Neurol Sci 11/96;143:137 Iron: Increased Magnetite Crystals: Jon Dobson, University of Keele, UK, six brain sample found that magnetite levels increased with Alzheimer's disease severity. Biology Letters (DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2003.0012) 4/9/03 Iron: Increase in Loosely/Bound Iron Found: Kala of U Manitoba found increases compared to controls in autopsy study. Int J Neurosci 96;86:263 Iron: Superficial Siderosis: Found 9 cases of SS in 8800 MRI pts. Symptoms are cerebellar ataxia, myopathy, dementia, and hearing loss although none had full symptoms and only two had clear SS syndrome. Graz, Neuroradiol 5/96 Iron: Psychiatric Illness Caused by Iron: Seven pts with abnormal ferritin, transferrin saturation index, or urinary iron Rx 7-22 weeks with desferrixamine with improvement. Cutler, Can J Psychiatry@ 2/98;39:8-11 Iron: Desferrioxamine Helps Slow: BID injections 125 mg. IM five days a week slowed progression of AD and lowered brain aluminum to control levels. Specific to trivalent. Single-blind study with lecithin placebo. McLachlan, U Toronto, Ther Drug Monit 12/93 15:602 Iron: Deferoxmine Helps Slow: Treatment group had 50% slower progression and no deaths in 2 yr vs 5 deaths in no Rx group. However, 5 of 25 in Rx groups developed anorexia. Pts with high MAO metabolite MFO-1 concentration in urine at greater risk. If high level found, recommend isoniazid or other MAOI. Kruck, U Toronto, Clin Pharmacol Ther ’93;53:30. Isoniazid used to decrease MFO-1 which fell from 81% to 8% while MFO-2 incr fr 2% to 24% and big jump in unmetab deferoxamine fr 17% to 68%. S-E disappeared and regained weight. Anorexia and wt loss only S-E. Kruck, U Toronto, Clin Pharmacol Ther 10/90;48:439 Meat, Mammal Meat Bad, Fruits & Veggies Good: Case Western University School of Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio are now saying that a diet rich in fruits and veggies and low in red meat may actually prevent Alzheimer's. Compuserve 7/18/02 Meat May Incr Dementia: Small 7th Day Adventist study of 272 found that vegans and vegetarians were less likely than "heavy" meat eaters to develop dementia. RR 2.18 and 2.99 when past meat consumption was taken into consideration. Giem, Neuroepidemiology ‘93;12:28 Meat Bad, Veggies Good: Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, examined 815 people aged 65 and older over a four year period. 131 developed AD. People who consumed a lot of saturated fat, found in meat and diary, were 2.3 times more likely to develop symptoms than those whose diet was low in these fats. Conversely, people whose diet contained high levels of unsaturated fat were up to 80% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who consumed low levels of unsaturated fats. 2/18/03 BBC News & Arch Neurol |