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Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide [ NADH] For Alzheimer's Disease


   Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, commonly abbreviated as NADH, is an important compound found in all living cells. NADH is very important in the generation and transmission of energy within cells. NADH is located in mitochondria, which generate energy for cellular use. Some researchers believe that alterations in mitochondria may be the cause of alzheimer's disease. Jorg Birkmayer,M.D.believes that NADH may work improperly in alzheimer patients. He tested his theory by giving 17 alzheimer patients 10 milligrams of NADH daily, 30 minutes before the first meal. He used the Mini Mental State Exam as one measure of cognitive ability in patients. The results were spectacular. All 17 patients showed improvements on the MMSE of more than 4 points; the average score increased by 8.35 points! The results do seem spectacular,when you consider the kind of results reported by cholinesterase inhibitors. Cholinesterase inhibitors generally improve MMSE scores by more than 4 points in about one-third of patients. Dr.Birkmayer reported his study in 1996 [128]; a recent small trial of NADH, by other researchers, found no benefit of NADH for alzheimer patients.