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IRON THAT IS found in food such as red meat could be a contributing factor to Alzheimer’s disease, a study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has found.
The new study found a build-up of iron in the section of the brain that is generally damaged in the early stages of the disease but not in the section of the brain that sees the affects of the disease later on.
Research by Dr George Bartzokis, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and senior author of the study has found there is a third possible cause for the disease.
Disruption of signals
It is widely believed amongst scientists that two proteins called tau and beta-amyloid either disrupt signalling between neurons or kill them as we get older, causing Alzheimer’s. However, Dr Bartzokis tested two sections of the brain – the the hippocampus, which is known to be damaged early in the disease, and the thalamus, an area that is generally not affected until the late stages.
He found that iron is increased in the hippocampus and is associated with tissue damage in that area. But increased iron was not found in the thalamus.
By comparing brain scans the study showed that elevated levels of iron in the brain tissue of the hippocampus caused the tissue breakdown associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This is a key area of the brain linked with memory formation.
The study, which was published in the August edition of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, was carried out on 31 patients with Alzheimer’s and 68 healthy control subjects.
Speaking about his research, Dr Bartzokis said, while the study did not prove that iron is the sole cause for the disease, the research shows that it “may indeed contribute to the cause”. He said:
We found that the amount of iron is increased in the hippocampus and is associated with tissue damage in patients with Alzheimer’s but not in the healthy older individuals — or in the thalamus. So the results suggest that iron accumulation may indeed contribute to the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
The positive side to his research is that he says it could be prevented. He said:
The accumulation of iron in the brain may be influenced by modifying environmental factors, such as how much red meat and iron dietary supplements we consume and, in women, having hysterectomies before menopause.
He added that medications could also be used to tackle the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
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no matter what anything we do is killing us.
Just fecking live life and enjoy it as you never know when you will die. Try and lead a fairly healthy life style and try extend your life but dont be a prune either.
Here today gone tomorrow enjoy enjoy. Get out smile have fun just be happy.
just as well we are all doctors of neurology as you can see those brain scan images are absolutely shocking. I spat my cornflakes out when I saw the fifth image, god help us all.
After all these years of drinking Guinness, it turns out its all the iron that’s effecting my brain. Who’d a thought it?
Nanny had it, horrible illness. If Im ever diagnosed, and should no new treatments emerge, I’d go abroad for assisted suicide. No way Id put my family through years of watching me deteriorate.
This link to red meat is alarming, Im not particularly a red meat man but I eat 100g of spinach a day! Ffs
That’s 2.7mg of Iron
Adam, you’d probably forget.
Spinach also contain oxylates which reduce iron absorption, so don’t worry.
just what u want to read after taking a multi vitiman and iron tablet!
I can never remember whether I’ve taken my iron supplement or not…now I know why!!!
Taking any supplements without a doctors’s instructions is stupid and almost certainly a waste of money. As someone said, vitamin supplements just give you expensive piss. You’re just been conned by the so called health food shops.
who said i wasnt taking them under doctors instructions?
Abi, I give up. Who said it?
This story needs to run every day. How else am I going to remember not to eat red meat?
High concentrations of iron in strawberries and broccoli too. In fact, most green veg and fruits. Better stay away from them too
risteard,
red meat is a killer, we don’t need it.
Interestingly, there are two different types of iron (heme and non-heme). Plant-based iron is non-heme, meaning the type of iron in meat/animal products is different to plant-based iron.
I’m not sure if this study looked at that, but it’s worth noting for those wondering about iron from fruit/veg – more here: http://www.irondisorders.org/iron-we-consume
I don’t think it’s that haem and non haem iron are different types of iron, rather they are different sources of iron. The different types of iron would be the iron ions Ferrous and Ferric iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+ respectively).
Ferrous iron is most common in meat based haem iron and ferric iron is most common in non-haem plant iron.
Meat based haem iron is much more readily absorbed by your body than plant derived non-haem iron.
Ferric non-haem iron needs to be supplemented by various foods because it requires various acids and peptides to facilitate the conversion of any non-haem iron in food to its absorbable ferrous state…
I think.
I eat red meat everyday and have done so for the past 20/30 years and it hasn’t done me any harm!
I eat red meat everyday and have done so for the past 20/30 years and it hasn’t done me any harm!
I eat red meat everyday and have done so for the past 20/30 years and it hasn’t done me any harm!
I eat red meat everyday and have done so for the past 20/30 years and it hasn’t done me any harm!
You remind me of a friend who used to chant, “I used to be a Hare Krishna but I’l alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, I’m alright now, …………………………” :))
Ah me hoop, read yesterday that the flu jab prevents heart attacks. Didn’t work for my dad though!
Didn’t Brian Cowan say we could all live on cheese!
I love the way they discover these things.
Alzheimer is now caused by red meat.
My nan and her two sister had this dreadful disease and I highly doubt red meat had anything to do with it, or Iron suplement for that matter Nan was born in 1926 in Poland and like her sisters, both older, lived through the 2nd World War Believe me , red meat was not on their menu, any meat was a treat. Even after the war and after we were born my nan was never a big meat eater She would have chicken every now and then but that was about it. Same with her sisters They always said they witnessed too much to be able to enjoy a bloody steak
Anyways, three sister had iron deficiency for years and all tree died of Alzheimer
It doesn’t say that red meat causes Alzheimer’s. One of the doctors is specifically quoted as saying “this does not mean that it is the sole cause of Alzheimer’s but may contribute to it”. I find it unbelievable that whenever any scientific research is published or discussed that some people immediately resort to anecdote. People should read articles properly or go and read the actual research paper and see what the research actually found, how it was found ie. methodology and then leave anecdotes out of the mix. Dr Ben Goldacre has an excellent book out called Bad science and he explains certain methodologies used in research that make it relatively easy for the layman (like me) to at least hazard an informed opinion on the results of research.
So it was the Chicken !!!!!
This has been suspected in the Down syndrome community for years where the advice by certain doctors is to never give an iron supplement. People with down Syndrome have a very high incidence of Alzheimer’s disease due to many factors mostly due to oxidative stress but iron has been suspected of increasing mental deterioration too.
True Catherine. In fact I believe up to date research finds that supplements in general are at best ineffective and at worst life shortening.
I disagree. As a sufferer of anemia I can’t function without ir
*iron supplements
Red meat tastes good.
We do not need to eat red meat or any animal flesh. Its true to say that eventually the animals get their revenge.
How can supposedly sane minded empathic people treat aninmals the way we do.
Cows/Chickens/Pigs/Farmed Fish
We deserve what we get.
Think of those poor potatoes too, looking into their little eyes breaks my heart
Without doubt that’s good Karma but a load of cr4p.
what about that poor horse you’re ” Gallopin” ,Hogan ?
I wont get it so my wife only gets me a steak once a month.
First of all, this study is purely correlational… The word “cause” should not be used at all! Unless more research demonstrating a stronger correlation is revealed I don’t see why people should stop consuming red meat or iron supplements. Secondly, I wish journalists would actually give you the citation details so it would be easier to find the paper with the details. Bloody annoying!!
Indeed it could be that the disease causes the increase in Iron! However, don’t take supplements unless your doctor tells you to.
Now everyone stop mopping about the place and smile and wave.
This is just one study, nothing can be based on just one study, so until many more have ran studies on this I’ll still be enjoying my steak ! Although I do agree there’s no real need for supplements in our lives as long as we’re having a varied diet.
Steak for dinner it is.
have your say