ST. LOUIS—Researchers at Saint Louis University (SLU) are kicking off a study to investigate whether adding a nutritional beverage to traditional pharma treatment for Alzheimer’s disease could improve cognitive function. A total of 500 participants are being recruited at 40 sites across the United States; study volunteers must be on a stable dose of a pharmaceutical drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The placebo-controlled study will run over 24 weeks, with half the participants receiving a nutritional shake containing a range of vitamins and antioxidants.
Theodore Malmstrom, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at Saint Louis University and co-investigator for the study, said, “We’re testing a beverage made from vitamins and antioxidants to see if helps people who have mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease think more clearly and function better.” A pilot study examining the effect of the drink was conducted two years ago at SLU; the effects were promising enough to expand the investigation.
John Morley, M.D., director of the division of geriatrics at Saint Louis University and principal investigator of the trial, added, “The extra active ingredients added to the nutritional drink include specific fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, which are important building blocks for the brain. We believe the risk of side effects is very small in this nutrition-based approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease.”
