Questions & Answers

Thoughts on Brain Health from the Doctors at Lee Memory Care.

Dr. Michael Raab is the geriatrician on staff at Lee Memory Care and Dr. Douglas Newland is a Neurologist and the Medical Director of Lee Memory Care. If you have a question that you would like answered, please contact us by clicking the Contact Us button located on the menu at the top of every page to submit your questions.

Q. What vitamins are the most recommended for maintaining a healthy brain?

A. This is a frequently asked question. There are many books and articles reporting the memory benefits of various supplements. Most of these articles have the perfect thing for you to buy, and most of them are not based on any kind of randomized study. Many of these articles quote scientific studies not done in humans and while interesting do not prove what they are implied to prove.

The United States Preventative Services Task Force is an independent group that reviews research studies and evaluates the conclusions. They have looked at various vitamins, minerals and other supplements both alone and in combination. They have found no evidence to support the use of supplements. What they have found is that people who have a high diet in antioxidants, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, minerals and folic acid have less memory loss. However, it is important to note these people often exercise more and exercise alone preserves memory. But, they have found that people who take beta-carotene, Vitamin E or folic acid supplements often have a higher death rate.

The conclusion is to eat a variety of fruits, nuts, vegetables, dairy, cold water (wild - not farmed) fish, lean meat and whole grains (including brown rice). This will supply most people with the nutrition - vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and unsaturated fats they need. While there are some individuals who lose the ability to break down foods and may need some forms of supplement, in general, megadoses from supplements have proven risk with no proven benefit. So why spend money to buy risk?

Finally, the benefit to brain health is most strongly correlated not with supplemental vitamins but with regular (150 minutes a week) exercise.

Q. Dr. Raab, if I have been diagnosed with diabetes, am I at greater risk of developing dementia?

A. Yes. High blood sugar has been shown to impair memory. Chronically poor control of blood sugar causes vascular disease. About 12 to 20% of individuals have dementia based on vascular disease and there are some experts who believe the progression of Alzheimer's disease is faster in those individuals who also have vascular disease. So, poorly controlled diabetes does increase the risk and severity of dementia.