Why your brain and legs slow down with Alzheimer's
Impact of Nitric Oxide Bioavailability on the Progressive Cerebral and Peripheral Circulatory Impairments During Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Blood flow decline in the legs mirrored brain decline, even after controlling for physical activity, muscle mass, and CO2 levels.
Common belief: Reduced blood flow in dementia is just due to inactivity or aging. This study proves it’s directly tied to Alzheimer’s pathology itself.
Practical Takeaways
Eat nitrate-rich foods like beets, spinach, and arugula to support nitric oxide production—may help maintain vascular health as you age.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Blood flow decline in the legs mirrored brain decline, even after controlling for physical activity, muscle mass, and CO2 levels.
Common belief: Reduced blood flow in dementia is just due to inactivity or aging. This study proves it’s directly tied to Alzheimer’s pathology itself.
Practical Takeaways
Eat nitrate-rich foods like beets, spinach, and arugula to support nitric oxide production—may help maintain vascular health as you age.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Physiology
Year
2018
Authors
M. Venturelli, A. Pedrinolla, Ilaria Boscolo Galazzo, Cristina Fonte, N. Smania, Stefano Tamburin, E. Muti, L. Crispoltoni, A. Stabile, A. Pistilli, M. Rende, F. Pizzini, F. Schena
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Claims (6)
In people around 78 years old, the worse their Alzheimer’s gets, the less blood flows to their brain and major arteries in their neck and leg — and this isn’t just because they’re older, less active, or have less muscle.
In people with Alzheimer’s, blood flow problems in the brain, head, and body get worse as the disease gets worse, and this seems to be tied to a chemical in the blood called nitric oxide—meaning the whole body’s blood vessels might be failing together, not just the brain.
People with worse Alzheimer's disease tend to have lower levels of a substance in their blood that's linked to how well blood flows in the brain and body — and the sicker they are, the lower those levels get.
As people get older, their bodies make less of a helpful molecule called nitric oxide, which makes it harder for blood vessels to work properly — and this can cause problems in the heart, brain, reproductive organs, and muscles.
In people around 78 years old who have Alzheimer’s, the drop in blood flow to the brain and body isn’t because they’re less active, have less muscle, burn fewer calories at rest, or have different levels of carbon dioxide in their blood.