Lee Swanson Research Update

Silica May Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer's in Elderly Women

December 2005

Alzheimer's

Scientists in France have found that a high intake of silica may reduce the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease in women.

Some 7,598 French women aged 75 years or older participated in the study. At the beginning, an estimate was made of the amount of silica each participant consumed during the day in their drinking water. Women with lower intakes of silica were found to perform worse in cognitive function tests, compared with women whose silica intake from drinking water was higher.

Twenty percent of the participants were followed for the next seven years. During the follow-up period, women with lower silica intake were at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Those who developed Alzheimer's were nearly three times as likely to have a low silica intake from drinking water.

While controlled trials are needed to confirm these preliminary results, the study suggests that increasing silica intake may help prevent age-related mental decline and Alzheimer's disease.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 81(4):897-902, 2005

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