Page 4 - Diet And Dementia Casein Antioxidants DHEA

Antioxidants influence the aging process in various ways. We know from the literature and previous
work that antioxidants do reduce free radicals and damage to cells from free radicals. They help protect
against the cellular damage that leads to inflammation, thus protecting against many age-related health
issues or conditions. Antioxidants in the diet and in cells will slow the process of aging by preventing
free radicals from oxidizing sensitive biological molecules or reducing the formation of free radicals.

A diet was formulated with high levels of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium, Beta Carotene, Lipoic Acid,
Carnitine, Carotenoids, Flavonoids, EPA and DHA. Vitamins E and C are powerful antioxidants to help
with brain aging and cognitive dysfunction. Beta Carotene is a precursor to vitamin A and selenium is a
mineral that supports antioxidant activity. L-carnitine is a mitochondrial cofactor that helps improve the
efficiency of cellular energy production. It also help to burn fat, so you will see it used in weight
management foods too. Lipoic acid helps to recycle vitamins E and C. Carotenoids and flavonoids are
the antioxidants that come from deeply colored fruits and vegetables. And DHA and EPA are the fatty
acids that help to support cell membrane.

A clinical trial showed that pet owners perceived an improvement in a majority of age-related behavior
attributes of older dogs fed this diet for at least 60 days. Researchers conducted a 60-day prospective,
double-blind, randomized multi-center clinical trial to evaluate a diet rich in antioxidants and fatty acids
(b/d®). 125 dogs 7 years of age or older with behavioral signs of age-related cognitive decline were
included in the study. Dogs in the b/d® group showed significant improvements in 13 of 15 individual
behavioral attributes compared to dogs in the control group that showed significant improvement in
only 4 of the 15 behavioral attributes. This study adds to the evidence that pet owners will see an
improvement in their dogs’ age-related behavior changes when they feed a diet rich in antioxidants and
omega-fatty acids vs. feeding a regular pet food.

Additionally, a clinical study on this antioxidant-rich diet (b/d) showed improved cognitive skills in older
dogs compared to those on a control diet (a premium mature diet). The researched designed a study
that would test the “intelligence” of older dogs compared to younger ones. They teamed up with Dr.
Milgram, a psychologist that works with Alzheimers in people. He was interested in treatments that may
benefit people, and the signs and causes are very similar between people and dogs with cognitive
dysfunction. So he set up a test called Oddity Discrimination. They trained old dogs with at least one sign
of cognitive dysfunction as well as younger dogs with no cognitive disability at all. All the dogs were pre-
screened and given a full physical. All had known backgrounds, and were trained on Oddity
Discrimination for 6 months prior to being entered into the study. The young dogs did far better that
the older dogs, even as the task became harder. The old dogs especially didn’t do well as the task got
more difficult. After 6 months, the b/d dogs showed remarkable increase in learning compared to the
dogs on the control food. This represented a 58% improvement for the dogs on b/d!! They also had
visible improvements to their overall well-being, more alert and attentive, acting younger.