HISTORY IN BRIEF
- Recent research shows that excess iron in the brain causes damage that accelerates Alzheimer’s, especially in people with Down syndrome, who develop the disease earlier and more aggressively.
- Having very high levels of iron damages the outer layer of brain cells, weakens the brain’s natural protectors, such as glutathione, and promotes the buildup of plaques that destroy nerve cells and impair memory.
- Small, often undetected, brain hemorrhages are a major source of iron overload, as they leak iron-rich compounds into brain tissue that promote inflammation and long-term cell degradation.
- Brain enzymes important for protecting against iron-induced damage are not present in the affected areas, leaving neurons highly vulnerable even when overall antioxidant levels appear normal.
- You can reduce your risk by having your ferritin and GGT levels checked, donating blood if your iron level is high, increasing your copper and calcium intake, eliminating vegetable oils, and restoring glutathione with molecular hydrogen and sulfur-rich foods.
By Dr. Mercola
Alzheimer’s doesn’t begin with forgetfulness, but with damage to the body. The brain begins to break down at a cellular level long before memory loss appears. And one of the hidden causes of that destruction is something many people don’t think about: iron.
When iron accumulates in brain tissue and reacts with fats and proteins, it causes oxidative stress that destroys neurons from the inside out. This iron-promoting process not only accompanies Alzheimer’s disease but may even be a cause. A study by the University of Southern California and the University of California, Irvine, uncovered an important clue: people with Down syndrome who develop Alzheimer’s have higher levels of iron in their brains than people with Alzheimer’s alone.<sup> 1 </sup>
This excess iron is linked to brain cell death, inflammation, and the early buildup of harmful plaques. If the body can’t safely store and regulate iron, the damage spreads rapidly, especially in areas related to memory and executive function. And once your antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed, there’s little left to stop the effects. Understanding how and why this happens makes new strategies possible, not only to delay Alzheimer’s but to prevent it before it develops.
