Even The Left Is Stupid On The Matter

I’m reading (well skimming more like) a long article on the woes of being an Alzheimer’s care giver in National Journal. No where in the article is there anything about how cannabis can help.

Extremely low levels of the compound in marijuana known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, may slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a recent study from neuroscientists at the University of South Florida shows.

Findings from the experiments, using a cellular model of Alzheimer’s disease, were reported online in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Researchers from the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute showed that extremely low doses of THC reduce the production of amyloid beta, found in a soluble form in most aging brains, and prevent abnormal accumulation of this protein — a process considered one of the pathological hallmarks evident early in the memory-robbing disease. These low concentrations of THC also selectively enhanced mitochondrial function, which is needed to help supply energy, transmit signals, and maintain a healthy brain.

THC? Isn’t that the stuff that gets you high? How can hat be good for you? Anyway my guess is that that kind of prejudice goes a long way.

Update: Well that post I linked on cannabis was from August of this year. How about Time Magazine – October 2012? In the very first paragraph:

…a new review suggests that drugs similar to marijuana’s active ingredients may hold promise for preventing— or even reversing— brain aging and possibly Alzheimer‘s and other degenerative brain diseases.

It is not like the information is new or hidden. It just doesn’t register.


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2 responses to “Even The Left Is Stupid On The Matter”

  1. agimarc Avatar

    Good reminder, Simon. There a lot of things that help treatment and care for Alzheimer’s. Gary Taubes reports that Alzheimer’s is also known as Diabetes Type III and suggests it may also have a dietary component which a lo-carb / high fat diet works. Chiefio had an extended discussion a year or so ago that suggests Alzheimer’s is also a boron deficiency in the brain. Aluminum which is chemically similar (sits right below boron on the periodic table) so boron supplements / borax dissolved in a liquid are also suggested treatments. I can attest to the boron chelate as jacking up brain function a bit. Cheers-

  2. Simon Avatar

    agimarc,

    Cannabis treats diabetes. Missed the Chiefio discussion. Thanks!

    Here is a link:

    http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/boron-aluminum-hypothesis/