Drink slows disease progression in early-stage Alzheimer's
A nutritional drink called Souvenaid has been found to slow the decline of cognition, function, brain atrophy and disease progression in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to results from a clinical trial published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
The drink contains a patented combination of nutrients, commonly referred under the trademark Fortasyn Connect, which provides nutritional precursors and cofactors that work together to support neuronal membrane formation.
In the LipiDiDiet clinical trial, patients with MCI (also known as prodromal Alzheimer’s disease) received either Souvenaid or an isocaloric, same-tasting, placebo-control drink. Changes in cognition were assessed using a number of neuropsychological tests.
Professor Tobias Hartmann from the Department of Experimental Neurology at Saarland University in Germany led the LipiDiDiet Research Consortium, made up of world-leading researchers in neurology. The consortium was established to assess the impact of nutritional lipids on neuronal and cognitive performance in ageing.
“Through research, we’re increasingly learning that early intervention is key, and in the LipiDiDiet study our consortium has been studying the potential long-term effects of certain nutrients on the brain of patients with prodromal Alzheimer’s disease.
“The 36-month data clearly show it’s possible to have a significant impact on the early stage of the disease. Importantly, we found the effect to be long-lasting and to improve the longer participants stayed in the trial.”
Over the 36-month trial period, significant reductions in decline were observed between the intervention and the control group for the NTB 5-item composite, CDR-SB (a set of tests assessing cognition and functional abilities), memory, and hippocampal, ventricular and whole-brain atrophy (measured by MRI brain scans).
Commenting on behalf of Nutricia — the developer of Souvenaid — Dr Patrick Kamphuis, Senior Medical Affairs Director at Nutricia, said, “These results show there is now an evidence-based nutritional option available to doctors to recommend for people with mild cognitive impairment, and furthermore, the effects are both considerable in scale and long-lasting. We’re pleased to share this news with the Alzheimer’s community.”
What’s in the drink?
Souvenaid contains a combination of nutrients, called Fortasyn Connect, designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. These include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish oil), uridine monophosphate and choline, together with phospholipids, B vitamins and other nutrients at levels difficult to achieve from normal dietary intake alone.
Souvenaid (Fortasyn Connect) is a Food for Special Medical Purposes for the dietary management of early Alzheimer’s disease, for use under medical supervision.
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