G.eneral H.ealth
More Evidence Ginkgo Biloba Works Just as Well as Dementia Drugs
By J. Mercola - mercola.com
Nov 21, 2006, 21:22

Another sign conventional medicine acknowledges and appreciates all the benefits alternative treatments provide: An Italian study that acknowledged ginkgo biloba, as shown many times before, works just as well as Aricept (donepezil) in treating mild or moderate Alzheimer's related dementia.

For the study, 76 mild-to-moderate dementia patients received either a placebo, ginkgo or Aricept for six months, followed by a four-week course of a placebo to exclude those reactions. During the study period, more ginkgo patients dropped out of the test, but not for the same reasons as the four Aricept dropouts who left due to adverse drug reactions.

Based on test scores to determine the severity of dementia afterward, scientists agreed both ginkgo biloba and Aricept work just as effectively to slow down the damage. I wonder, however, if the effect of Aricept on study patients was a fluke, considering cholinesterase inhibitors like Aricept, Reminyl and Exelon have been found to be beneficial for only 20 percent of Alzheimer's patients.

Ginkgo is merely one of several natural, safer treatments to beat Alzheimer's. Some of the rest include:

• Starting an exercise program.
• Challenge your mind.
• Remove mercury from your body
• Take a high-quality fish or krill oil daily.
• Eat a healthy diet, rich in folate.