Originally published November 2021. Updated August 2026 with current epidemiology and citations.
Neurodegenerative disorders affect millions of Americans, and their numbers are rising. An estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with clinical Alzheimer’s dementia in 2026, which is about one in nine people in that age group (Alzheimer’s Association, 2026). Alzheimer’s disease was officially listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2024, and the fifth-leading cause among adults age 65 and older (Alzheimer’s Association, 2026). Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis are two other leading neurodegenerative disorders affecting millions more Americans. Anyone facing a diagnosis of this kind belongs under the care of a physician, and nothing I write here is a substitute for that relationship.
What I Want to Be Clear About First
Nutrition does not treat disease of any type, and neither does any dietary supplement. In the clinical trial described below, my colleagues and I did not treat, cure, manage, or mitigate disease, and I will not describe our work that way. What our research examines is the body’s own capacity to maintain and repair itself when it is supplied the raw materials it needs. That principle is the foundation of everything I do, and I want it stated before the findings rather than after them.
What We Measured
My colleagues and I conducted a twelve-month, open-label trial without a placebo group, in adults with moderate to severe memory disorder. All participants had carried the diagnosis for a minimum of one year and for an average of about three years. We assessed cognitive function at baseline and every three months for twelve months, and we drew blood to assess immune system functioning and markers of inflammation. Each participant took four scoops per day of Daily Brain Care for the entire twelve months of the study.
In that population of adults with moderate to severe memory disorder, we reported significant improvement in cognitive test scores over the twelve months, alongside changes in overall immune function and in inflammatory status, an increase in the production of stem cells, and a relationship between the cognitive and the immune measures (Lewis et al., 2013). I describe the limits of that work as plainly as the findings. It was a small, open-label trial without a placebo group, conducted in a single population. It establishes that these outcomes were measured and reported, and it does not establish that any dietary supplement addresses a disease.
What the study does demonstrate is the capability of nutrition. We showed the ability of the body to utilize raw materials (i.e., nutrients) to function properly. This is part of a fundamental principle holding that supplying the body the nutrients it needs, which are typically missing in the diet today, will allow the cells of the body to function properly. For more information about the research on polysaccharides, see the science behind Daily Brain Care. For a broader look at how this research compares with the alternatives, see my guide to the best supplements for memory loss, and you can read more about my background on my About page.
What the Evidence Supports for Cognitive Health
Researchers have identified a number of modifiable factors associated with cognitive health across the lifespan, and that work has moved considerably in recent years. Consistent exercise, avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol, managing stress, sleeping well, and eating a whole-food, plant-based diet are all supported by research as part of a healthy lifestyle. Like every other organ, the brain depends on nutrients from food to function properly. If you are concerned about your memory, or you are caring for someone who is, speak with a physician who knows the full history rather than relying on any single product or article.
References
Alzheimer’s Association. (2026). 2026 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 22. doi: 10.1002/alz.71345
Lewis, J.E., McDaniel, H.R., Agronin, M., Loewenstein, D., Riveros, J., Mestre, R., Martinez, M., Colina, N., Abreu, D., Konefal, J., Woolger, J.M., & Ali, K.H. (2013). The effect of an aloe polymannose multinutrient complex on cognitive and immune functioning in Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 33(2), 393-406. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2012-121381
