Medical expert of the article
New publications
Prevention of Alzheimer's disease: exercises, drugs, folk remedies
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Alzheimer's disease is a dangerous pathology that leads to malfunctions of the nervous system. Elderly people suffer from this disease. This is due to the fact that brain cells atrophy over time and cognitive functions are lost. To avoid the development of the disease, Alzheimer's disease prevention should be carried out.
Unfortunately, medicine is powerless to fight the disease today. There are many medications, but they only slow down the development of the pathology. It is impossible to cure the disease completely. Therefore, special attention is paid to prevention.
What are the characteristics of Alzheimer's disease?
This is a disease of the nervous system. It is accompanied by memory, speech, and logical thinking disorders. As a result, a person loses social and intellectual skills. Often, the first signs of the disease appear in people over 60 years of age.
The risk group includes:
- people with a genetic predisposition;
- those who have had traumatic brain injuries;
- drug addicts, alcoholics, smokers.
As the pathology develops, protein accumulates in the human brain, which leads to the formation of "cyanide plaques." Their appearance contributes not only to the complete loss of memory, but also to the rapid destruction of the brain's neural pathways.
Prevention of senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease includes a number of rules and recommendations that will help maintain the proper functioning of the brain and central nervous system.
How to avoid illness?
According to statistics, people who are involved in mental work have a much higher chance of avoiding Alzheimer's disease. Mental abilities play a huge role. If a person's profession or hobby is not related to logical thinking, attention and does not require special concentration, he falls into the risk group.
Thanks to active and continuous brain activity, the connection between neurons is strengthened. To prevent the development of the disease, you should find an interesting hobby, lead an active and healthy lifestyle, and develop yourself.
It is necessary to reconsider your views on life and make adjustments:
- Brain training. It is very important that the human brain does not atrophy. For this, it is recommended to read more interesting literature. Reading helps develop imagination. Part of the brain is responsible for writing. Therefore, you can write down your thoughts or interesting facts, events. To broaden your horizons, it is enough to start learning foreign languages. Even if not at a professional level, this exercise will help to form a new system. Puzzles and crosswords also help. They train memory and intelligence;
- Healthy lifestyle. Today, there is a huge amount of information that allows a person to become a supporter of a healthy lifestyle, teaches how to eat right and encourages to give up bad habits. The basic rules include: healthy 8-hour sleep, walks in the fresh air, proper nutrition, exercise;
- refusal of harmful products. What people eat every day affects their appearance and the state of the body as a whole. The diet should be filled with useful vitamins, minerals, microelements that help strengthen the immune system, blood vessels, and remove cholesterol. Products that contain Omega-3 will help prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists conducted a series of studies and came to the conclusion that women are less resistant to the disease.
Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease in Women
According to statistics, women get sick more often than men, approximately twice as often. This fact has a number of explanations:
- Alzheimer's disease is inextricably linked with life expectancy. Since women live longer, they are more likely to encounter this problem;
- Apolipoprotein is found in the female body. This is a specific gene. It is this gene that increases the risk of developing the disease;
- Increased sensitivity. It is no secret that women are more often exposed to stress, they are more impressionable and vulnerable. Stressful situations also increase the risk;
- Frequent hormonal changes.
To reduce the risk, women need to take care of their health. First of all, they should give up bad habits, as they have a destructive effect on brain cells.
Don't forget about yourself. Regular exercise will help prevent the disease from progressing. It doesn't have to be strength training. Daily exercise is enough.
Interest in everything that is happening also helps improve the functioning of the brain. New books, learning foreign languages, activities that require attention and memorization will help to avoid this problem.
To train your memory, you can analyze the past day before going to bed. Just lie down in bed, close your eyes and try to remember everything that happened from the moment you woke up. You need to remember everything down to the smallest detail.
Listening to classical music, jazz compositions, ethnic melodies and sounds of nature helps to improve the tone of the nervous system and thinking. In addition, this activity will help to relax after a hard day, relieve fatigue and irritability. It is advisable to change the repertoire periodically.
Prevention of Alzheimer's disease in middle age can be carried out in different ways. There are currently no official measures that can protect humanity from the disease. Many resort to folk medicine, others look for effective drugs.
Drug prevention of Alzheimer's disease
The effectiveness of modern drugs for disease prevention is still a matter of debate among specialists. At the Carolina Institute (Sweden), scientists are working on creating a special vaccine. Its main task is to destroy the protein that causes the disease. In the future, they plan to vaccinate people who are predisposed to asthma.
To reduce the risk of developing the disease, it is necessary to train your memory. You can also use medications that increase concentration. Today, the most effective are:
- Glycine;
- Piracetam;
- Vitrum memory;
- Tanakan.
These drugs have a positive effect on the level of attention. They increase efficiency and improve memory. However, you should not resort to self-medication, so as not to harm the body. You should take the drugs after talking to your doctor. He will tell you how long and in what doses to take the drugs.
Prevention of Alzheimer's with folk remedies
Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are a guarantee of good health. Since ancient times, people have believed in the powerful power of traditional medicine. To prevent Alzheimer's disease, they use:
- black currant. Tea is brewed from currant leaves. It should be consumed twice a day;
- infusion of lapacho sapwood. Two teaspoons are enough for 1 liter of boiling water. Mix and leave for 15-20 minutes. It should be taken daily;
- malpighia. It contains a large amount of vitamin C. To prevent Alzheimer's disease, you should eat two or three berries daily.
Experts are skeptical about folk methods and recommend paying attention to diet, physical exercise and brain training.
[ 5 ], [ 6 ], [ 7 ], [ 8 ], [ 9 ]
Exercises to Prevent Alzheimer's
Neuroscientist Lawrence Katz claims that without training, the human brain atrophies like muscles. In order for it to function properly and to increase its ability to resist disease, it must be trained.
The scientist offers a list of highly effective and at the same time simple exercises:
- "Searching for new paths." The point is to abandon the usual paths and roads. Even for regular walks, it is necessary to choose new routes. It is very important to change the environment, to strive for new impressions;
- "Change hands." If a person is right-handed, he should do work with his left hand for some time. It is better to choose simple tasks. For example, ring the doorbell, open the lock, button up buttons;
- "New Interior". The exercise involves moving interior items to new places;
- "Money by touch". You need to put several coins and bills in your pocket. Then try to determine their value by touch. The exercise will not only help train your brain, but also help you pass the time in a queue or on public transport;
- "Conversation". You should find new answers to banal questions and communicate with loved ones on various topics as much as possible.
Working on yourself will not be in vain. With regular training, your memory and attention will noticeably improve. In order to avoid suffering from Alzheimer's disease in old age, it is better to make every effort in advance to prevent the development of senile dementia.