Caloric Intake and the Risk of Alzheimer Disease

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Abstract
CALORIC INTAKE has been shown to affect aging in animals and possibly in humans.1 Caloric restriction in mice and rats increases average and maximum life span,2 presumably through decreased oxidative damage.3 The balance of macronutrients in the diet may also affect oxidative stress unrelated to total caloric intake,4 which in turn may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD).5 The generation of reactive oxygen species increases the damage related to deposition of amyloid β in the brain through at least 3 potential mechanisms: protein oxidation, DNA oxidation, and lipid peroxidation.5 It is, therefore, possible that dietary factors that decrease oxidative stress would lower AD risk.