I am concerned about Alzheimer’s disease, and I read that curcumin can prevent Alzheimer’s. I was wondering if that is true and if I should be taking it?

What you read is correct. Recent studies have discovered that curcumin reduces the amyloid protein plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin reduced the accumulation of amyloid deposits in animal brains injected with amyloid, and reduced the loss of proteins in the spaces between brain cells. By reducing the loss of protein in synapses, curcumin helps maintain memory. Curcumin also appears to act as an antiinflammatory, which reduces inflammation in neurologic tissue, protecting it from oxidative damage. India has the lowest rate of Alzheimer’s in the world. It is not a coincidence that the Indians have a high consumption of curry which contains turmeric, the source of curcumin. I take curcumin every day myself, and I recommend it to you. It not only protects against Alzheimer’s, it also protects against a variety of diseases including heart disease and cancer. Curcumin was found to be safe in human clinical trials with doses up to 10 grams per day. Dosages for optimum benefit have not been determined, but common recommendations are 500 mg of curcumin three times daily.