International Coconut Community

ABSTRACT

The fundamental problem associated with Alzheimer’s disease is the inability of the brain to effectively utilize glucose, or blood sugar, to produce energy. This defect in energy conversion starves the brain cells and weakens their ability to withstand stress. The P Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) Produced in APCC Member Countries COCOINFO INTERNATIONAL, VOL. 19, No. 1, 2012 11 brain rapidly ages and degenerates into dementia. The solution to the problem is to restore the brain’s ability to produce the energy it needs to resist stresses that harm the brain, enable it to repair damage, and stimulate growth of new cells. Glucose is the primary source of energy used by all the cells in the body. We get glucose from the carbohydrate in our foods. When food is not eaten for a time, such as between meals, during sleep, or when fasting, blood glucose levels fall. To maintain the energy needed by the cells, fatty acids (fat molecules) are released from our fat cells. Like glucose, fatty acids can be burned to produce energy. This process works well for the body, but not the brain. The brain cannot use these fatty acids to satisfy its energy needs.