A new study has found that a yogurt drink called Fortasyn Connect can improve brain volume and everyday abilities in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. While the drink cannot prevent the development of the neurodegenerative disease, it can slow its progression. Currently, around 47 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s and related forms of dementia, with 1.6 million in Germany alone. Traditional treatments have had limited success, but recent research has suggested that certain nutrients and trace elements can slow the disease’s progression in its early stages. The yogurt drink, which contains vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients, was tested in a two-year study in Finland, where it was found to improve brain volume and general abilities in patients compared to a control group.
The study was funded by the European Union and Danone, the company that produces Fortasyn Connect, but the company had no influence over the study’s design or results. A follow-up study led by Tobias Hartmann of Saarland University found that after three years, there were significant differences between the study participants and the control group. The brains of those who received the yogurt drink shrank 20% less than those who did not, and their cognitive abilities declined between 40% and 70% less. The positive effects were most pronounced in patients who received the drink in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. However, the study’s results are limited due to the small sample size, with only 81 of the original 311 participants included in the final data analysis.
While Fortasyn Connect can improve symptoms in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, it cannot stop the disease’s progression. Further studies will investigate whether modifying the nutrient composition can increase its effectiveness, and whether combining it with medication or starting treatment earlier can improve outcomes. Despite its limitations, the study’s authors believe that Fortasyn Connect can have positive effects on the disease’s progression, particularly with long-term use in the early stages of the disease.
