Alzheimer's Disease

Frequently Asked Questions

25. Is vitamin E effective against Alzheimer's? - cont'd

This 3-year trial compared the drug donepezil or vitamin E to a placebo in people with mild cognitive impairment to see if the drug or vitamin might delay or prevent the development of Alzheimer's. The study found that taking vitamin E did not prevent or delay Alzheimer's disease in persons with MCI. It is possible that vitamin E may not help after memory loss has already started. However, donepezil, also known as Aricept®, did seem to delay the onset of Alzheimer's but only during the first year of treatment, providing no clear guidance to doctors about prescribing donepezil for people with MCI.