The effect of the buildup of beta amyloid in the brain, caused by a variation of a gene known as CYP46, is memory loss and dementia better known as Alzheimer's. After autopsy, people who suffered from Alzheimer's more often had high levels of beta amyloid which collect in clumps, called senile plaques in the brain. Most researchers now agree that beta amyloid buildup is most certainly involved in the disruption of thinking. Excessive buildup of beta amyloid is associated with high levels of cholesterol in the brain.

Supplements glucosamine and chondroitin have been used as a treatment for arthritis for many years, but do they work?

Glucosamine and chondroitin may indeed help with moderate to severe pain, U.S. researchers report at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in San Diego. Preliminary findings from their study indicated that the supplements "seem to be safe," and in a European study, glucosamine may actually work better than the painkilling ingredient in Tylenol.