Fast Facts about Huntington’s disease
- As of 2012, around 30,000 people in the United States suffer from Huntington’s disease, while around 150,000 to 200,000 others are at the risk of inheriting this disease from their parents.
- The disease is most common among Europeans. According to an estimate, out of every 100,000 people having European ancestry, 3 to 7 get affected by Huntington’s disease.
- The disease is less common among Japanese and African Americans.
- Every child born from a parent suffering from Huntington’s disease has a 50-50 risk of inheriting the disease gene.
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- The symptoms of Huntington’s disease usually start appearing when a person is in his/her 30s or 40s.
- The average lifespan of people suffering from the disease is 15 – 20 years.
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Huntington’s disease is a chronic genetic disorder that causes gradual damage and degeneration of nerve cells. The disease affects a person in variety of ways, including their movement, cognition, thinking and even behavior and eventually makes him/her dependent upon others.
Huntington’s disease is an ‘autosomal dominant’ disease. This means that it is a disorder caused due to a problem only in one gene i.e. HD or HTT. The gene is located on chromosome 4 and a mutation in the gene causes the Huntington’s disease.
Huntington is in fact a protein found in brain and different tissues of the body. It is produced by the HD gene. When mutation occurs, the gene starts producing abnormal protein that affects the functioning of nerve cells.
While the exact function of Huntington protein is still not clear, it plays a key role in nerve cells’ development. Since it’s a genetic disorder, there is no cure for Huntington’s disease.
Symptoms
Huntington’s disease generally starts appearing when people are in their 30s or 40s however, it can also affect a person later or earlier than this. Although rarely, but Huntington’s can also affect children; the children’s disease is known as its juvenile form.
The disease can affect a person in variety of ways; causing cognitive, movement and even psychiatric problems. Some of the common symptoms of Huntington’s disease include:
- Contraction or rigidity of muscles
- Writhing movements or involuntary jerking
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Problems in speech
- Impaired balance, posture and walk
- Abnormal or slow movement of eye
- Feeling irritated or down
- Insomnia
- Feeling tired and exhausted
- Insomnia
- Suicidal thoughts
- Issues with focusing, prioritizing or organizing various tasks
- Slowed thought process
- Difficulty in finding words while speaking
- Impaired ability to learn and memorize things
- Mood swings, personality changes
- Impaired judgment
- Significant weight loss
Recommended Supplements
While eating a healthy diet and regular exercise helps to manage Huntington’s disease, it is not enough to keep you fit and healthy. Supplements are essential for managing Huntington’s disease and reducing its symptoms. But it should be kept in mind that supplements should not be used to replace the treatment for Huntington’s disease. It is not always true that natural products are safe for use. Many products can react with your body and produce an adverse reaction. Thus, it is better to be safe and consult your before starting to use any supplements for managing your condition.
The following supplements have proven to benefit people with Huntington’s disease:
ACETYL L-CARNITINE 500 MG VEGETABLE CAPSULES
Acetyl L-Carnitine is an essential amino acid that naturally occurs in human body. It not only makes sure the human body always gets the required amount of energy by supporting the process of energy production, but is also found to be highly effective in overcoming health issues, such as memory loss, various mental disorders, stress and depression.
B-COMPLEX 100 VEGETABLE CAPSULES
These capsules are great source of the entire range of B vitamins. Vitamin B3 is thought to help people suffering from Huntington’s disease by controlling the portion of the brain that is affected by it. B-complex capsules also improve cognitive functions of the brain.
Vitamin E
Patients suffering from Huntington’s disease are often prescribed vitamin E supplements because it helps stimulating neurological patterns and connection. As a result, the degeneration process of nerve cells is slowed down to a great extent.
Green Tea
Green tea is highly effective in overcoming the psychological effects, such as anxiety, and stress, caused by the Huntington’s disease. It has been found to help in preventing the disease from becoming worse.
CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 improves the functioning of brain, kidney, liver and heart and has been found effective in both preventing and improving the Huntington’s disease. Natural sources of CoQ10 include olive oil, soybean oil, and in different meats.
The above natural supplements are known to help in controlling and managing Huntington’s disease, but you should exercise proper caution and ask your doctor before adding any such supplements to your diet. Herbs have lasting and strong effects on the body and can also interact with other drugs and medications, causing dangerous and adverse reactions. If you use any medication for your disease, talk to your doctor before you decide to start any supplements or herbal products to manage your health condition.