ALS and Parkinson’s disease are said to be intractable diseases, which are difficult to cure and for which no treatment method has been established.

The government is taking various measures against these diseases, such as conducting research through the Research and Development Project for Specified Diseases and establishing a medical subsidy system for intractable diseases by enacting the Law Concerning Medical Care for Patients with Intractable Diseases in 2015.

It is well known that lowering oxidative stress in the body is linked to beauty and anti-aging, and data is beginning to show that it can be effective even for such diseases that are difficult to treat.

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

There is a disease called ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), in which patients have extremely high levels of oxidative stress in their blood. In these patients, the oxidative stress in the blood is extremely high, and inflammation occurs in the so-called diseased spinal cord.

Therefore, data has recently begun to show that the progression of the disease can be halted to some extent by lowering oxidative stress.

Parkinson’s Disease

There is a disease called Parkinson’s disease. There are several types of Parkinson’s disease, and about 60% of patients have high levels of oxidative stress.

It is said that this is because inflammation occurs in the part of the brain that is the main body of Parkinson’s disease.

At present, data is being gathered that by lowering oxidative stress, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease patients can be slightly improved.

Diseases under study in the Joint Research Chair, Antioxidant Research Division

More than 150 diseases related to oxidative stress are currently known to exist.

ALS and Parkinson’s disease mentioned above are currently under research.

We are also conducting research on the following diseases.

・Dementia
・Sleep apnea syndrome
・Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis)
・Chronic inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)
・Chronic fatigue syndrome
・Cancer (improvement of fatigue and appetite in terminal stage)
・Thyroid disease (Graves’ disease, adenocarcinoma)
・Diabetes mellitus (lowering of blood glucose level and HbA1c, peripheral neuropathy)
・Hypertension
・Pregnancy-related (hyperemesis gravidarum, pruritus)
・Liver disease (NASH, cirrhosis)
・Hay fever
・Asthma

At present, the Antioxidant Research Division of the Joint Research Department of Gifu University is working with research institutes to obtain evidence of lowering oxidative stress in people with various conditions.

We are planning to publish the results as soon as we have some evidence.