Hmm, don’t know about that saliva test, either. I’d think it would be available from someone, at least in the near future. Perhaps you have to be part of a study to do it.
That’s awesome that you’ve been taking curcumin for 10 years already. I’m off to the clinic to get some right now!
@bluebayou Wish it’s that simple! You get 8% increase but you lose out 4-5 years of benefits at the outset. I am sure everyone has seen a chart comparing wealth between two scenarios, one starts saving early but stops after 6 years, the other starts late and takes a long time to just catch up. 4-5 years of lost benefits may not sound much but if time works its magic, it may balloon!
Get the stuff that used the “Longvida” formulation, it has the highest bio-availability.
The break-even point is generally in the 81-83 year old range, depending on your assumptions in calculating it.
It’s a gamble - if you think you will live to be older than 82 or so, you will get more in total by waiting. If you don’t think you will make it to 82 or so, you are better off not delaying.
There are other considerations like a potential spousal benefit. In DW’s family, the women live practically forever. My benefit will be higher than hers, so it will be better for her in the long run if I delay as that will give her a higher spousal benefit since it is likely she will outlive me and live to at least 90.
Interesting, never heard of the Longvida formulation, but it looks like it’s all over the internet when I google it. I wonder what the appropriate amount is to take. My husband takes capsules that are 1050 mg, but I don’t see Longvida formulation on the container.
Correct.
And your point about the spousal benefit is also spot-on. (Most folks forget to include that in their assumptions.)
Yes but how do they calculate the breakeven point? I am guessing the actuaries come in and calculate what is equivalent. When they do that, do they take into consideration that the fund may be invested if taken early and include the possible earnings? When you consider all these, I don’t think any one age wins out drastically, 66 or 70. If there’s advantage, it may not be so great to inconvenience yourself if delaying is inconvenient.
the whole link did not copy
I couldn’t read anything on the link.
@notrichenough, what brand of curcumin do you take? You’ve obviously done more research on this than I.
Fixed link:
[Dementia prevention, intervention, and care](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)31363-6/abstract)
I don’t feel like signing up for an account to get the whole article.
I think the assumption is that you aren’t banking the money. You could, but you’d have to replace it with other savings, so it’s a wash. If you can save the whole amount then that could push the breakeven later, I suppose.
See this for charts comparing the break-evens on a dollar-collected basis for different retirement ages and FRA:
https://financialducksinarow.com/10942/break-even-points-for-social-security-filing-ages/
[Now Foods CurcuBrain](https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-CurcuBrain-Cognitive-Support-400-mg-50-Veg-Capsules/57292)
The link between NSAIDs and lower levels of AD came from observations made in early nineties that RA patients had lower incidents of AD. Curcumin is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties; its benefits as AD preventative compound are still being studied:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/curcumin
“There is currently no substantial evidence showing that curcumin may improve cognitive performance in older adults with or without cognitive impairments. Yet, some preclinical studies have found curcumin prevented or reversed certain pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A number of clinical trials designed to assess whether curcumin might help prevent or treat AD are under way. (More information).”
This paper is a little more positive:
[The effect of curcumin (turmeric) on Alzheimer’s disease: An overview](The effect of curcumin (turmeric) on Alzheimer's disease: An overview - PMC)
Thanks, @busdriver11 . Time for springtime photos.
As for naturopathic supplements, if there were compelling, well validated, replicated well conducted scientific research studies documenting the true benefit of supplements in aiding cognitive sparing, the pharmaceutical industry would be all over it. At present, diet and exercise (physical and intellectual) are generally considered the ideal ways of maintaining cognitive health.
And AChEs have been long known to aggravate cognitive decline as ACh deficiency in the brain is a primary cause of cognitive decline in AD. Some older generation antidepressants were AChEs. Newer generation antidepressants are mote typically SSRIs or SNRIs, and work on different neurotransmitters.
This study apparently is the first one to quantify those effects.
"do they take into consideration that the fund may be invested if taken early and include the possible earnings? "
Depends on interest rates and inflation over that time period. Earning 8% risk free certainly isn’t doable today.
I told my sister to start drawing SS as soon as she retired. Their financial planner saw them later, and she was able to file with a look back. Her H is 80 and has been on pension and SS for years. She is able to pay for teacher benefit insurance, and then at 65 go on Medicare with the supplement insurance.
H and I will both be 65 in same year, and retire at my birthday month. both drawing SS and having Medicare at same time.
Using SS instead of our retirement funds does allow retirement funds to grow. Also you don’t know what will happen to SS, but if you are already drawing a benefit, it would be harder to pull that away.
Yes, if you live a very long time there is the extra sum for waiting, but looking at risk/reward - many suggest drawing SS as soon as you retire (or if you are a young retiree, once you are eligible for SS).