Book Review: The End of Alzheimer's by Dale Bredensen, MD
Introduction
After reading this book, one thing was clear, I didn't even know what Alzheimer’s was. One of my patients recommended this book to me saying that it was nutrition related, and since I do read a lot I figured I would give it a shot- It did not disappoint. I then heard either Casey or Calley reference it on a podcast a few months after I read it, which just added more weight to how important this book is.
What Alzheimer’s Actually Is:
The most important thing to note here is that amyloid-beta is actually protective for the brain, most medications were developed to stop the formation of amyloid beta or clear it from the brain, however the only reason it’s there in the first place is because it’s a protective response to inflammation. Things such as suboptimal nutrients, suboptimal hormone levels, toxic compounds (anything from virus to bacteria to mold to microplastics) lead to the inflammation which then causes an increase in amyloid-beta (there are a few more in-between steps that I am skipping over). With an increase in amyloid, there is an imbalance in how many synapses are broken down vs built up (think of osteoporosis where bone is broken down faster than it’s built up). Over time this leads to MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and eventually full blown Alzheimer’s.
4 Variations of Alzheimer’s:
Type 1: Inflammatory: this is most commonly found in people who have one or two of the ApoE4 allele (this is heritable). Symptoms generally begin in the late 40s or early 50s and are typically associated with a lack of ability to store new information. Abnormal biomarkers we see a lot with this type include c-reactive protein, albumin, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, and insulin resistance.
Type 2: Atrophic: this is similar to type one in terms of it’s generally found in people with the ApoE4 allele, however onset is generally late 50s to early 60s. Symptoms generally include inability to store new memories. The major difference is there is no increase in inflammation, the typical biomarkers that are abnormal here are hormones (thyroid, and sex hormones), vitamin d, insulin resistance, and homocysteine.
Type 1.5: Glycotoxic: glucose is chronically high, high levels of insulin (insulin resistance) and the symptoms are similar to type 1 and 2- there is a theory that Alzheimer’s is type 3 diabetes, and this variation most likely falls into that category.
Type 3: Toxic: This is actually typically found in those who carry EpoE3. The symptoms here are much more dramatic, it has memory loss/inability to form new memories, but also speaking, writing, reading and ect Are all affected immediately. It is associated with low levels of zinc and high copper, low cortisol, high reverse T3, and most importantly, as the name suggests, high levels of toxic chemicals in the blood, such as mercury, and mycotoxins.
Actionable Takeaways:
At about the age of 45, do a full complete panel of testing, to figure out what biomarkers are off and try to adjust lifestyle accordingly.
Nutritionally try to minimize seed oils, simple sugars, and grains
Make sure you are getting adequate sleep
Make sure you are getting adequate exercise
Try to have a healthy gut (leaky gut is a major risk factor)
Conclussion:
Early stage Alzheimer’s is typically reversible with the right diet and lifestyle interventions (see book for more haha). This is something I was not aware of going into this book, and this was my biggest takeaway personally. I would say most of the stuff in this book can be applied anytime and the author overall is just pushing for a healthy lifestyle.
Amazon link The End of Alzheimer's by Dale Bredensen, MD
The End of Alzheimer's by Dale Bredensen, MD