Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint and was originally published on July 2, 2023.
In this video, an interview with Dr. Dale Bredesen, a neurologist specializing in Alzheimer’s treatment, is featured. In 2014, Dr. Bredesen published a paper demonstrating the impact of lifestyle choices on preventing and treating Alzheimer’s. By implementing 36 healthy lifestyle parameters, he successfully reversed Alzheimer’s in nine out of 10 patients.
Randomized Trial Launch Aims to Track and Reverse Cognitive Decline
Dr. Bredesen’s team has published another proof-of-concept paper and is initiating a randomized, controlled trial at six sites across the United States.
The trial will focus on assessing biological aging, brain aging, and epigenetics through the use of novel blood tests like phospho-tau 181, phospho-tau 217, A-beta 42 to 40 ratio, GFAP, and NF-L. These tests will help in early detection and monitoring without the need for a PET scan.
Dr. Bredesen emphasizes the importance of tracking improvements and reversing cognitive decline, highlighting the significance of preventive measures and the potential for reversing neurodegenerative processes.
Valuable Tests to Detect Early Signs of Cognitive Decline
Several key tests can provide early insights into brain health, including the GFAP test, phospho-tau tests, genetic testing for APOE status, and hormone and toxin testing.
Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire
Dr. Bredesen’s research challenges the conventional belief that elevated tau and beta-amyloid are causative factors in Alzheimer’s, suggesting they are responses and mediators instead of root causes. Alzheimer’s is attributed to multiple upstream contributors, including inflammation, infections, insulin resistance, leaky gut, reduced blood flow, and diminished mitochondrial function.
Dr. Bredesen’s protocol for preventing and treating Alzheimer’s focuses on supporting energy and reducing inflammation in the brain. Dietary intervention plays a crucial role, with a plant-rich, mildly ketogenic diet being recommended, known as KetoFLEX 12/3.
Overall, Dr. Bredesen’s approach to Alzheimer’s treatment emphasizes lifestyle choices, early detection, and personalized interventions to address cognitive decline effectively.
I firmly believe that keeping omega-6 PUFs low, below 2% or even 1% of daily calories, is essential for optimal health.
For individuals with dementia, it is crucial to exercise even more caution, as linoleic acid (LA) seems to be the primary dietary source of factors contributing to Alzheimer’s, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and issues with electron transport chain that hinder ATP production efficiency.
To learn more about this topic, refer to the interview and/or read “Linoleic Acid — The Most Destructive Ingredient in Your Diet.”
• Reassessing omega fat intake and extended keto — I am skeptical of the commonly suggested omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and believe that simply increasing omega-3 intake does not counter the damage caused by omega-6 fats. Additionally, most omega-3 supplements, particularly fish oil, are of poor quality, so ensuring high-quality omega-3 intake is crucial.
Furthermore, I have realized the importance of carbohydrates for brain health, including simple carbs from whole fruits, and the potential downsides of prolonged keto diets. It is important to note that Bredesen’s dietary recommendations are based on his research and may not align with my own views.
• Exercise — Bredesen has observed positive outcomes with KAATSU (blood flow restriction training) and exercise with oxygen therapy (EWOT).
• Sleep optimization — Addressing sleep apnea is crucial as it contributes to cognitive decline by reducing brain oxygen levels and increasing adrenaline during sleep.
Bredesen emphasizes the significance of avoiding fructose. In March 2023, Dr. Richard Johnson, Bredesen, Dr. David Perlmutter, and other co-authors published a paper on Alzheimer’s disease and its link to intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism as an evolutionary survival pathway maladaptation.
• Fructose signals the body to store fat and decrease ATP production — Metabolizing fructose prompts the body to store fat and reduce ATP production, mimicking an energy crisis response.
Lower ATP levels can contribute to cognitive decline, especially since the brain is energy-intensive, and reducing ATP production can lead to dysfunction and neurodegeneration.
• Fructose metabolism mirrors Alzheimer’s disease changes — Excessive fructose consumption causes brain changes similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s patients, underscoring the impact of dietary choices on neurodegenerative disease prevention.
Your main sources of energy are fats and carbohydrates, and the Randle cycle determines which one your cells will burn. When your diet contains more than 30% to 35% fat, your body switches to fat metabolism, burning fat in your mitochondria instead of glucose. Excess glucose is then directed into glycolysis and released into your blood.
Eating a high amount of fruit and fat simultaneously is not recommended. The issue lies in consuming excessive amounts of both fructose and fat together. If you increase your fruit intake, you should also decrease your fat intake to ensure the sugar can be used as fuel.
Individual factors such as metabolic flexibility, toxicity, and microbiome can impact your carbohydrate tolerance. Additionally, polyunsaturated fats (PUFs) may contribute to metabolic dysfunction and induce torpor, similar to high-fructose corn syrup.
Fructose from fruit behaves differently than high-fructose corn syrup. While fruit has been bred to contain more sugar, it still retains beneficial fiber and does not have the same negative effects as processed foods.
For more information on the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup and why it should be removed from our food supply, you can read the article “Why High-Fructose Corn Syrup Must Be Removed from Our Food.”
Methylene blue, niacinamide, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and glycine are treatment options favored by Bredesen. Methylene blue supports mitochondrial function, niacinamide raises NAD+ levels for energy production, and NAC and glycine can help increase glutathione levels.
Bredesen is involved in launching a Precision Medicine Program at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California. The program aims to prevent and treat chronic conditions, focusing on prevention and early treatment stages.
Alzheimer’s disease progresses through four stages, with prevention and treatment being most effective during the presymptomatic and subjective cognitive impairment phases. Mild cognitive impairment is a late stage of Alzheimer’s, and while reversal is possible, it becomes more challenging as the disease progresses. Even small improvements in cognitive function can be life-changing for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Ella está en un hogar de ancianos.
Usamos el protocolo que desarrollaste, ella solo mejoró un poco, ¡pero sus síntomas estaban mucho mejor! ¡Podía vestirse sola, podía hablar de nuevo, podía interactuar!
• Los mejores resultados se obtienen con una intervención temprana — Mientras que los pacientes en etapas más avanzadas aún ven beneficios, comenzar el tratamiento temprano ofrece la mayor posibilidad de reversión completa. Bredesen señaló:
“Así que no digo que haya un límite, pero es mucho más difícil por debajo de 16. Puedes obtener algunas mejoras subjetivas dramáticas. Y de nuevo, hemos visto a personas pasar de 15 a 27. Así que, sucede, es solo que es más difícil mientras más tiempo esperes, por eso animamos a todos a venir temprano. Si todos vinieran en esas dos primeras fases — prevención o SCI — la demencia sería un problema raro.”
En una nota relacionada, las revelaciones han puesto en duda la investigación sobre el Alzheimer de larga data. Para obtener más información sobre cómo los estudios defectuosos pueden haber engañado a la comunidad científica, lee “Estudio del Alzheimer Retirado Después de Evidencia de Manipulación de Datos.”
Preguntas Frecuentes (FAQs) Sobre la Prevención y Tratamiento del Alzheimer
P: ¿Se puede revertir el Alzheimer?
R: Sí, la investigación del Dr. Bredesen muestra que abordar los factores de estilo de vida revierte el deterioro cognitivo en etapas tempranas, especialmente en la fase de deterioro cognitivo subjetivo (SCI).
P: ¿Es el beta-amiloide la causa principal del Alzheimer?
R: No, el beta-amiloide es una respuesta al estrés cerebral, no la causa principal. Los verdaderos impulsores incluyen la inflamación, las infecciones, la resistencia a la insulina y la disfunción mitocondrial.
P: ¿Por qué es perjudicial la fructosa para la salud cerebral?
R: El exceso de fructosa, especialmente del jarabe de maíz con alto contenido de fructosa, reduce la producción de ATP y desencadena el almacenamiento de grasa, lo que contribuye al deterioro cognitivo.
P: ¿Pueden las infecciones contribuir al Alzheimer?
R: Sí. Patógenos orales como P. gingivalis, virus del herpes e infecciones transmitidas por garrapatas alimentan la inflamación crónica y contribuyen a la neurodegeneración.
P: ¿Qué suplementos ayudan a apoyar la salud cerebral?
R: El azul de metileno, niacinamida, NAC, glicina y omega-3 de alta calidad apoyan la función mitocondrial y la energética cerebral.