How to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
While we know quite a bit about the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease, conventional neurology has not found any successful strategies or medications that prevent or reverse or cure the patient suffering with dementia or Alzheimer’s. The most effective way to prevent and possibly reverse dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease is the Functional Medicine approach taken by Dr; Dale Bredesen in his ReCode protocol. Dr. Bredesen has written a popular book, The End of Alzheimer’s, that explains his approach that looks at 36 different metabolic factors that can influence neurological health and result in Alzheimer’s Disease.
We know that a buildup of Amyloid protein around the neurons in the brain, forming plaques, and an accumulation of Tau protein within neurons forming tangles are the physiological processes involved in the Alzheimer disease process. This much we know. What is not as clear is what causes it and how to prevent these proteins from accumulating. Conventional neurological research has been looking for the one pathway that causes this for a number of years, so they can then develop a drug that blocks that pathway. But this approach has not yielded any drugs that prevent or reverse the disease process, despite many billions of dollars of research.
Among the factors that Dr. Bredesen recommends looking at or screening for includes genetics (including ApoE), inflammation (HsCRP), food sensitivities, infections, heavy metals and other toxins, Homocysteine, fasting blood sugar and insulin, hormones, nutrient status (omega 3, vit D, vit B12, folate, the zinc copper ratio, etc.), the microbiota, the blood brain barrier, and sleep, among other factors. Amyloid PET scan and brain MRI with volumetrics can help with diagnosis. Dr. Bredesen looks at so many different factors because if your home has 36 holes in the roof and you only patch one, you will still have rain get in.
Dr. Bredesen is essentially taking a comprehensive Functional Medicine approach to Alzheimer’s Disease. It represents the biggest breakthrough in treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. Unfortunately it is complicated, since it doesn’t focus on one pathway and one drug that blocks it. And it doesn’t fit neatly into our medical system and a 10 minute office visit concluding with a prescription. Dr. Weitz is very familiar with these protocols and testing and is available for Functional Medicine consultations for patients with early signs of dementia, like memory problems.
