Copyright by Arlene R. Taylor, PhD

Although Dementia and Alzheimer’s share some common symptoms, there are differences. Dementia is a syndrome that causes memory loss, impaired reasoning, or personality changes. There are several types:

• Vascular dementia, involving high blood pressure.
• Alcoholic dementia, related to alcohol consumption.
• Parkinson’s dementia related to Lewy bodies in brain cells.
• Frontotemporal dementia, involving shrinkage of frontal and temporal lobes.
• Alzheimer’s Disease that accounts for 60-80% of current forms of dementia.

Imagine that you have a briefcase containing several internal sections. The briefcase represents dementia. One of the internal sections in the brief case represents Alzheimer’s disease. 2022 estimates were that 10.7% of people aged 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s disease. Of the 6.5 million Americans with Alzheimer’s, 4 million are female and 2.5 million are males. Every 65 seconds another individual in the US develops Alzheimer’s. By the end of 2022, the cost of Alzheimer’s in the US will probably have amounted to $321 billion. California has the highest number of cases—690,000. It is an ugly disease for the patient but also for everyone who knows and loves them—to say nothing of the loss of brain resources.

In the past, an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s (versus other dementias) was possible only by an autopsy in which doctors could identify the physical hallmarks of the disease; the beta amyloid and tau proteins that look like plaques and tangles. Recently, two additional diagnostic strategies have become available: a PET scan and a sampling of cerebrospinal fluid. They allow physicians to identify plaques and tangles with a reported 95% accuracy. Researchers have been trying to identify a cure, or at least something that controls the symptoms of the disease or that can reduce the amount of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. So far, little to nothing has been considered successful.

More recently, some researchers began investigating what might be done to prevent the development of plaques and tangles, as prevention beat cure. Is that possible? The conclusions from emerging studies point to lifestyle choices as potential triggers for the development of Alzheimer’s. Researched potential contributors—if not direct causes—include the following.

• The brains of patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease have been found to be high in fructose. Fructose is showing up as a definite suspect, as an increase in fructose levels, especially those from High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) can alter brain metabolism and negatively impact brain areas associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The high intake of salt, table sugar (50% glucose and 50% fructose), and processed high glycemic carbohydrates can stimulate the production of fructose in the brain.

• Aluminum has been linked with Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that aluminum is unquestionably neurotoxic, and an accepted cause of encephalopathies. Evidence now points to aluminum as a contributing factor in all forms of Alzheimer’s disease. Whether it is the cause is as yet unclear. Aluminum is known to act as a catalyst for an earlier onset of Alzheimer’s disease and has been identified in all cases studied. Alzheimer’s disease may not be an inevitable consequence of aging in the absence of a brain burden of aluminum.

• Acetate, the main component of vinegar, has been found responsible for promoting reactive astrogliosis in brain cells known as astrocytes. The changes produced can lead to dementia. Reactive astrocyte cells in the brain are a hallmark of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s, often preceding neuronal degeneration or cell death. You may be wise to avoid or minimize the intake of acetates, an ingredient found in vinegar, to help avoid neuroinflammation.

• Studies have shown that prior to the development of beta-amyloid and tau proteins, the brain shows lower glucose metabolism along with depletion of energy (ATP) that is stored in the cells. The alteration in brain metabolism that occurs before plaques and tangles arise may represent a significant contributor to the development of Alzheimer’s.

When asked to comment about emerging research and it’s potential to identify direct contributors to Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Richard Johnson at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus reportedly said, “To date, there has never been—to our knowledge—a single pathway identified that can explain the disease from start to finish. The wonderful part is that it suggests the disease should be preventable and potentially treatable, especially in the early stages of the disease.”

What can you do to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s?

• Avoid High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HVCS), which is 100% fructose and is metabolized in the liver. It can lead to a build-up of fats that can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, overweight, and obesity. Besides sugar, salt and high glycemic carbohydrates that can stimulate fructose production in the brain, studies have shown that consuming high doses of fructose, equal to 25% or more of total energy intake, can also significantly increase a bad type of cholesterol (apo B) in 14 days, compared with those who consumed glucose.

• Lean toward a Mediterranean diet that includes whole fruits and vegetables prepared as simply as possible, nuts and legumes, and preferably natural sourdough bread rather than commercial yeast-raised breads. Minimize highly refined and processed foods. Make water your beverage of choice.

• Avoid High Fructose Sugar, refined sugar, and sugar substitutes. Avoid or minimize colas, sweetened beverages, prepared cereals with added sugar, highly refined and processed desserts, candy, and other baked goods. Although 10 teaspoons per day of sugar is the recommended limit, at 2,000 calories a day, the average American ingests 70 grams or 15.8 teaspoons of added sugar per day, equaling 316 calories. The American Heart Association recommends that that men consume fewer than 37.5 grams or 7.5 teaspoons, equaling150 calories per day; and that women consume fewer than 25 grams or 5 teaspoons of added sugars per day, equaling 100 calories.

• Make lifestyle choices that minimize triggering inflammation where it is possible to do so.

• Avoid or minimize the use of aluminum products that touch your food. Select cookware that states it is made without aluminum (unless it is coated with a ceramic substance that does not contain PFAS chemicals that can increase inflammation and suppress immune system function).

• Avoid beverages sold in plastic containers. Carry water with you in stainless steel or glass containers.

• Read labels carefully. The fewer the number of items in the ingredients list, usually the better. Try for under five items.

Make no mistake, the brain absolutely requires glucose to generate energy and perform a myriad of chemical processes. Select healthier carbohydrates in particular and healthier foods that are lower on the Glycemic Index. These may include:

• Avocado
• Almonds and walnuts
• Whole fruits, as only 1-2% of ingested fructose reaches the brain
• Vegetables such as broccoli and beans in as natural a state as possible
• Seeds and whole grains
• Sourdough bread made with starter (rather than commercial yeast)

This is the first research I’ve seen that suggests Alzheimer’s may be preventable. Just imagine how life on Planet Earth would change if lifestyle choices can prevent or slow down the development of dementia, Alzheimer’s in particular! It appears that will require, however, a modification in lifestyle, especially in the way most individuals eat and drink.