Hi, this is Teri. I am a 3rd generation Alzheimer’s Survivor and a co-caregiver of a parent who is surviving and thriving despite having Alzheimer’s Disease.
Let’s start by remembering that Alzheimer’s Disease is not a single thing. Years of research show that you cannot point to 1 single thing as the cause of Alzheimer’s Disease. For years the healthcare industry agreed that the unifying component of Alzheimer’s Disease was age. Sadly, many groups still define Alzheimer’s Disease as an old age disease. When in reality the most common person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease is a 52-year-old female (example picture below).
Alzheimer’s Disease is not something you will wake up with one day after you turn 80 (example picture below). Most people slowly develop Alzheimer’s Disease over 20 – 30 years. The 52-year-old female we met in the previous paragraph was 22-32 when the beginning of Alzheimer’s Disease was triggered in her brain.
When I look at the next 2 pictures below of a 22 and a 32-year-old female, it is upsetting to think that she could be unknowingly triggering Alzheimer’s Disease in her brain. At this age, these women are usually busy establishing their careers or starting their families at this age. They both have their entire life ahead of them.
Last week we broke Alzheimer’s Disease down into 5 different stages. As I said then, I find it easier to differentiate the types and symptoms to address what caused it. Here is a brief recap:
Type 1
Type 1’s primary characteristic is inflammation.
Type 2
Type 2’s primary characteristic is low levels of nutrients, hormone factors, and/or trophic factors.
Type 1.5
Type 1.5’s primary characteristic is insulin resistance (diabetes
Type 3
Type 3’s primary characteristic is exposure to toxins.
Type 4
Type 4’s primary characteristic is low blood flow to the brain.
Type 5
Type 5’s primary characteristic is brain damage.
This week we will review what causes Alzheimer’s Disease in Type 1, Type 2 & Type 1.5 Alzheimer’s Disease.
Type 1
Type 1’s primary characteristic is inflammation.
What is inflammation?
Harvard Medical School explains inflammation like this: “Think of inflammation as the body's natural response to protect itself against harm. There are two types: acute and chronic. You're probably more familiar with the acute type, which occurs when you bang your knee or cut your finger. Your immune system dispatches an army of white blood cells to surround and protect the area, creating visible redness and swelling. The process works similarly if you have an infection like the flu or pneumonia. So in these settings, inflammation is essential—without it, injuries could fester and simple infections could be deadly.”
The inflammation could come from many different factors. It may start from a leaky gut, chronic sinusitis, a poor oral microbiome with chronic poor oral health. It can be a systemic infection or any number of other undiagnosed chronic infections. Any of these things can contribute to inflammation in your body.
Types of Inflammation
Acute Inflammation
Acute inflammation is a healthy and necessary function that helps the body attack bacteria and other foreign substances in the body. Once the body has healed, the inflammation resolves. Acute inflammation can cause heat or warmth in the affected area. For example, an injured part of your body might feel warm to the touch. Sometimes, the heat is caused by a fever.
A few examples of common conditions that can cause acute inflammation include:
- Acute bronchitis
- An infected body part
- A sore throat related to the flu or another viral infection
- Dermatitis
- Physical trauma
- Sinusitis
- Skin cuts and scratches
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation may continue to attack healthy areas if it doesn't "turn off." It may not be as visible as acute inflammation.
A few examples of chronic inflammatory conditions include:
- Inflammatory arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriatic arthritis)
- Asthma
- Periodontitis (inflammation of gums and other supporting teeth structures)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which cause signs of inflammation in the GI tract)
- Eczema
Issues with chronic inflammation tend to run in families as it is common in people who carry one or two ApoE4 alleles (ApoE in itself is considered an inflammatory gene).
Type 2
Type 2’s primary characteristic is low levels of nutrients, hormone imbalances, and/or trophic factors.
Malnutrition
Why would someone living in a wealthy first-world country experience low levels of nutrition? While most people in the US have plenty to eat. The food they chose does not provide the nutrition they need. A steady diet of fast food will not provide you and your family with the nutrition you need. But neither will the processed food we prepare at home.
We consider a homemade meal something that is assembled with processed components, at home. An example is your standard crock pot meal. Many start with a protein, cans of processed soup, processed cream cheese, a packet or two of freeze-dried soup mix, or spice packets containing MSG. Sometimes frozen vegetables are added. This combination is left to cook for 6-8 hours. About 30 minutes to an hour before mealtime, processed pasta and more processed cheese is added. It smells great, fills your belly, and is considered a win for the entire family. However, the original protein and vegetables have very little nutritional value after cooking for 8 hours.
A steady diet of food with little to no nutrition will leave an individual hungry all the time. Encouraging them to eat overly processed food all day and develop obesity. Obesity leads to insulin resistance (diabetes).
Hormone Imbalance
How do you know that your hormones are imbalanced?
Hormonal imbalances can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
- Metabolism: Unexplained weight gain or loss, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, and irregular body fat distribution
- Skin: Dry, coarse, or thin skin, skin tags, and darkened skin in the armpits or neck
- Mood: Mood swings, depression, anxiety, or irritability
- Menstrual cycle: Heavy or painful periods, irregular periods, or pain during menstruation
- Fertility: Low libido or infertility
- Sleep: Insomnia or poor-quality sleep
Other: Headaches, muscle weakness, joint pain, and blurred vision
Hormonal shifts are normal at certain times of life, such as before and during menstruation, during pregnancy, or during menopause & andropause (male menopause). Also, some medications and health issues can cause hormonal shifts.
Trophic Factors
What are trophic factors?
The NIH explains: “The various neurotrophic factors influence a wide range of cell functions in the developing, mature, and injured nervous system. Recent studies have provided valuable insights on the receptors that mediate these effects and on the intracellular events that follow the binding of the ligand. Although growth factors were known to be expressed by non-neuronal cells in the targets and pathways of neuronal projections, it is now clear that the neurons themselves can also be a source of these molecules. A better understanding of the mechanisms of action of trophic factors on the survival and differentiation of neurons, coupled with advances in methods for the delivery of these molecules to the nervous system have provided an impetus for exploring their use as aids to the protection and regeneration of the injured nervous system.”
The Beavis that lives inside of my brain just read that and left the room to eat a handful of sugar and escape into Cornholio mode. What does that mean?
Simply put, trophic factors control the development and survival of specific groups of neurons.
Trophic factors are small proteins that play crucial roles in the growth, survival, and function of neurons in the nervous system. They are also known as neurotrophic factors or growth factors.
These factors are typically secreted by various cells, including neurons and glial cells (non-neuronal cells), and they act upon specific receptors on the surface of neurons.
The main functions of trophic factors include:
- Promoting Neuronal Survival: They help neurons survive by preventing cell death (apoptosis) triggered by various factors such as lack of nutrients or injury.
- Supporting Neuronal Growth and Differentiation: Trophic factors can stimulate the growth of axons and dendrites, the long projections of neurons that form connections with other neurons.
- Modulating Synaptic Plasticity: They can influence the strength and efficacy of synaptic connections between neurons, which is important for learning and memory.
- Repairing and Regenerating Neurons: Trophic factors are involved in the regeneration of damaged neurons after injury or disease.
Examples of trophic factors include nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). Each of these factors acts through specific receptors on neurons to exert their effects.
Overall, trophic factors are essential for the development, maintenance, and repair of the nervous system throughout life. If your trophic factors have begun to fail, your brain begins to atrophy.
Type 2 also occurs more frequently in those who carry one or two copies of the ApoE4 allele, but the symptoms tend to initiate about a decade later than the inflammatory Type 1.
Type 1.5
Type 1.5’s primary characteristic is insulin resistance (diabetes). Type 1 and Type 2 Alzheimer’s Disease can occur together – often seen with neural inflammation in addition to the reduced support for brain synapses.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period. This condition arises either due to insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas or the body's cells becoming resistant to the action of insulin, or both.
Here are the key points about diabetes:
- Types of Diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes: This results from the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. People with type 1 diabetes require daily insulin injections for survival.
- Type 2 Diabetes: This is characterized by insulin resistance, where the body's cells do not respond effectively to insulin. Initially, the pancreas compensates by producing more insulin, but over time, it may not be able to keep up with demand.
- Causes:
- Type 1 Diabetes: The exact cause is not fully understood, but it involves genetic predisposition and environmental factors that trigger an autoimmune reaction. Type 1 diabetes develops in children AND adults.
- Type 2 Diabetes: Risk factors include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, genetic predisposition, and increasing age.
- Symptoms:
- Increased thirst and frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Slow healing of wounds
- Frequent infections
- Complications:
- Long-term uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious complications affecting various organs:
- Cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke)
- Kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy)
- Nerve damage (neuropathy)
- Eye damage (diabetic retinopathy)
- Foot damage (diabetic foot)
- Skin conditions
- Hearing impairment
- Alzheimer's disease
- Management:
- Type 1 Diabetes: Requires daily insulin injections or use of an insulin pump, regular blood sugar monitoring, balanced diet, and exercise.
- Type 2 Diabetes: Initially managed with lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) and may progress to oral medications or insulin therapy if blood sugar levels cannot be controlled sufficiently.
- Prevention:
- Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented.
- Type 2 diabetes can often be prevented or delayed through maintaining a healthy weight, regular physical activity, and a balanced diet.
Diabetes requires lifelong management to prevent complications and maintain good quality of life. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels, adherence to treatment plans, and lifestyle modifications are essential for effectively managing the condition.
If you find that you are experiencing symptoms consistent with diabetes you must see an endocrinologist! Much has changed in the world of diabetes management in the last 5 years. Primary Care Providers are amazing doctors. I believe they do not have the experience and training required to treat diabetes.
I confidently say this from my own experience. I was officially diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic in 2019. When I was diagnosed my blood sugar was out of control! I had highs that would startle you! The truth is, I had those highs for years I just did not know it. I did not have health insurance and denied the truth to myself. Once diagnosed I found a very well-respected primary care doctor. He and his nurses worked with me to teach me the importance of checking my blood sugar twice a day. I was instructed to begin injecting a long-acting insulin every night about 2 hours after I ate. My blood sugar came down and I was encouraged to keep my A1C at or about 7. My doctor and his staff were following the current protocols. Then Covid hit and the world fell apart.
My primary care provider was not accepting appointments, returning calls, or refilling prescriptions. Two weeks of lockdowns were quickly extended to months of lockdowns. For me, that was months of lockdowns without the medication I needed. I left that provider and started working with another. This time a much more respected doctor and his staff of PAs. Both providers assumed that since I am an adult in my 50’s, I am a type 2 diabetic. They carefully evaluated me changed my medication and added Ozempic to the mix. Again, following the appropriate protocols they researched and were confident were the best solutions for type 2 diabetes.
Over the next 6 months, I experienced unbelievable GI pain and constant issues. I begged for referrals to a GI doctor but was denied. I only lost 7 pounds on Ozempic, my blood sugar was steadily inching up, I had COVID-19, and was simply miserable. Until one day after not being able to keep anything down for a few days and unbelievable pain, I went to the ER. Finally, with the results from the CT scan, I found a new primary care doctor. This guy was horrible and mismanaged my diabetes worse than ever before. However, he did not deny the referral to a GI doctor.
I waited months to get in and even longer to get the tests I needed to learn what was going on inside of my gut. But he was the one who said I needed an Endocrinologist and demanded that my doctor write the referral to the doctor I work with now.
Between the GI doctor and my Endocrinologist, I learned that I am not a Type 2 diabetic. I am a Type 1.5 diabetic or an adult with Type 1 diabetes. My GI issues have been resolved with lifestyle and nutritional changes. I was prescribed an OmniPod 5 insulin pump and a constant glucose monitoring device (gcm). My blood sugar ranges between 95 and 105 all day except after I eat my 1 meal a day. But the highs after I eat are much lower than my lowest reading before I started receiving the appropriate care.
I tell you this to say your Primary Care Provider is not a bad doctor. They are providing the care they are told to provide. However, they are not experts in diabetes management. My research and personal experience say:
- If you look down and cannot see your toes, you need a very thorough evaluation for insulin resistance.
- If you have skin tags, you need a very thorough evaluation for insulin resistance.
- If you are always thirsty, you need a very thorough evaluation for insulin resistance.
- If you crave sugary food, you need a very thorough evaluation for insulin resistance.
- If you get up to pee more than once at night, you need a very thorough evaluation for insulin resistance.
- Fasting glucose tests or a simple A1C test are not enough. You need to wear a constant glucose monitoring device for at least 10 days. Your doctor will see your accurate highs and lows and have better information to diagnose you and create a treatment plan.
- Demand your primary care provider provide you with the referral. Your brain health depends on it!
I still encourage you to purchase Dr. Dale Bredesen’s books. Or go to his website and read through everything. If not for yourself, for a friend or family member. 1 in 3 people will die from Alzheimer’s Disease. We all must do what we can to reduce those numbers.
Here are the links to purchase the books on Amazon and the link to Dr. Bredesen’s website.
The End of Alzheimer’s 2 Books Collection Set By Dale Bredesen Paperback – October 26, 2023
LINK:
The End of Alzheimer's Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at AnyAge Paperback – September 6, 2022
LINK:
Dr. Bredesen’s Website