Alzheimer's Genes: Know Your Risk

Do you know your ApoE status? If the answer is 'no,' please stop reading this and go do that now.

The ApoE gene (along with others) has a very strong correlation with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). When you do testing you get two copies of the ApoE gene - one from mom and one from dad.

Here is how you should look at it:

ApoE2/2: Lower risk of Alzheimer’s

ApoE2/3: Slightly lower risk of Alzheimer’s

ApoE3/3: Neutral risk of Alzheimer’s (equal to the average US population)

ApoE3/4: 2-3 fold increase in risk of Alzheimer’s ( compared to E3/3)

ApoE4/4: 6 fold increase in risk of Alzheimer’s!!!!

This is the thing. There is no pharmaceutical treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. So knowing your risk today can help you prepare and prevent it later. Unfortunately I carry one copy of the ApoE4 gene, so my risk is 2-4 fold of the average. Additionally my late father died from an aggressive dementia. Family history plus an ApoE4 gene - I have to be super diligent in fighting this deadly illness.

What should you do

Ask your doctor to test for your ApoE. Labcorp, Quest and most labs do this. If you have an ApoE4 allele, this is how you prevent it:

• Low insulin (low carb) diet
  AD is now being treated as a type of diabetes AKA Type 3 diabetes.

• Exercise 5-7x week
  Exercises increases BDNF which helps brain cells grow.

• Sleep 7-8 hrs/night
  Sleep deprivation causes long term brain degradation (decreases Hippocampal volume, the part of the brain impacted by AD)

• Keep Homocysteine down
  Check your homocysteine levels and make sure you’re supplementing with the right forms of methylB12, Methylfolate, vitamin B6.

• Magnesium L-Threonate
  This form of magnesium is most bioavailable to the brain

• Antioxidants from berries
  Polyphenols and anthoycanains protect the brain from oxidative damage.

• Check your heavy metals
  These are known neurotoxins!

• Check your cholesterol in check (LDL-particle, ApoB, LDL particle size)
  Those with an ApoE4 genotype are also at a higher risk of heart disease. Both play a factor in AD.

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