Reducing Risk of Alzheimer's with Your Diet
When it comes to the brain and Alzheimer’s, I think we all can agree that it is something that we need to take seriously. Although no one knows why it comes about in some people, we can see that there are things we can do to decrease the risk of it happening. Here’s one interesting story from the BBC news :
Controlling the level of a fatty acid in the brain could help treat Alzheimer’s disease, an American study has suggested. Tests on mice showed that reducing excess levels of the acid lessened animals’ memory problems and behavioural changes……..They identified raised levels of a fatty acid called arachidonic acid in the brains of the Alzheimer’s mice: taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7676606.stm
This is quite interesting find. To see elevated levels of AA in brains of Alzheimer’s. AA is actually a form of the omega 6 family, and is PRO-inflammatory. So one could look at the results and say that there is an increase in pro-inflammatory markers in the brain (which I think we can all agree would not be a good thing). But is it the only clue to what is going on? Alzheimer’s in fact is now being called the third kind of diabetes with it’s link with insulin.
Insulin, it turns out, may be as important for the mind as it is for the body. Research in the last few years has raised the possibility that Alzheimer’s memory loss could be due to a novel third form of diabetes.
With other research showing that levels of brain insulin and its related receptors are lower in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, the Northwestern study sheds light on the emerging idea of Alzheimer’s being a “type 3″ diabetes.
from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070926113835.htm
Insulin and inflammation do run hand in hand. So could it be that insulin is the prime controlling agent for whether brain will function properly or not? Insulin will also drive more inflammatory markers, like the release of more AA (as seen above). It is by far the one hormone we have the most control over with our diet (as stated back in the post Insulin the one hormone you need to control). Excess levels of insulin will cause insulin resistance, which will cause more insulin release, which causes more insulin resistance…and the destructive cycle goes on. So for proper brain function, we need to control insulin (which could also explain why most people have more alertness and clarity when either eating smaller meals based on protein/fat/low carbs vs eating a big bowl of pasta or cereal).
So how do we protect our brains with our diet? Simple……and you already probably know much of what I am going to say next:
- Control insulin – avoid high carb intakes that will spike blood sugar (from processed carbs, sugars, sodas, etc). Eat more balanced meals based around healthy proteins, fats, fruits and vegetables. If you eat foods from nature….you should be ok. If you eat foods made by man (processed) you are going to be walking a fine line.
- Manage excess AA conversion – Too much AA in the body (pro-inflammatory omega 6) will also lead to more inflammation and destruction. AA is part of the Omega 6 family (which is not all bad). In fact we need some omega 6s and actually some is anti-inflammatory (GLA). AA is the last part of the down conversion of omega 6s from diets and here is the key. DGLA (2nd to last down state of dietary omega 6s) is not going to be as pro-inflammatory if it remains as in the body, BUT if insulin is HIGH then DGLA is converted into more AA (not good). On the flip side, that conversion can be blocked (enzyme blockers) by glucagon (the other part of the insulin equation) and EPA (hence why it is an anti-inflammatory Omega 3). 2 more reasons to keep insulin stable and get your fish oil.
- Stop creating more AA – when insulin is high, fat storing happens. When fat storing increases, the body creates more fat cells. When more fat cells are increased, the body creates more AA. The more fat cells, the more AA. Lose fat and control insulin, the less AA produced. Simple right?
- Avoid Excess AA - You can also get more AA through eating as well (which is not the form of omega 6s found in natural foods). The most common sources are grain fed meats and eggs. While those livestock are fed cheap corn/soy feed, their body will take those grains and convert them into AA which gets stored in the fatty portions. If you are going to eat meats/eggs it is best to try and get the leanest cuts or to (costs more) opt for grass fed (not grain fed). Grass fed meat is much higher in omega 3s and lower in omega 6s (a more natural balance) while also high in many other minerals and nutrients. Grass fed is a better choice if you can afford it.
- Get your EPA (fish oil) – We have seen above the EPA is a direct enzyme blocker for the internal conversion of DGLA to AA in the body. DHA is also an important essential fatty acid that has been linked to better brain health and activation. Your brain loves healthy fats, and stable insulin. So be sure to take about 3g of fish oil a day (or eat more grass fed and wild caught seafood).
- Encourgage Autophagy – Autophagy (cellular “house cleaning” function) is an important part of cellular health and rebuilding (very important with parts of the body that can not regenerate dead cells, like the brain), which is directly stimulated through calorie restriction/intermittent fasting (and now researchers may believe could be the main reason behind the longevity aspect of CR/IF studies). When autophagy is compromised (with diet or as we get older) then toxic/damaged proteins can accumulate and lead to cell death (instead of cleaning up and recycling material to keep the cell alive). When this happens in an area like the brain or with nerve cells, and they die off, then you have increases in neurodegenerative diseases.
“We discovered that levels of several key pathway members are reduced in Drosophila neural tissue as a normal part of aging,” says senior author Kim Finley, Ph.D., a scientist in the Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, “which suggests there is an age-dependent suppression of autophagy that may be a contributing factor for human neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.”
“The activation of autophagy facilitates the removal of damaged molecules that accumulate during cellular aging,” says Finley. “This may be particularly important in the nervous system since neurons produce damaged molecules at a much higher rate than most cell types.” Keeping cells free of damaged molecules is critical for neurons because unlike many cells, they do not divide or replace themselves once created at birth. “They rely on autophagy together with other clearance and detoxification pathways to keep themselves healthy and functioning for decades,” explains Finley.
Insulin signaling and caloric restriction are two major determinants of longevity and they also impact the activity level of autophagy. Therefore, regulating autophagy, the pathway that directly does the cleanup work, may be the key factor in controlling the aging process, the researchers say. “By maintaining the expression of a rate-limiting autophagy gene in the aging nervous system there is a dramatic extension of lifespan and resistance to age-associated oxidative stress,” says Finley.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214144956.htm
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An extremely interesting post!!! Thank you. Can you tell me if the AA is stored in saturated fats on grain fed beef?
Dr Dan: Here’s a good article on AA levels in meats
“The aim of this study was to accurately quantitate the AA content of visible fat and the lean portion of beef, lamb, pork, chicken, duck, and turkey. The visible fat of meat contained a significant quantity of AA, ranging from 20 to 180 mg/100 g fat, whereas the AA content of the lean portion of meat was lower, ranging from 30 to 99 mg/100 g lean meat. Beef and lamb meats contained lower levels of AA in both the visible fat and lean portion than that from the other species. The highest level of AA in lean meat was in duck (99 mg/100 g), whereas pork fat had the highest concentration for the visible fats (180 mg/100 g). The lean portions of beef and lamb contained the higher levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared with white meats which were high in AA and low in n-3 PUFA. The present data indicate that the visible meat fat can make a contribution to dietary intake of AA, particularly for consumers with high intakes of fat from pork or poultry meat.”
from “Contribution of meat fat to dietary arachidonic acid”, published in Lipids Journal Volume 33, Number 4 / April, 1998
Also “farmed” (not wild) salmon is very high in AA and I have also seen where turkey is too.
Bugger I eat a lot of farmed Salmon. Its all I can get here.
This is a really interesting post, it would be helpful to know the AA levels in wild game & pasture fed beef i assume the study above was on conventional farmed cattle, as per your post i would guess the AA content is much much lower & probably offset by the omega 3. I wonder about free range / organic eggs, after all they are still fed corn & grain (it’s just organic grain) so the N-6 intake would still be high resulting in the chickens having a high AA level which would mean the egg (yolks) are also high in AA? i have read that omega 3 eggs are anti-inflamatory, perhaps it’s because the chickens are fed flax seed (ALA) which converts to EPA/DHA & uses the same pathway as the LA-GLA-DGLA-AA, meaning less intake of LA & less conversion to AA, also farmed salmon does not have the anti-inflamatory affects of wild salmon due to the high N-6 intake of the grain they are also fed. Also what would the AA content of dairy be? would full fat cream, milk, yogurt, cheese & butter contain a hefty whack of AA? would organic dairy make a difference? It all goes to show why the palio model is the only true diet, ie NO dairy, NO grain, organic fruit & veg, pasture fed/wild meat, some nuts, 10000 years no animals or fish ate grain so none of them would have had any significant level of AA, likewise nor would we, this is just another byproduct of the processed / un-natural foods we (and animals) are now eating, ie grain, prcessed oils, dairy. It has been said that eating feed-lot beef is just the same as eating second hand carbs, looking at these feeding issues, the unbalanced N6-N3 ratio & the high AA levels makes me think i should be more rigorous in searching out pasture fed/ wild meats, according to the study above the lean portion of the meat still had quite high AA levels so cutting the visable fat off is not really the answer.
Dr Dan – try the canned version (just make sure it is canned in water or olive oil, not other oils that are higher in omega 6s). Most are canned directly at the ports and are wild caught fish. Sardines are yummy too.
JC – I don’t think it’s an issue with wild game with no access to high levels of grain feed. That and wild game have less fat overall anyways. As for eggs (grain fed, omega 3 fed, or whatever), most all still have higher AA levels. In moderation I wouldn’t sweat it too much, but I don’t think it’s worth it to buy Omega 3 eggs that are marketed and 3x the price of normal eggs…plus they are fed flax which like you said is ALA and a far cry from EPA/DHA. As far as butter goes, I personally love it….but I am sure a grass fed cow produces much different butter than grain fed. Grass fed butter is probably a deeper yellow (sign of more fat soluble vitamins) and contain more Omega 3s and CLA. I wouldn’t sweat AA levels in other butter though as long as you can still get EPA/DHA from fish oil and keep your insulin stable. You still want a balance of 3:6 after all.
I found this interesting tid bit on how to marinate your steaks:
“A TRICK FOR REDUCING ARACHIDONIC ACID IN STEAKS AND ROASTS
Trim all the visible fat from the steak, then place it in a large resealable plastic bag along with a mixture of 1 cup of red wine and 1 cup of olive oil or light sesame oil [or coconut oil?]. Allow the meat to marinate in this mixture in the refrigerator for a full 24 hours, flipping the bag and contents over a couple of times. Take the steak out, drain it for an hour or so, discard the marinade, rub the beef with some pepper or other spices to taste, then grill it. The wine acts as a solvent to leach out a fair amount of the fat in the steak, which is replaced in part by the fat in the olive oil or other oil you use. These oils permeate the steak, giving it a juicy succulent taste that you have to experience to believe–and make it more healthful to boot. You can use this technique with roasts as well. “
from http://www.opinions3.com/arachidonic_acid.htm (but I believe the quote was actually from Protein Power by Dr Eades orginally)
Another interesting tidbit on AA, remember…..we are trying to not make EXCESS AA….not avoid it 100%. A balance is needed afterall in the body for optimal health…which when you just stick to natural foods raised properly, is not an issue. All of the AA issues today are because of man made products (or manipulation of natural products) and the imbalances created within the body.
“Arachidonic Acid: A 20-carbon polyunsaturate containing four double bonds, found in small amounts only in animal fats. Arachidonic acid (AA) plays a role in the function of the brain, is a vital component of the cell membranes and is a precursor to important prostaglandins. Some dietary gurus warn against eating foods rich in AA, claiming that it contributes to the production of “bad†prostaglandins, ones that cause inflammation. But prostaglandins that counteract inflammation are also made from AA.”
great, i think we’ve nailed this one down, basically a high carb grain diet with farmed fish & grain fed meats along with limited excercise & higher insulin levels may well result in excess AA, a diet with lower carbs (from non grain souces) & more natural free range meats, along with some quality exercise & some IF planning will result in lower insulin, lower N6 intake, lower AA intake & lower production/conversion of AA resulting most likely in optimum levels of what is also an important fatty acid in the right amounts. great article, i had heard of AA but wasn’t sure of the profile, thanks for the education.
“a diet with lower carbs (from non grain souces) ”
It doesn’t have to be low carb, just “natural” carbs that will keep insulin more stable. If we can eat our foods like they were meant to be, keep insulin stable, keep a good balance of Omega 3:6, avoid unstable fats (trans)….I don’t think we will have much more to worry about.
Dr Sears has a new book out which I believe targets AA specifically….I’m planning on reading it soon and doing a book report on it here. His other stuff is usually pretty good….although I think you will just see the same message about keeping insulin stable and balance of Omega 3:6 (with some EPA/DHA from fish oil).
Mike,
I was reading The Brain Power Trust Plan and the author, who is a friend of the Eades’ states that we can indeed grow more brain cells. He comes to the same conclusions regarding diet and brain/body. “What’s good for the body is good for the brain.”
Nick – interesting. If given the right environment perhaps it is possible (not sure if autophagy comes into play here)…..but I would say diet definitely has a huge hand in the cellular expression.
A avriation on the lamb theme – would eating animals that have not, yet, fallen prey to modern industrial farming mechanisms, such as rabbit (pretty cheap), duck (to the best of my knowledge which is very limited), kagaroo (a little exotic maybe) be a cheaper and easier way of avoiding grass feed food.
As an aside I wonder if the addictive nature of wheat has somehow evolved to make it one of the most successful plants in the world. After all things in nature seek to survive and reproduce. Wherever man is wheat follows. I know I am not articulating this very well – but its either the case, or serendipitous. Of course man has given it a huge helped hand by developing ever hardier and more higher yieldiing (in cash terms) varieties.
Paul.
Alzheimer’s is such a terrible disease. Hopefully, there will be a cure some day. In the meantime, besides, the items you mentioned, here’s another tip that may help to prevent Alzheimer’s http://www.newrinkles.com/index.php/archive/a-cup-of-joe-and-alzheimers-disease/
Geri – nice find, I think most of us around here will always welcome studies promoting a bit of coffee (although I go for espresso myself
) As for “cures”….in my world the motto I use is “the only cure is prevention”. I take 100% responsibility for my health and will never blame genetics for anything. But that’s just me of course.
Hi Mike D,
When I went to visit my girlfriend, Bear, in Perth Australia for the life of me I couldn’t find a good cup of coffee. Even their imitation Starbucks (similar design, similar almost everything except for the name “Gloria Jean’s”<) only sell espresso based coffees. Finally I bought a coffee maker (2 actually! one for her mom who hailed from England … she still uses it every day and I learned she now takes it black without sugar… way to go, girl!) and even that I had to search high and low for.
I love Australia and Canada’s got Australia beat hands down on the coffee front.
Attacking my Espresso huh? (when I say espresso I mean something like an Americano which is 2 shots espresso in hot water…no brewed coffee involved) But here’s some interesting finds on anti-oxidants in coffee related products:
“Among the beverages analyzed, coffee drinks were the most effective, regardless of the assay applied, with espresso having the greatest antioxidant capacity”
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/9/2812
That and I just like the taste better.
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I am inspired, but a bit stressed by all this too…
What do you have for breakfast if you’re avoiding grains and dairy? I have 3 kids and a husband to feed! We eat granola, wholegrain toast, manuka honey and I choose soy milk. I thought it was healthy but I now I am confused! I presume tea is out?
Help!
PS Folks, its winter here….What is the best ‘comfort food’ that is totally natural and without wheat, dairy or soya?!
Wayne…
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