Alzheimer's disease

Disease

Also known as: Alzheimer's, AD

Foods That May Help

Foods linked to Alzheimer's disease in the research literature.

TurmericImproves
about 1/4 teaspoon daily
Remarkable case series of 3 Alzheimer's patients dramatically improving on about 1/4 teaspoon/day; but curcumin supplements failed in 2 RCTs; whole turmeric may be greater than sum of parts
Source: How Not to Age
SaffronImproves
as little as 0.125g daily (4 small pinches of 15 threads)
Three double-blind trials show promise for improving cognition in Alzheimer's patients
Source: How Not to Age
AshwagandhaProtects against
Ashwagandha is the most recognized nootropic in Indian traditional home medicine. It activates antioxidant defense system, induces cholinergic system, up-regulates neural plasticity, and regenerates damaged neurons and synapses.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Olive OilImproves
50 mL per day recommended for AD prevention
Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil improved cognitive testing vs low-fat control in 6-year Barcelona study
Source: The Longevity Diet
Coconut OilImproves
40 mL per day
40mL/day of extra virgin coconut oil improved cognitive status in AD patients. Must be confirmed in large clinical studies.
Source: The Longevity Diet
CoffeeReduces risk of
3-4 cups per day for high AD risk
Highest coffee consumption showed approximately 30% reduction in AD risk
Source: The Longevity Diet

Compounds That May Help

Bioactive compounds linked to Alzheimer's disease in the research.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorProtects against
Higher BDNF blood levels cut in half the risk of developing Alzheimer's over the next decade in the Framingham Heart Study
Source: How Not to Age
Vitamin EProtects against
Failed to prevent Alzheimer's; mixed data on treating the disease (2 positive, 1 negative study)
Source: How Not to Age
SeleniumProtects against
Supplementation with selenium failed to prevent Alzheimer's
Source: How Not to Age
ButyrateImproves
Sodium butyrate reduces brain amyloid-beta and improves memory in Alzheimer's mouse models
Source: How Not to Age
CurcuminImproves
Case reports of turmeric improving behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer's; meta-analysis of curcumin on cognitive function had mixed results; clinical trials with isolated curcumin showed no benefit
Source: How Not to Age
EquolProtects against
Equol-producing status associated with less white matter lesion and amyloid-beta deposition in cognitively normal elderly Japanese
Source: How Not to Age
Nicotinamide RibosideImproves
Restores cognition in Alzheimer's mouse models
Source: How Not to Age
FlavonoidsProtects against
Flavonoids have therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease by targeting NAD+ degradation
Source: How Not to Age
PolyphenolsProtects against
People who drank fruit and vegetable juices regularly had 76 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's. Polyphenols inhibit formation of brain plaques and tangles.; Polyphenols have been shown to inhibit formation of amyloid plaques and tangles and can pull out metals that accumulate in certain brain areas.
Source: How Not to Die
Vitamin AProtects against
Retinoids inhibit neuroinflammatory cytokines in microglia and astrocytes; stimulation of retinoic acid receptors slows accumulation of amyloids and reduces neurodegeneration
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Alpha-Lipoic AcidProtects against
Alpha-lipoic acid from spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, brussels sprouts has antioxidant, antidiabetic, obesity, cancer, Alzheimer's disease benefits
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
OleocanthalProtects against
Oleocanthal inhibits tau-tau interaction in neuron cells; virgin olive oils can prevent neurodegenerative diseases related to their oleocanthal content; Oleocanthal and ligstroside have been found to protect against mitochondrial dysfunction in models of Alzheimer's disease and brain aging
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
CurcuminProtects against
Curcumin lessens the assemblage of Abeta peptides in neural tissue and its associated inflammation; oral intake can reduce deposition and oligomerization of Abeta peptide and phosphorylation of tau protein; can bind with metal ions Cu(II) and Zn(II); Epidemiological studies suggested curcumin, prevalent in Indian population's diet, is responsible for the significantly reduced (4.4-fold) prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in India compared to United States
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
GenisteinProtects against
Genistein has potential to reduce activity of DNA topoisomerase and tyrosine protein kinase; many phenolic moieties lead to good antioxidant activity
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
ResveratrolProtects against
Resveratrol activates protein kinase C that might stimulate alpha-secretase lowering Abeta synthesis, increasing glutathione amounts and lowering malondialdehyde and acetylcholinesterase levels; Resveratrol could be of benefit, particularly if combined with physical exercise. The mechanism could be due to resveratrol's effects on apoptosis, neuroinflammation and reduction of Aβ oligomers.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
LycopeneProtects against
Lycopene can stop activities of secretases responsible for processing of amyloid precursor protein, leading to neuroprotection in Alzheimer's disease
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
HydroxytyrosolProtects against
50 mg/kg diet
HT supplementation at 50 mg/kg diet improved cognitive functions and reduced Abeta42 and pE3-Abeta plaque in cortex of TgCRND8 mice
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
CarnosineProtects against
Carnosine has a confirmed anti-neurodegenerative action. It can cross the blood-brain barrier, reduces amyloid beta polymerization, and decreases aggregates of amyloid.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Omega-3 fatty acidsProtects against
Other potential interventions that have shown some promise include lowering homocysteine with B vitamins, while optimizing omega-3 fatty acids; Optimizing omega-3 fatty acids discussed as part of Alzheimer's prevention strategy alongside B vitamins and other interventions
Source: Outlive
DHAProtects against
DHA supplementation associated with Alzheimer's disease stage in APOE e4 carriers (Yassine et al. 2017); higher levels of neuroinflammation in e4 carriers may benefit from DHA
Source: Outlive
Vitamin DProtects against
Higher vitamin D levels associated with better cognitive outcomes (Maddock et al. 2015)
Source: Outlive
FolateProtects against
AD patients have lower levels of folate
Source: The Longevity Diet
B vitaminsProtects against
AD patients have lower B12. B vitamin supplementation found largely ineffective except in countries without folate fortification.
Source: The Longevity Diet
Essential Amino AcidsAddresses
Diet lacking essential amino acids alternated every other week reduced IGF-1 by 75% and protected against Alzheimer's symptoms in triple transgenic mice
Source: The Longevity Diet

Risk Factors

Foods and compounds that may contribute to Alzheimer's disease.

Oxidized Cholesterol
Oxidized cholesterol in bloodstream accumulates in the brain and is considered a driving force behind Alzheimer's
Source: How Not to Age
Saturated fat
40% increased cognitive impairment risk, 46% increased Alzheimer's risk, 2x+ dementia risk; link called 'conclusive and detrimental'
Source: How Not to Age
Oxidized Cholesterol
Levels dramatically increase in Alzheimer's brains and creep up in spinal fluid of those with MCI; may be 'driving force behind development of Alzheimer's'
Source: How Not to Age
Isoleucine
Mendelian randomization: people born with genetic predisposition to higher isoleucine levels were significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer's
Source: How Not to Age
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
AGEs are gerontotoxins and biomarkers for degenerative processes in Alzheimer's disease
Source: How Not to Age
Oxysterols
Oxidized cholesterol is the driving force behind the development of Alzheimer's disease
Source: How Not to Age
Cholesterol
Cholesterol involved in amyloid beta generation; elevated midlife cholesterol is independent risk factor for late-life Alzheimer's; cerebrovascular atherosclerosis correlates with Alzheimer pathology
Source: How Not to Age
Mercury
Quantitative meta-analysis found elevated circulatory mercury levels in Alzheimer's patients; case report of swordfish consumption linked to Alzheimer's
Source: How Not to Age
Iron
Evidence that iron accelerates Alzheimer's pathology in CSF biomarker study
Source: How Not to Age
Aluminum
Debated hypothesis; brain aluminum found in Alzheimer's but meta-analysis of antacid use and Alzheimer's is inconclusive
Source: How Not to Age
TMAO
Elevated TMAO in Alzheimer's disease patients
Source: How Not to Age
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Mendelian randomization suggests BCAAs associated with Alzheimer's disease risk
Source: How Not to Age
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
AGEs suppress sirtuin defenses and accelerate brain shrinkage. Elevated AGE levels are found in Alzheimer's brains and associated with accelerated cognitive decline.; AGEs are gerontotoxins that accelerate brain shrinkage with age and suppress sirtuin defenses. Older adults with high AGE levels suffer accelerated cognitive decline.
Source: How Not to Die
Dietary cholesterol
Too much cholesterol is unanimously recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer's. Excess cholesterol in the blood leads to excess cholesterol in the brain, triggering amyloid clumping.
Source: How Not to Die
Cholesterol
Excess cholesterol in the blood leads to excess cholesterol in the brain, helping trigger amyloid clumping. PET scans show direct correlation between LDL and amyloid buildup.
Source: How Not to Die
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
AGEs may contribute to age-related neurodegenerative disorders.
Source: How We Age
Cholesterol
Several of the most important longevity genes--including APOE, CETP and others--regulate cholesterol metabolism; APOE binds to lipids to form lipoprotein particles; A-beta seedlings bind to these lipids, perhaps increasing the formation of plaques
Source: How We Age
Ethanol (Alcohol)
Chronic drinking has strong associations with Alzheimer's disease, mainly via its negative effect on sleep, but possibly via additional mechanisms
Source: Outlive
Homocysteine
Elevated homocysteine is a risk factor; B vitamins that lower it also slow brain atrophy
Source: Outlive
Beta-amyloid
Accumulates in brains of AD patients, linked to hereditary and nonhereditary forms
Source: The Longevity Diet

Biological Mechanisms

Contributes toInflammaging
New hypotheses include a focus on inflammation and viral or microbial infection as the root cause of AD
Contributes toGut microbiome aging
APOE genotype influences gut microbiome structure with relevance for Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology
Contributes toHyperinsulinemia
Insulin resistance is associated with a fivefold increase in Alzheimer's disease risk
Contributes toRaises Blood Glucose Levels
CGM has proved especially useful in patients with APOE e4, where we often see big glucose spikes; behavior modification is an important part of their Alzheimer's disease prevention strategy
Contributes toIncreases insulin resistance
Insulin resistance alone is enough to increase Alzheimer's risk (Neth and Craft 2017); the brain's glucose metabolism declines as insulin resistance develops

Sources

How Not to Age
How Not to Die
How We Age
Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Outlive
The Longevity Diet