new e3/e4

[MAC]

What is the consensus on alcohol consumption on brain health?

Being southern European, wine is typically present in many meals.

[Nancy]

It seems to be mixed as far as I can tell. I wonder, too, as my father is from that area. Maybe one of the others on this board can give you a good answer. Some of the experts say no alcohol, perhaps because it can damage brain cells. Others say a little red wine, like 4 oz for women, maybe a little more for men, is helpful, especially for heart health with ApoE4 because of the resvertrol and the reducing effect on plaque.

[Nancy]

There seems to be less heart disease in regions that drink red wine regularly.

[MAC]

I have read about some benefits to heart disease (in some form of moderation of course), but just wondering about brain health.

Is it a scientific fact that alcohol does indeed do damage to brain cells (neurons/synapses)?

[Tincup]

I have read about some benefits to heart disease (in some form of moderation of course), but just wondering about brain health.

Is it a scientific fact that alcohol does indeed do damage to brain cells (neurons/synapses)?

Its either 0 or 1 glass red wine/day. The 0's will say any causes damage. Dr. Gundry allows us 1 and says the polyphenols outweigh the negatives. More is likely not good.

[Stavia]

I have read about some benefits to heart disease (in some form of moderation of course), but just wondering about brain health.

Is it a scientific fact that alcohol does indeed do damage to brain cells (neurons/synapses)?

https://wiki.apoe4.info/wiki/Alcohol_consumption

http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/61 ... er-advice/

[MAC]

Thanks Stavia.

There are associations and then there is magnitude. Can you extract the magnitude of these risks..that is, way down the list vs. say other factors?

Coincidentally, I have my annual physical in a few weeks. My family doctor is also my parents family doctor, so he knows the familial associations, i.e, the AD/PD diagnosis in my parents.

I have not discussed my own specific cognitive risk factors with him (aside from my regular PSA screening as my dad also had prostrate, and it's quite hereditary) given my parents condition with respect to lifestyle changes, he's never brought it up either.

Should I communicate to him my e3/e4 status?

Should I have extra functional bloodwork done, and if so, what is my rationale if I don't disclose e3/e4 to him and will he go along with it?

If he is open to full testing, what specific tests should I ask for that might not be on a regular physical screening and/or to make sure I get tested?

[TheresaB]

Red wine does have bit of resveratrol which helps activate Sirt1 (a good thing for ApoE4s). The amount probably isn’t enough to justify drinking a glass of red wine a day to be beneficial for ApoE4s, but I do it anyway.

Dr Bredesen addressed alcohol in the Q&A session he held for us last month. The link to that session can be found at https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6Fvd ... E0yM3hOQkk
He addresses the alcohol question at about the 11:20 minute mark.

[Stavia]

Thanks Stavia.

There are associations and then there is magnitude. Can you extract the magnitude of these risks..that is, way down the list vs. say other factors?

Coincidentally, I have my annual physical in a few weeks. My family doctor is also my parents family doctor, so he knows the familial associations, i.e, the AD/PD diagnosis in my parents.

I have not discussed my own specific cognitive risk factors with him (aside from my regular PSA screening as my dad also had prostrate, and it's quite hereditary) given my parents condition with respect to lifestyle changes, he's never brought it up either.

Should I communicate to him my e3/e4 status?

Should I have extra functional bloodwork done, and if so, what is my rationale if I don't disclose e3/e4 to him and will he go along with it?

If he is open to full testing, what specific tests should I ask for that might not be on a regular physical screening and/or to make sure I get tested?

Mac, the 95% confidence intervals for alcohol are large as the numbers of e4s in the studies are small. I hear that you want numbers but they do not exist in a form that you can quantify accurately for yourself. Do you understand odds ratios? If not you need to look them up in order to understand how risk is reported in Clinical trials. James Caan lists the odds ratios in the longcity post.

Whether to disclose or not in the US is complex. And the basic bloods are all on my primer.

[MAC]

I listened to Dr. Bredesen audio file, he says "nil" to alcohol consumption, but didn't specifically call out cerebreal damage, and cited some possible benefits.

He suggested to use your own personal feedback mechanism as to how you "feel" be your guide. But surely going on how you feel (disregarding the sleep issue) has NO relation to the inner chemistry/metabolism ongoing in your body?

Anyway...I doubt I will go nil (social and cultural ostracization!), but certainly will exercise moderation.