Ketogenic Diet

[donkeynduke]

HELP!!!! - I am a 61 year old male who tested APOE 4/4 and I wanted to know if the Ketogenic Diet is the best route for me to go...… My doctor says I should go low-fat, very low sugar and low-glycemic since APOE 4/4 people cannot process fat in their brains like other, but I am finding it difficult to stay on and it seems like my cognitive issues have worsened and my energy levels are so low. Is it just the saturated fats that I should be worried about or is all fats in general? There is not much out there on the web about dietary/nutritional guidelines for APOE 4/4...….

[mike]

HELP!!!! - I am a 61 year old male who tested APOE 4/4 and I wanted to know if the Ketogenic Diet is the best route for me to go...… My doctor says I should go low-fat, very low sugar and low-glycemic since APOE 4/4 people cannot process fat in their brains like other, but I am finding it difficult to stay on and it seems like my cognitive issues have worsened and my energy levels are so low. Is it just the saturated fats that I should be worried about or is all fats in general? There is not much out there on the web about dietary/nutritional guidelines for APOE 4/4...….

Welcome donkeynduke. I'm also a 4/4, and you'll find a Ketogenic Diet can help, but that does not mean low-fat, often just the opposite. It means low carbohydrate. It means getting rid of processed foods. Depending on your insulin resistance, you may be able to eat some slower acting carbs (sweet potato instead of white potato, etc.). I myself am diabetic, so try to keep my carbs under 50 gr / day. For me, it basically means stay away from all carbs that I can. Eat only above ground vegetables. A traditional keto diet will have more fat than protein, but I actually do protein > fat. Folks here more often follow the more traditional keto diet, but it varies. The most important part is lowering carbs. AND genes are only part of the story. You can make a difference with life-style changes.

[srbogert]

HELP!!!! - I am a 61 year old male who tested APOE 4/4 and I wanted to know if the Ketogenic Diet is the best route for me to go...….

Hello donkeynduke. Welcome to the group! As Mike said above, the Ketogenic diet may help, but your doctor may be giving you an inaccurate or incomplete story about what Ketogenic really is. In general you need adequate but not excessive protein. You need low carb - especially low for high glycemic carbs like sugar, white potato, rice, refined, processed foods, etc. You need to eat enough healthy fats (omega 3) to give you the energy and nutritional building blocks you need, while reducing the less healthy (omega 6) and eliminating the bad fats (trans fat, etc). If your doctor is not providing the guidance you need, you may have to look for a Functional Medicine/ Bredesen protocol trained practitioner, or health coach. This wiki page will give you some tips on how to do that.

A great first step, however, would be to check out the APOE Primer on this site. It will quickly bring you up to speed on what APOE is all about, and the generally accepted ways to deal with it. The primer is written by Stavia, who is a physician and APOE4/4. Another great resource is the book "The end of Alzheimers " by Dr Bredesen. In this book, Dr Bredesen discusses his protocol for arresting and reversing cognitive decline. The protocol includes a variation of the ketogenic diet, but also includes other healthy lifestyle activities like regular exercise, stress reduction, brain training exercises, and more. The solution to cognitive decline is rarely just one thing. It is usually a combination of activities tailored to the individual and their needs... Again, this may lead you back to seeking a Functional Medicine / Bredesen trained practitioner or health coach.

As you continue to use this site, it will be helpful for you to get familiar with the HOW TO guide. It will help you navigate the site, do efficient searches for information, and use the posting tools effectively.

[TheresaB]

I am a 61 year old male who tested APOE 4/4 and I wanted to know if the Ketogenic Diet is the best route for me to go

it seems like my cognitive issues have worsened

Welcome fellow 4/4, all is not lost.

Yes, ketones can aid cognitive issues. There are a bunch of keto diets, websites, cookbooks, and gurus out there. If you'd like help with the type of ketogenic diet a 4/4 should follow see our wiki link: Ketosis and Ketogenic Diet.

What may also be of assistance are some ketone "boosters." Ideally, you'd use these to help get into a ketotic state until your body has been "trained" to produce ketones naturally. For more info see our wiki link: Coconut Oil, MCT oil, and other Ketone/Cognition Boosters (salts, esters)

[donkeynduke]

Thank you everyone for your replies - I appreciate the websites and forums that you have listed and have found them very informative....