Husband tested positive for e3/e4, Alzheimer’s endemic in his family

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
Post Reply
Releppo
New User
New User
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 3:10 am

Husband tested positive for e3/e4, Alzheimer’s endemic in his family

Post by Releppo »

Hello!

My name is Repello and I’ve been lurking here for a while (I’ve read the primer multiple times over the last year), and finally decided to take the leap and introduce myself.

My husband just tested positive for e3/e4. But I believe that his risk may be higher than the average person with a single copy (perhaps there are other genes at play). His mother was diagnosed with AD at age 60, and probably had subclinical symptoms starting at age 50. Her father (my husband’s maternal grandfather) was also diagnosed in his 60s, and out of the 7 siblings in that generation, 6 of the 7 died of dementia (one died of accidental causes early in life). One of those 6 developed symptoms in her 50s. So given the prior two generations experiences, the younger generation is understandably frightened. Hence why I’ve been lurking here so long! I’m contrast, my own personal family history has a lot of long lived people who stayed cognitively intact to the end.

We are in our late 30s. I have to follow a Keto diet for other medical reasons. My husband, up to this point, has not wanted to follow the Keto diet with me. I keep reading such conflicting advice about Mediterranean vs. Keto for e4. My only problem is I can’t imagine preparing meals for Keto (me) and Mediterranean (my husband). That sounds overwhelming. And eating a plant-based Keto diet seems so restrictive, I can’t imagine doing that for me and him. I currently use a meal planning service that has helped my own medical condition immensely— but it has a lot of animal products like grass fed beef, pork, chicken, cream, olive oil, butter, as well as fish once or twice per eeek. Right now we share the same main dish but he adds carbs like rice and bread and fruit, as desired. Ideally we would be able to eat the same diet, so that meal prep stays reasonable. Is it really bad for him to eat a meat-based Keto diet? Is there any research on the type of Keto diet and the e4 gene? I know Dr. Bredesen recommends keto-flex and a primarily vegetarian Keto diet, but the meat-based Keto diet has worked so incredibly well for me and I’m hesitant to make such a big switch when I’ve finally just stabilized my own medical condition. Veggie based Keto also seems like a huge endeavor and that it would be difficult to get my husband’s buy- in. On the other hand, I think I could convince him to do a more traditional Keto diet like the one I’m already on.

I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom. Thank you!
mike
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
Posts: 849
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2018 4:55 pm
Location: CA - Sonoma County

Re: Husband tested positive for e3/e4, Alzheimer’s endemic in his family

Post by mike »

Releppo wrote:Hello!

My name is Repello and I’ve been lurking here for a while (I’ve read the primer multiple times over the last year), and finally decided to take the leap and introduce myself.

My husband just tested positive for e3/e4. But I believe that his risk may be higher than the average person with a single copy (perhaps there are other genes at play). His mother was diagnosed with AD at age 60, and probably had subclinical symptoms starting at age 50. Her father (my husband’s maternal grandfather) was also diagnosed in his 60s, and out of the 7 siblings in that generation, 6 of the 7 died of dementia (one died of accidental causes early in life). One of those 6 developed symptoms in her 50s. So given the prior two generations experiences, the younger generation is understandably frightened. Hence why I’ve been lurking here so long! I’m contrast, my own personal family history has a lot of long lived people who stayed cognitively intact to the end.

We are in our late 30s. I have to follow a Keto diet for other medical reasons. My husband, up to this point, has not wanted to follow the Keto diet with me. I keep reading such conflicting advice about Mediterranean vs. Keto for e4. My only problem is I can’t imagine preparing meals for Keto (me) and Mediterranean (my husband). That sounds overwhelming. And eating a plant-based Keto diet seems so restrictive, I can’t imagine doing that for me and him. I currently use a meal planning service that has helped my own medical condition immensely— but it has a lot of animal products like grass fed beef, pork, chicken, cream, olive oil, butter, as well as fish once or twice per eeek. Right now we share the same main dish but he adds carbs like rice and bread and fruit, as desired. Ideally we would be able to eat the same diet, so that meal prep stays reasonable. Is it really bad for him to eat a meat-based Keto diet? Is there any research on the type of Keto diet and the e4 gene? I know Dr. Bredesen recommends keto-flex and a primarily vegetarian Keto diet, but the meat-based Keto diet has worked so incredibly well for me and I’m hesitant to make such a big switch when I’ve finally just stabilized my own medical condition. Veggie based Keto also seems like a huge endeavor and that it would be difficult to get my husband’s buy- in. On the other hand, I think I could convince him to do a more traditional Keto diet like the one I’m already on.

I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom. Thank you!
Releppo, welcome! Not everyone here follows the same diet. I personally came to this site after having T2D for 20 years, and almost dying a couple of times. I follow a very low carb, high protein, moderate fat diet, with mostly land based animal protein. I'm e4/e4, but that is not my most immediate concern. I've been using this diet, along with extended fasting to lose weight and build muscle. I'm 58, 6'3", and have gone from 270 lbs to 195 lbs, and I'm back to playing volleyball again. As it turns out, I've been following much of the Bredesen's protocol for many years, except that I've been following a different ketone diet. I can't say what would be best for your husband, but I should think he could stay animal protein. It would be good to get some of the base testing done to see where his weaknesses are, and address those areas first.
Sonoma Mike
4/4
User avatar
Sara
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2017 4:44 pm
Location: Between PA and FL
Contact:

Re: Husband tested positive for e3/e4, Alzheimer’s endemic in his family

Post by Sara »

Greetings Releppo and congratulations on making your first entry to the apoe4.info site! Sounds Iike you are very familiar with the site so I will skip the orientation. It also sounds like you have done an exhaustive study on nutrition for both your condition and your husband’s potential situation. Although I am not a dietician I would advise you to continue on track with what has been working for you and continue to bring your husband along a healthier path, as far as he is willing to go. I am in a similar situation with my husband and will often add a carbohydrate into meals for him. Sweet potatoes and quinoa are better options than some others but you will need to find what works best.
Certified ReCODE 2.0 Brain Health Coach, MOCA Certified
MBA, Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Brain Health Professional - Amen University
Surviving loved one who transitioned with AD
User avatar
GLS18
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2018 7:21 am
Location: NYC area
Contact:

Re: Husband tested positive for e3/e4, Alzheimer’s endemic in his family

Post by GLS18 »

Releppo wrote:Hello!

My name is Repello and I’ve been lurking here for a while (I’ve read the primer multiple times over the last year), and finally decided to take the leap and introduce myself.

My husband just tested positive for e3/e4. But I believe that his risk may be higher than the average person with a single copy (perhaps there are other genes at play). His mother was diagnosed with AD at age 60, and probably had subclinical symptoms starting at age 50. Her father (my husband’s maternal grandfather) was also diagnosed in his 60s, and out of the 7 siblings in that generation, 6 of the 7 died of dementia (one died of accidental causes early in life). One of those 6 developed symptoms in her 50s. So given the prior two generations experiences, the younger generation is understandably frightened. Hence why I’ve been lurking here so long! I’m contrast, my own personal family history has a lot of long lived people who stayed cognitively intact to the end.

We are in our late 30s. I have to follow a Keto diet for other medical reasons. My husband, up to this point, has not wanted to follow the Keto diet with me. I keep reading such conflicting advice about Mediterranean vs. Keto for e4. My only problem is I can’t imagine preparing meals for Keto (me) and Mediterranean (my husband). That sounds overwhelming. And eating a plant-based Keto diet seems so restrictive, I can’t imagine doing that for me and him. I currently use a meal planning service that has helped my own medical condition immensely— but it has a lot of animal products like grass fed beef, pork, chicken, cream, olive oil, butter, as well as fish once or twice per eeek. Right now we share the same main dish but he adds carbs like rice and bread and fruit, as desired. Ideally we would be able to eat the same diet, so that meal prep stays reasonable. Is it really bad for him to eat a meat-based Keto diet? Is there any research on the type of Keto diet and the e4 gene? I know Dr. Bredesen recommends keto-flex and a primarily vegetarian Keto diet, but the meat-based Keto diet has worked so incredibly well for me and I’m hesitant to make such a big switch when I’ve finally just stabilized my own medical condition. Veggie based Keto also seems like a huge endeavor and that it would be difficult to get my husband’s buy- in. On the other hand, I think I could convince him to do a more traditional Keto diet like the one I’m already on.

I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom. Thank you!
Hi Releppo and a very warm welcome to our community!

I want to acknowledge your commitment to taking charge of your health through your diet. It sounds like you are doing well and enjoying what you eat. It is also fantastic that you are making your health a priority at an early age. Delving into the primer several times takes a great deal of time and effort. It is obvious that you want to glean as much learning as possible to assist your husband.

As you mention and have discovered through readings of the Primer and no doubt the posts on the many forums by fellow members, there is no one right approach to diet and nutrition. We are all unique and while some people thrive with Dr. Bredesen's Ketoflex plan for example, others find Dr. Gundry's approach a better fit. The same reasoning applies to you and your husband. With an understanding of your husband's complete genetic and biochemical profile, lab findings, and relevant biomarkers, you will then have a benchmark and a foundation. From this point, slight tweaks can be compared with lab testing and how your husband is feeling. Perhaps exploring tasty alternatives to traditional bread and rice, such as an almond flour based bread and cauliflower rice as first steps. It is important that your husband is on board and comfortable with the next steps, otherwise changes may be fleeting.

To support your efforts in navigating the site and searching for topics related to diet for example, I hope that you find the following brilliant guide empowering: How To Get The Most Out Of The ApoE4.Info Website.

We would love to hear how you and your husband are doing and wish you all the best!

Again, a warm welcome:)
Gina
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
Reversing Cognitive Decline For Coaches Certification Candidate, Fall 2018
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi
Post Reply