DHA Supplementation for APOE4s

[John34]

Hello everyone, new member E3/E4 member here (59 years) with a question for the pros. Since I got my 23andMe report with the crushing APOE4 news I have been looking at supplements to hopefully slow down this brain disease. The reason I am looking at supplements is because I already eat a relatively "clean" diet (keto-like) and I exercise regularly (5 days a week, HIIT, weights, and hiking). I just bought Dr. Bredesen's book and started reading it yesterday. I also read most of Stavia's primer here I already added Vit. B & D supplementation. I have now started looking at DHA supplementation and I came across this Dr Gundry interview here:
https://lewishowes.com/podcast/how-to-l ... en-gundry/

In this interview he states that we need to supplement with 1000 mg of DHA per day. He refers to anybody just going to Costco and buying a bottle of fish oil pills and consuming as many as it takes to add-up to 1000 mg of DHA. Since I am trying to minimize the number of pills (I just hate taking pills almost as much as being syringed for blood tests) I was eyeing this supplement from Nordic Naturals (Ultimate Omega Oil) where I could get 1010 mg of DHA in only 1 tea spoon!
https://www.nordicnaturals.com/consumers/ultimate-omega

However, I subsequently ran into Rhonda Patrick's work on the internet which implies that DHA in Fish Oil form does not penetrate the Blood Brain Barrier in APOE4's and that I REALLY NEED the phospholipid form of the DHA stuff (not the triglyceride form in FOs) to get DHA to the brain. Turns out Krill Oil is the "way to go" for us mutants. Well that's great but how do I get 1000 milligrams of DHA in phospholipid form from Krill Oil? What are my options? Krill oil pills have a miniscule amount. Most of them have about 50 mg per pill so I would need to swallow 20 pills per day to get an adequate dose to my brain, whoaaa!

Another idea is to eat wild-caught Sardines (stuff them down my throat straight out of the can) which I have no problem doing. Its also much more economical than swallowing a gazillion Krill Oil pills per day. I just found out that the Costco near me (Los Angeles, CA) sells two wild caught brands of canned sardines, Wild Planet Sardines and Season Sardines. The problem is that I cannot tell how much Phospholipid-DHA is in each can of sardines, they just don't tell you on the package. Without knowing this I would not know the number of cans I would need to consume per day. I am also a little concerned about the safety of eating canned fish. So while I was trying to figure out how to go about this I thought that somebody in this forum has probably done the research and figured out the best answer.

If anyone reading this has solved their daily Phospho-DHA supplementation problem and particularly if anyone has adopted the "canned sardines" solution I am hoping you can reply. BTW, this is a great forum with tons of info and will take me many weeks to absorb all of the great material posted here. Thank you all in advance,

John

[mike]

John

John, you might try looking at this post viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5712&hilit=DHA

[NF52]

Hello everyone, new member E3/E4 member here (59 years) with a question for the pros. Since I got my 23andMe report with the crushing APOE4 news I have been looking at supplements to hopefully slow down this brain disease...If anyone reading this has solved their daily Phospho-DHA supplementation problem and particularly if anyone has adopted the "canned sardines" solution I am hoping you can reply. BTW, this is a great forum with tons of info and will take me many weeks to absorb all of the great material posted here. Thank you all in advance,

John

Hi John,

Check out this forum thread with some DHA problem-solving suggestions. The most recent post from "bladedmind" includes a chart with estimated available DHA from various fish sources, including sardines. They note that if you can combine sources to get to the desired level.

Cost comparison: different sources of phospholipid-bound omega-3/[url]

Here's an excerpt of a post I made last fall to another new user:
..a news article from 2017 that suggests that DHA especially may help ApoE 4 carriers.

[url=https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/62548]High-Dose Omega-3 May Lower AD Risk in APOE4 Carriers

One summary of 21 studies in a meta-analysis of of 181,580 participants, with 4,438 dementia cases identified over follow-up of 2 to 21 years, concluded that a single weekly serving of fish was associated with significantly lower risk for AD dementia.

A 2015 meta-analysis concluded that ω-3 supplementation significantly improved episodic memory in cognitively healthy older individuals.

"These studies indicate that APOE4 is a modifiable AD risk factor, and that the effect of APOE4 on AD pathologic changes can be attenuated with DHA supplementation," Yassine's group said.

I don't usually comment on my supplements, but found this one from recommendations made by others and started taking it: Carlson Labs Super DHA Mineral Supplement Softgels, 500 mg. It's available from Amazon and others.
I hope that you can get to the feeling that the news that you have ApoE 3/4 is no longer "crushing". Like the approximately 25% of people with European ancestry (prevalence varies among people of differing ethic heritage and even from Northern Europe to Southern Europe), you have a risk that has been estimated using large population-based cohorts as 20-25% for either Mild Cognitive Impairment or dementia by the age of 85. APOE-related risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia for prevention trials: An analysis of four cohorts

In other words, people who span the range of diets and lifestyles with ApoE 3/4 have a 75-80% chance of not getting MCI or AD. I think those odds make it very motivating to drive down the risk more with continued cognitive and occupational challenges, social engagement, purpose-driven living, healthy diet, exercise, sleep and stress management--and some DHA for good measure! You are also approaching 60, when many observational and intervention studies would love to see a healthy ApoE 3/4 who wants to stay that way!

[desertkat]

Hey John!

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm also a Newbie 3/4 'mutant' LOL. Very similar lifestyles... former National Champion bodybuilder still living the dream and not fearing this new designation. My macro consumption is somewhere between Paleo and Keto (with a generous amount of green leafys daily) and has been such for about 15 years...never felt better.

Regarding the Sardine question: I've recently purchased Henry and Lisa's Wild Sardines in Olive Oil and found them big and meaty and quite delicious, especially with a generous squeeze of lemon. I found these at Sprouts and they are caught off the coast of Portugal. I have no idea how many milligrams of Omega 3 I'm consuming with them. Try them, they're yummy!

Best, Kat

[Davida]

Hey John!

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm also a Newbie 3/4 'mutant' LOL. Very similar lifestyles... former National Champion bodybuilder still living the dream and not fearing this new designation. My macro consumption is somewhere between Paleo and Keto (with a generous amount of green leafys daily) and has been such for about 15 years...never felt better.

Welcome desertkat!

So good of you to post and share the information about sardines. I love them as well and look forward to trying the brand you mentioned. Seems like you are keeping yourself in very good shape, living the dream, maintaining a good diet and POSITIVE outlook. Congratulations!

Not sure if you have already looked around the website but there is an enormous amount of material. The articles mentioned by the others earlier may be of interest to you. Also,Primer will provide information on the Apoe4 gene as well as beneficial life style strategies. Wiki another page is helpful when searching certain topics. And if so inclined, it would be great to hear more about you inOur Stories thread.

Keep following and certainly reach out if you have any questions.

My best, Davida

[desertkat]

Thanks for your kind welcome, Davida!

I've explored both (Stavia's?) Primer and L O V E the Wiki topics. I'm very grateful for the work you'all have invested here. Our Stories... Oh my, after 62 years on this planet you know I've got some!

With a degree in Exercise Phys and a career-lifetime of representing pharmaceutical products for mostly 'Syndrome X' disease states, it's beyond time we recognized preventing/reversing disease must be our prime directive.

I promise to stay in touch,
Kat

[Blissful1]

I have been reading about DHA for 4/4s.
I have been using Brain Octane by Bullet proof which is refined caprylic acid but it is from coconut oil. ok for a 4/4 or better to switch? Also Dr Gundry just sent out a new oil product. Anyone know about either of these and what is best for a 4/4. https://www.bulletproof.com/products/br ... DA8GqNRK4A
https://gundrymd.com/megasale/essential_plant_intro.php