New here. ApoE e2/e4

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
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JenniferG
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New here. ApoE e2/e4

Post by JenniferG »

I had my DNA sequenced for $49 a couple years back with 23AndMe (v5 chip). I got my raw genetic data and found out that my ApoE is the somewhat rare e2/e4 combination.

I've heard that e4 are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and usually have higher levels of LDL-C.

Oddly my LDL-C is only 57 (Triglycerides 109 and HDL 65). I eat tons of saturated fat, predominantly land animal fats & butter, not much fish at all, olive oil occasionally. I eat lots of cheese every day.

I've been obese since I was an infant and morbidly obese since I was a young teenager. I've never weighed less than 300 lbs my entire adult life. I'm 49 now and have been eating an ancestral/ketogenic diet for the past 4 years. For 45 years I ate the standard american diet, with loads of refined carbs, sugar and fast food.

I just had my first CT Coronary Artery Calcium Scan (CAC Scan) the other day, and interestingly came back with a score of ZERO.

I've had type 2 diabetes for the past 15 years or so. Eight to four years ago my A1C topped at 10%. But since I started eating ancestral / low carb diet my A1C has been in the 5% range. My last A1C was 5.2%.

Being ApoE e4, I don't know why I don't have high LDL-C nor do I know why I have a CAC Score of 0. Perhaps the e2 is protective in this case? Or i have some other SNPs which assist me? I have no mutations for the two Lp(a) SNPs.

I am extremely insulin resistant with a HOMA-IR of 3.61 last I checked along with a fasting insulin of 12.7 uIU/mL.
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Lisa G
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

Post by Lisa G »

JenniferG wrote: I eat tons of saturated fat, predominantly land animal fats & butter, not much fish at all, olive oil occasionally. I eat lots of cheese every day. Eight to four years ago my A1C topped at 10%. But since I started eating ancestral / low carb diet my A1C has been in the 5% range. My last A1C was 5.2%.

Being ApoE e4, I don't know why I don't have high LDL-C nor do I know why I have a CAC Score of 0. Perhaps the e2 is protective in this case? Or i have some other SNPs which assist me? I have no mutations for the two Lp(a) SNPs.

I am extremely insulin resistant with a HOMA-IR of 3.61 last I checked along with a fasting insulin of 12.7 uIU/mL.
Hello Jennifer and welcome to the ApoE4 forum. And congratulations on your A1C being in the low 5%. That's an accomplishment! As I read your post about eating an ancestral/keto diet, I wondered if you stick to grass-fed and finished beef and heritage pork.

I am sure others more knowledgeable than me will respond to your comments about your numbers. In the meantime, I wanted to direct you to some resources that are helpful. You may appreciate taking a look at the primer as it is a great place to start and written by a physician in laymen's terms. There is also a "How-To" Guide that makes your journey around the site much more efficient. I've also found the search function to be an awesome way to research questions you may have as most likely, someone has asked the question before and there are several threads of information regarding that topic.
Again, welcome to the community. Please don't hesitate to continue commenting on posts!
Lisa H. Gerardi, MA
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Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
Integrative Nutrition Certified Coach
JenniferG
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

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Thanks for the reply LIsa. I just switched to 100% grass feed beef a couple months ago. I've never even tasted grass fed beef before and found it has an interesting taste from the omega 3.. a sort of "fishy" taste, which I am now used to. I've eaten 73/27 corn fed ground beef my entire life, never buying the 80/20 lean. I don't know where to buy heritage pork (nor do I know what they feed them). I buy IBF pork butt by the case at Sam's CLub at about $1.38 / lb. I do eat a lot of pork (probably 35% of dietary meat) -- which I both roast and grind into ground pork for sausage etc.. I don't know if I'll spend more for the other pork. How much per pound does it cost for heritage pork? I intake about 3600mg of EPA+DHA fish oil per day, so perhaps that will balance out the cheaper pork? I am on social security disability so I can't get carried away with expensive meats. Fortunatley I found the grass fed beef for only $4.99 /lb which I can afford.
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Lisa G
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

Post by Lisa G »

Hi Jennifer. Interesting about your perceiving grass fed beef as tasting fishy. I don't think it has to do with the omega 3 content. There is minimal omega 3s in grass-fed beef and they are not what cause a fishy smell. In terms of heritage pork, they are pigs from small farms that forage and are given scraps from the table and the farm. I don't know where you live to know if there are any local farms near you. It's definitely more expensive though.
If don't know what IBF pork butt is!
Good luck!
Lisa H. Gerardi, MA
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anotherdreamer
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

Post by anotherdreamer »

I'm envious of your apoe 2! That's the rockstar of the apoes. I'm early on in my research but from what I'd heard, apoe2 modifies the heart risk issues of having an apoe4. There's a youtube interview with Rhonda Patrick and Peter Attia where it is mentioned. As far as modifying AD, I can't say. I wouldn't be surprised if it did modify it though.
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

Post by JenniferG »

Hey thanks for the information I have the video bookmarked now!
(36:18 minutes in)
https://youtu.be/Fne3Dq3z0yQ?t=2178

I guess this would explain my LDL-C of 57 and CAC score of 0 then.
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

Post by JenniferG »

Lisa, grass fed beef tasting fishy is a pretty common experience if you google it.
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Re: New here. ApoE e2/e4

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JenniferG wrote:Hey thanks for the information I have the video bookmarked now!
(36:18 minutes in)
https://youtu.be/Fne3Dq3z0yQ?t=2178

I guess this would explain my LDL-C of 57 and CAC score of 0 then.
Hi Jennifer!
We have several people with ApoE 2/4 on the forum, including a lovely, smart lady who is 83 and joins our Seattle Meet-Ups often! The good news is that ApoE 2 appears to confer both longevity genes and a resistance to the risk of dementia. The bad news is it also confers a risk of T2 diabetes. Since it was first found in large numbers, I believe in Icelandic people, it may have conferred a needed ability to survive long winters with limited fishing, hunting and farming through hyper-efficient fat storage. As an infant, your body was primd to get ready for a long, cold winter!

Here's a 2019 article about a long-term study of people in Portugal with ApoE 2:
...almost all APOE2 carriers have elevated triglycerides levels due to impaired hepatic clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins...Importantly, impaired clearance of APOE2-containing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins from circulation leads to increased postprandial lipid uptake by leukocytes, promoting inflammation and chronic lipid deposition in adipose tissues. The combination of elevated adiposity and inflammation increases the susceptibility to diet-induced obesity in APOE2 carriers and accelerates the development of hyperinsulinemia and ultimately T2DM ...To balance the increase of plasma triglyceride levels and its deleterious effects in inflammation, a lower target of triglycerides levels may also be considered, following the available recommendations on T2DM patients with hypertriglyceridemia

Now for some good news: A serum protein signature of APOE genotypes in centenarians Researchers tracked serum proteins that are associated with longevity and cognitive health in centenarians and their centenarian offspring and found it tracked with ApoE 2 (and may be a key part of the explanation for the protective effect of ApoE 2 in some people. They then replicated this finding using data from three other studies. As the abstract points out in under-stated prose: "targeting APOE e2 molecularly may preserve cognitive function."

As the daughter of a father who struggled with T2D in adulthood during an era when it wasn't well understood, I applaud your efforts to find what works for you. Celebrate the positive lab results you have seen, and never let people who don't understand your particular and rare genetic inheritance intimidate you.
4/4 and still an optimist!
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