I am a new member
I am a new member
I found out recently (thru 23 and me) that I am APOE4. Next week I will have the blood test done to be more exact. My doctor thinks I might me APOE3/APOE4 because I am Hispanic. I have been reading what I can find in the internet to educate myself about all this which is new to me. I am concerned because I have noticed changes in my cognitive status. I am 59 and seriously worried about my higher risk of getting Alzheimer's. I have been following a LCHF diet with time restricted eating for 16 months, all my metabolic markers are normal now including my insulin resistance which was way up there having PCOS.
Re: I am a new member
Les damos la bienvenida, Aldarita!Aldarita wrote:I found out recently (thru 23 and me) that I am APOE4. Next week I will have the blood test done to be more exact. My doctor thinks I might me APOE3/APOE4 because I am Hispanic. I have been reading what I can find in the internet to educate myself about all this which is new to me. I am concerned because I have noticed changes in my cognitive status. I am 59 and seriously worried about my higher risk of getting Alzheimer's. I have been following a LCHF diet with time restricted eating for 16 months, all my metabolic markers are normal now including my insulin resistance which was way up there having PCOS.
As someone who is ApoE 4/4 and almost 68, I deeply understand the concern you feel due to your results. I also found out my results through 23 & me 6 years ago, and at that time one of the first "scientific" stories I read said that the "average" age of diagnosis of Alzheimer's for someone with ApoE 4/4 was 68!! Yet, here I am, 6 years later and much better informed about which sources to trust, and why not to trust studies from 20 years ago, when the only people who knew their ApoE 4 status had been referred to research centers due to evident issues.
So let me first give you some information: About 75% of people with European ancestry have ApoE 3/3, which is considered the "baseline" for risk of Alzheimer's at about 5-10% by age 85. About 20% have ApoE 3/4, so you have lots of company! About 2% of people have Apoe 4/4; many of them like me from Northern European or Irish/UK ancestry (which may explain your doctor's comment about your Latina ethnicity). About 2-3 percent of people with European ancestry have ApoE 2/2, 2/3 or 2/4.
ApoE 4 is a risk for Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease (LOAD), which develops over a very long time span, with "subjective" issues (noticing changes in your own cognition) much more likely well after age 65 than at age 59. For a woman in her 50's, the good news is that with ApoE 3/4 you have only a 20-25% chance of a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or LOAD by the age of 85. Even better news: You are PERFECTLY positioned to take charge of reducing that risk now. I know, because at 59 I also felt sluggish cognitively, and eventually realized it was because I was driving 1000 miles a week, dealing with stress from a sister's mental health issues, not getting enough sleep, eating sugary foods to stay awake, etc. not exercising etc.
In other words--acting like lots of women who put their own needs on the back burner. If this is true of your also, you now have a great reason to put yourself up front and feel confident that you and your doctor, and maybe this site, can make your next decades terrific!
I noticed that Lisa G gave you a link to the Primer; here's another, with a specific area on female hormone replacement:
PRIMER: Hormone replacement. The whole Primer is like having a doctor sitting in your living room telling you "honey, it's going to be okay" (Stavia, the author, really does talk like that!) .
Hugs from a slightly older genetic cousin (I have a tiny bit of Spanish ancestry on 23&me).
4/4 and still an optimist!
Re: I am a new member
NF52 I truly appreciate you taking the time to answer my post. After reading yours I feel more at ease, specially knowing that I am on the right track. There is still a lot to learn, I read part of the Primer last night and plan to read a lot of the info provided in this forum, I am also reading Dr. Dale Bredesen's book. I already have 15 months in the works, eating a healthy LCHF diet, exercising and time restricted eating. I still need to work on stress and sleep but I will get it done. More importantly I am so glad I have found this group because you guys have been in the same road I am just starting and have a lot to tell us and much more advise.
