To make the best use of our limited time with the various experts we will be visiting during our Meet-up in May, let's compile our questions for them here. For those who plan to attend (and for those who can’t join us), please share your questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen here. Obviously, those who are in attendance, will have the opportunity to have their questions addressed first; but we will do our best to get ALL questions answered and report back.
Dr. Bredesen, a world-renowned scientist and expert in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, is the author of Reversal of Cognitive Decine: A Novel Therapeutic Program, http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v6/n9 ... 00690.html.
Dr. Bredesen currently splits his time between The Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at UCLA. Please see curriculum vitae and biographical information below:
https://www.buckinstitute.org/bredesenLab
http://www.eastonad.ucla.edu/research/r ... -dale-e-md
Questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen
Re: Questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen
1.) I've noticed that your protocol doesn't address the possible connection between latent HSV-1 and Alzheimer's disease. Is this something you'd consider exploring as a potential add-on strategy for those who test positive for the virus?
2.) I'd like to learn more about your diet recommendations. You've mentioned that you're a fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's approach. That dovetails beautifully with the heavily plant-based, whole food diet that many in our group have settled upon...with a few variations.
-Please share your thoughts on the role of fruit in your diet. I recently had the opportunity to hear Dr. Martha Clare Morris speak about her MIND Diet for neuroprotection. She made a pretty good case against most fruit, with the exception of berries. Do you recommend all fruit as liberally as Dr. Fuhrman does?
-I'd also like to hear about the role of legumes in your diet recommendations. This is another liberal recommendation of Dr. Fuhrman's. Some in our community have been advised by their neurologists/cardiologists against consuming foods high in lectins and phytic acid. Do you have reservations or limitations concerning legumes? Are there specific preparation methods that you recommend to minimize their potential harm?
-Some in our community have glucose spikes in response to both fruit and legumes. Is there any harm in NOT including them as liberally as Dr. Fuhrman does. Instead, many eat large quantities/varieties of non-starchy vegetables.
-Will diet recommendations be as individualized as the rest of your protocol?
-Given the importance of choline to overall brain health, share your view on (pastured) eggs.
3.) Your protocol includes MCT oil. I'm guessing this is an individualized recommendation, like everything else? Given E4 carrier's known issues with cerebral hypometabolism, this may be vitally important for our population. Many have struggled, however, with our exaggerated response to dietary fats when using MCT and/or coconut oil. In an attempt to keep cholesterol under control, many of us instead use MUFAs (combined with mild CR, fasting & exercise) to create ketones. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this alternate approach.
4.) Your homocysteine goal, <7 µmol/L, seems quite low and difficult to achieve. Many in our community maintain levels around 7-8 µmol/L. Is there really benefit to going below 7 µmol/L?
5.) What form of thiamine do you recommend?
2.) I'd like to learn more about your diet recommendations. You've mentioned that you're a fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's approach. That dovetails beautifully with the heavily plant-based, whole food diet that many in our group have settled upon...with a few variations.
-Please share your thoughts on the role of fruit in your diet. I recently had the opportunity to hear Dr. Martha Clare Morris speak about her MIND Diet for neuroprotection. She made a pretty good case against most fruit, with the exception of berries. Do you recommend all fruit as liberally as Dr. Fuhrman does?
-I'd also like to hear about the role of legumes in your diet recommendations. This is another liberal recommendation of Dr. Fuhrman's. Some in our community have been advised by their neurologists/cardiologists against consuming foods high in lectins and phytic acid. Do you have reservations or limitations concerning legumes? Are there specific preparation methods that you recommend to minimize their potential harm?
-Some in our community have glucose spikes in response to both fruit and legumes. Is there any harm in NOT including them as liberally as Dr. Fuhrman does. Instead, many eat large quantities/varieties of non-starchy vegetables.
-Will diet recommendations be as individualized as the rest of your protocol?
-Given the importance of choline to overall brain health, share your view on (pastured) eggs.
3.) Your protocol includes MCT oil. I'm guessing this is an individualized recommendation, like everything else? Given E4 carrier's known issues with cerebral hypometabolism, this may be vitally important for our population. Many have struggled, however, with our exaggerated response to dietary fats when using MCT and/or coconut oil. In an attempt to keep cholesterol under control, many of us instead use MUFAs (combined with mild CR, fasting & exercise) to create ketones. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this alternate approach.
4.) Your homocysteine goal, <7 µmol/L, seems quite low and difficult to achieve. Many in our community maintain levels around 7-8 µmol/L. Is there really benefit to going below 7 µmol/L?
5.) What form of thiamine do you recommend?
Re: Questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen
How much of the success of your approach do you think is due to the diet/excercise/sleep etc and how much do you think is due to the supplements? I know its multifactorial but I'd like you to take a guess at quantifying the two large group contributions to the outcome.
Re: Questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen
You suggest DHA/EPA.
In this paper http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3640761/
"APOE genotype modifies the association between plasma measured omega-3 fatty acids and plasma lipids in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)"
In a related question, some E4's have also noted spiking small LDl-P & LDL-P on MCT/coconut oil. Again, how do you balance this in your recommendations?
In this paper http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3640761/
"APOE genotype modifies the association between plasma measured omega-3 fatty acids and plasma lipids in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)"
Likewise E4 positive individuals have noted that increasing DHA/EPA in significant quantities spike both small LDL-P & LDL-P. How do you balance this in your recommendations?"Results
Significant gene-EPA interactions were found with HDL-C, and particle concentrations of large and total HDL (pinteraction = 0.0002, 0.006, and 0.007, respectively). The above lipid targets were positively associated with EPA in the E2 groups, whereas negative trends were observed among the E4 participants. Gene-DHA interactions were noted for small LDL particle concentrations alone (pinteraction = 0.01), where a positive trend was found among E4 but not E2 or E3 participants."
In a related question, some E4's have also noted spiking small LDl-P & LDL-P on MCT/coconut oil. Again, how do you balance this in your recommendations?
Tincup
E3,E4
E3,E4
Re: Questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen
I hope it’s okay for me to pop in here, as I’m not able to attend the meet up. I wish I could. Your itinerary is amazing!
Julie, could you extend the last question on your list to address the issue of thiamine supplementation and cancer? Is the risk for accelerated tumor growth high enough that we should be concerned about supplementing thiamine? And, if he feels that this is an issue, what factors might affect the risk/benefit ratio (e.g., it seems like the benefits might be greatest for diabetics or individuals already experiencing significant hypometabolism of glucose in the brain)?
Julie, could you extend the last question on your list to address the issue of thiamine supplementation and cancer? Is the risk for accelerated tumor growth high enough that we should be concerned about supplementing thiamine? And, if he feels that this is an issue, what factors might affect the risk/benefit ratio (e.g., it seems like the benefits might be greatest for diabetics or individuals already experiencing significant hypometabolism of glucose in the brain)?
Re: Questions for Dr. Dale Bredesen
I hope to find this out soon enough, but I have a general question of how the protocol might differ for people with underlying autoimmune issues.
Some of his AD supplements may be contraindicated, such as melatonin for those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Some of his AD supplements may be contraindicated, such as melatonin for those with rheumatoid arthritis.
