New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

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Julie G
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New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by Julie G »

This section is reserved for any guest researchers or clinicians who focus on APOE-ε4 related pathologies. Please feel free to pop in with comments or provide research updates at any time. If you'd like to arrange a formal Q & A session, please contact either juliegee@apoe4.info or chriswoods@apoe4.info.
wbgrant
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by wbgrant »

Greetings.
I do multi-country ecological studies of diet and disease. My first topic was diet and Alzheimer's disease, and I have worked on that topic on and off for 20 years. Here is my most recent paper. Countries with the highest meat as well as eggs, cheese, and some fish have the highest rates of Alzheimer's disease: Brazil, Mongolia, and the U.S. Countries with the lowest amounts and generally with a plant-based diet have the lowest rates. The mechanisms seem to relate to cholesterol and trace minerals. Cholesterol is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, and one of the functions of ApoE4 is to have the liver produce more cholesterol; another function is to have the pancreas produce more insulin. Together, they help hunter gatherers survive from one feast to the next. Dietary intake of metals such as aluminum and the transition metals such as copper, iron, manganese, and zinc is higher for animal-based diets than plant-based diets, which are higher in beneficial metals, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Aluminum and transition metals generate free radicals, which can destroy neurons, thus contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, people in countries with the highest ApoE4 prevalence generally do not have high rates of Alzheimer's because they eat little. However, when some, such as those of African descent, live in the U.S., where food is very abundant, they develop high rates of Alzheimer's disease.

Below is the abstract of my latest paper. I have several more listed at pubmed.gov

I would be happy to answer questions and discuss this topic in greater detail.

J Am Coll Nutr. 2016 Jul;35(5):476-89. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2016.1161566.
Using Multicountry Ecological and Observational Studies to Determine Dietary Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10. ... 16.1161566
Grant WB1.
Author information
Abstract
Rates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are rising worldwide. The most important risk factors seem to be linked to diet. For example, when Japan made the nutrition transition from the traditional Japanese diet to the Western diet, AD rates rose from 1% in 1985 to 7% in 2008. Foods protective against AD include fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, legumes, and fish, whereas risk factors include meat, sweets, and high-fat dairy products. The evidence comes from ecological and observational studies as well as investigations of the mechanisms whereby dietary factors affect risk. The mechanisms linking dietary risk factors to AD are fairly well known and include increased oxidative stress from metal ions such as copper as well as from advanced glycation end products associated with high-temperature cooking, increased homocysteine concentrations, and cholesterol and its effects on amyloid beta, insulin resistance, and obesity. Lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations also are associated with increased risk of AD. In addition to reviewing the journal literature, a new ecological study was conducted using AD prevalence from 10 countries (Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Egypt, India, Mongolia, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and the United States) along with dietary supply data 5, 10, and 15 years before the prevalence data. Dietary supply of meat or animal products less milk 5 years before AD prevalence had the highest correlations with AD prevalence in this study. Thus, reducing meat consumption could significantly reduce the risk of AD as well as of several cancers, diabetes mellitus type 2, stroke, and, likely, chronic kidney disease.
TEACHING POINTS:
• Single-country ecological data can be used to find links between diet and AD because the national diet changes, such as during the nutrition transition to a Western diet. • Multicountry ecological studies can be used to find links between dietary factors and risk of AD. • Prospective observational studies are useful in linking dietary components and patterns to risk of AD. • The most important dietary link to AD appears to be meat consumption, with eggs and high-fat dairy also contributing. • Diets high in grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish are associated with reduced risk of AD, but these factors cannot counter the effects of meat, eggs, and high-fat dairy. • Higher vitamin D status is associated with reduced risk of AD.
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Stavia
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by Stavia »

thank you Dr Grant for popping in to share your research.
We welcome discussion of all kinds.

I see that your primary field and your PhD is in physics. What brought you to biochemistry?
Was it your interest in Vitamin D from sunlight? I personally agree, as do many experts in the field, that this is a critical aspect in many chronic diseases.

What do you postulate as a mechanism of meat being a risk factor for AD? Of course we always, as a group, question links between correlation and causation and dietary analyses are notoriously difficult to accurately factor in other variables of each society studied.



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Julie G
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by Julie G »

Welcome, Dr. Grant! We're delighted to have you join the discussion. I was able to find full text of your paper on SciHub for anyone who lives in a jurisdiction where that's legal. BTW, Table 4 of the paper answers your question, Stavia.

I'm pressed for time and will have a few more questions later, but I was wondering if you find it ironic, Dr. Grant, that the very foods you're warning against are precisely the ones highest in Vitamin D and B12 necessary to reduce homocysteine? I've greatly minimized animal products from my diet and have found my homocysteine rising :?. I'm running an N=1 now to see if rigorous B12 (folate & B-6) supplementation will have an effect on bringing that down. FWIW, most of our members track and tweak both of those biomarkers precisely for the reasons you've outlined.

Also, I notice that your paper doesn't take the ApoE4 allele into consideration. Couldn't lower rates of AD in some geographic locations be due to lower prevalence of the gene? More later. Thanks for sharing your terrific paper. We need more deep dives into diet and Alzheimer's.
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by alangreenmd »

Great paper by Dr Grant.

Will review his papers. Excellent contribution.
Also Dr Grant explained big mystery, why Africans in Africa with APOE4 have low rate AD.
Very encouraging for us who believe in diet he described.
Multi nation studies excellent source of understanding.
JulieAnnie
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by JulieAnnie »

wbgrant wrote:I do multi-country ecological studies of diet and disease. My first topic was diet and Alzheimer's disease, and I have worked on that topic on and off for 20 years.
Hello Doctor Grant: Many thanks for participating and sharing your studies with us. I am wondering if you are aware of the Joslin Diabetes Center study of 25 and 50 year Type 1 medalists that also have Apoe4 allele. So far, they seem to be doing well cognitively although the oldest are late 50’s. What could possibly be protecting them from a lifetime of high glucose levels?
Clarag4
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by Clarag4 »

wbgrant wrote: Tue Nov 21, 2017 6:40 pm Greetings.
I do multi-country ecological studies of diet and disease. My first topic was diet and Alzheimer's disease, and I have worked on that topic on and off for 20 years. Here is my most recent paper. Countries with the highest meat as well as eggs, cheese, and some fish have the highest rates of Alzheimer's disease: Brazil, Mongolia, and the U.S. Countries with the lowest amounts and generally with a plant-based diet have the lowest rates. The mechanisms seem to relate to cholesterol and trace minerals. Cholesterol is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, and one of the functions of ApoE4 is to have the liver produce more cholesterol; another function is to have the pancreas produce more insulin. Together, they help hunter gatherers survive from one feast to the next. Dietary intake of metals such as aluminum and the transition metals such as copper, iron, manganese, and zinc is higher for animal-based diets than plant-based diets, which are higher in beneficial metals, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Aluminum and transition metals generate free radicals, which can destroy neurons, thus contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, people in countries with the highest ApoE4 prevalence generally do not have high rates of Alzheimer's because they eat little. However, when some, such as those of African descent, live in the U.S., where food is very abundant, they develop high rates of Alzheimer's disease.

Below is the abstract of my latest paper. I have several more listed at pubmed.gov

I would be happy to answer questions and discuss this topic in greater detail.

J Am Coll Nutr. 2016 Jul;35(5):476-89. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2016.1161566.
Using Multicountry Ecological and Observational Studies to Determine Dietary Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10. ... 16.1161566
Grant WB1.
Author information
Abstract
Rates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are rising worldwide. The most important risk factors seem to be linked to diet. For example, when Japan made the nutrition transition from the traditional Japanese diet to the Western diet, AD rates rose from 1% in 1985 to 7% in 2008. Foods protective against AD include fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, legumes, and fish, whereas risk factors include meat, sweets, and high-fat dairy products. The evidence comes from ecological and observational studies as well as investigations of the mechanisms whereby dietary factors affect risk. The mechanisms linking dietary risk factors to AD are fairly well known and include increased oxidative stress from metal ions such as copper as well as from advanced glycation end products associated with high-temperature cooking, increased homocysteine concentrations, and cholesterol and its effects on amyloid beta, insulin resistance, and obesity. Lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations also are associated with increased risk of AD. In addition to reviewing the journal literature, a new ecological study was conducted using AD prevalence from 10 countries (Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Egypt, India, Mongolia, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and the United States) along with dietary supply data 5, 10, and 15 years before the prevalence data. Dietary supply of meat or animal products less milk 5 years before AD prevalence had the highest correlations with AD prevalence in this study. Thus, reducing meat consumption could significantly reduce the risk of AD as well as of several cancers, diabetes mellitus type 2, stroke, and, likely, chronic kidney disease.
TEACHING POINTS:
• Single-country ecological data can be used to find links between diet and AD because the national diet changes, such as during the nutrition transition to a Western diet. • Multicountry ecological studies can be used to find links between dietary factors and risk of AD. • Prospective observational studies are useful in linking dietary components and patterns to risk of AD. • The most important dietary link to AD appears to be meat consumption, with eggs and high-fat dairy also contributing. • Diets high in grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish are associated with reduced risk of AD, but these factors cannot counter the effects of meat, eggs, and high-fat dairy. • Higher vitamin D status is associated with reduced risk of AD.



Thank you so much Mr.wbgrant for such a great explanation.
Kmlseattle
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Re: New Discussion Category/Reserved for Guest Experts

Post by Kmlseattle »

Clarag4 wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:40 am
wbgrant wrote: Tue Nov 21, 2017 6:40 pm Greetings.
I do multi-country ecological studies of diet and disease. My first topic was diet and Alzheimer's disease, and I have worked on that topic on and off for 20 years. Here is my most recent paper. Countries with the highest meat as well as eggs, cheese, and some fish have the highest rates of Alzheimer's disease: Brazil, Mongolia, and the U.S. Countries with the lowest amounts and generally with a plant-based diet have the lowest rates. The mechanisms seem to relate to cholesterol and trace minerals. Cholesterol is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, and one of the functions of ApoE4 is to have the liver produce more cholesterol; another function is to have the pancreas produce more insulin. Together, they help hunter gatherers survive from one feast to the next. Dietary intake of metals such as aluminum and the transition metals such as copper, iron, manganese, and zinc is higher for animal-based diets than plant-based diets, which are higher in beneficial metals, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Aluminum and transition metals generate free radicals, which can destroy neurons, thus contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, people in countries with the highest ApoE4 prevalence generally do not have high rates of Alzheimer's because they eat little. However, when some, such as those of African descent, live in the U.S., where food is very abundant, they develop high rates of Alzheimer's disease.

...



Thank you so much Mr.wbgrant for such a great explanation.
Welcome to the ApoE4 Info Community, Clarag4!

Based on your post, it appears you are having no trouble navigating the site. As a welcome intern, I'm here to ensure you are made aware of the various resources available to you. You, obviously, have found the Science category.

Other resources include the Primer, which is authored by Stavia, a physician member and carrier of two copies of the APOE-ε4 allele. This page offers extensive scientific background and prioritized sensible preventative measures.

The WIKI is a searchable page that includes detailed information in many areas. I find the "How to" page helpful for navigating the site.

Additionally, you can view the experiences of other members, and share your own, if you wish, at Our Stories. One of the best things about this community is the caring, supportive environment that has been created by the founders and continued by the members.

Finally, there is also a Facebook group, ApoE4 Info, where Facebook users/members share information as well.

There is a lot to learn and discover on this site. Please feel free to continue to post and ask questions. I hope to hear from you again.

Best wishes,
Kathleen
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