Let’s be clear here. His advice re eating 30 foods and being microbiome friendly can only be good for your health but there’s no evidence in any human trial that this prevents dementia. I mean, he links it to a a study looking at fecal microbiomes and fecal short chain fatty acid composition (SCFAs) between wild-type and AD model mice at different ages. Tangental or what?
This is what he should, based on the science, have said about supplements and the food group he left out.
Supplement omega-3 fish oils. Aim for any supplement that provides 500mg of omega-3 DHADHA is short for Docosahexaenoic Acid. It is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring, and is often…. This may mean two capsules a day. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition of over 100,000 people, which showed that an increased intake of omega-3, either from diet or supplements, or having a higher omega-3 blood level, cuts the risk of dementia by a fifth (20 per cent).[1] If you’re vegans supplement algal omega-3 DHA.
Test your blood homocysteineHomocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine have been associated with narrowing and hardening of the arteries, an increased… level with a home test kit. A level above 10mcmol/l, which is extremely common in people over 60, is strongly associated with accelerated brain shrinkage and increases risk of Alzheimer’s ten-fold. Homocysteine is easily lowered by supplementing vitamin B6, B12 and folate. But the amounts needed are much higher if your homocysteine level is high. It’s in the pin prick DRIfT test from foodforthebrain.org/tests/.
Supplement vitamin B12. Two in five people over 60 have insufficient blood B12 levels to prevent accelerated brain shrinkage.[2]We recommend everyone to supplement 10mcg of B12, which is what you’ll find in a good multivitamin. But if your homocysteine is raised you’ll need 500mcg a day to lower it. It’s completely safe so there’s no harm in taking this much.
Supplement vitamins C and E. Vitamin CWhat it does: Strengthens immune system – fights infections. Makes collagen, keeping bones, skin and joints firm and strong. Antioxidant, detoxifying pollutants and protecting against… is a water-based antioxidantAntioxidants are substances that protect cells within the body from damage caused by free radicals. They help to strengthen the body’s ability to fight infection… also detoxifying smoke. Vitamin EWhat it does: Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage, including against cancer. Helps body use oxygen, preventing blood clots, thrombosis, atherosclerosis. Improves wound… is a fat-based antioxidant which protects the essential fats in the brain.
A study of 4,740 elderly residents of Cache County, Utah, found that those supplementing both vitamin E and C cut their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by two thirds. Taking either cut risk by a quarter.[3]
Eat an egg a day, or six eggs a week Eating two eggs a week halves future risk of Alzheimer’s.[4] A study of 125,000 people followed over 12 years, from the UK Biobank data and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition[5], found a direct relationship between dietary intake of choline which a steady decrease in risk as a person’s dietary choline levels increased up to around 400mg a day. Risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia were also lowest at this level of intake.
References
[1] Wei BZ, Li L, Dong CW, Tan CC; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; Xu W. The Relationship of Omega-3 Fatty AcidsOmega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids – they cannot be made within the body so must be obtained from the diet. EPA and… with Dementia and Cognitive Decline: Evidence from Prospective Cohort Studies of Supplementation, Dietary Intake, and Blood Markers. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023 Jun;117(6):1096-1109. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.04.001. Epub 2023 Apr 5. PMID: 37028557; PMCID: PMC10447496.
[2] Vogiatzoglou A, Refsum H, Johnston C, Smith SM, Bradley KM, de Jager C, Budge MM, Smith AD. Vitamin B12 status and rate of brain volume loss in community-dwelling elderly. Neurology. 2008 Sep 9;71(11):826-32. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000325581.26991.f2. PMID: 18779510.
[3] Basambombo LL, Carmichael PH, Côté S, Laurin D. Use of Vitamin E and C Supplements for the Prevention of Cognitive Decline. Ann Pharmacother. 2017 Feb;51(2):118-124. doi: 10.1177/1060028016673072. Epub 2016 Oct 5. PMID: 27708183.
[4] Pan Y, Wallace TC, Karosas T, Bennett DA, Agarwal P, Chung M. Association of Egg Intake With Alzheimer’s Dementia Risk in Older Adults: The Rush Memory and Aging Project. J Nutr. 2024 Jul;154(7):2236-2243. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.012. Epub 2024 May 22. PMID: 38782209; PMCID: PMC11347793.
[5] Ying-ying Niu, Hao-yu Yan, Jian-feng Zhong, Zhi-quan Diao, Jing Li, Cheng-ping Li, Lian-hong Chen, Wen-qi Huang, Miao Xu, Zhi-tong Xu, Xiao-feng Liang, Zhi-hao Li, Dan Liu,Association of dietary choline intake with incidence of dementia, Alzheimer disease, and mild cognitive impairment: a large population-based prospective cohort study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 121, Issue 1, 2025, Pages 5-13, ISSN 0002-9165, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.11.001
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