Patrick Holford - 'What’s driving Alzheimer’s?'

Patrick Holford, BSc, DipION, FBANT, NTCRP, is a pioneer in the field of nutrition. He is the author of 46 books, translated into over 30 languages and selling millions of copies worldwide, including The Optimum Nutrition Bible, The Low GL-Diet Bible, Optimum Nutrition for the Mind and The 10 Secrets of 100% Healthy People, 10 Secrets of Healthy Ageing and Good Medicine.

Patrick started his academic career in the field of psychology. He then became a student of two of the leading pioneers in nutrition medicine and psychiatry – the late Dr Carl Pfeiffer and Dr Abram Hoffer. In 1984 he founded the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION), an independent educational charity, with his mentor, twice Nobel Prize winner Dr Linus Pauling, as patron. ION has been researching and helping to define what it means to be optimally nourished for the past 25 years and is one of the most respected educational establishments for training nutritional therapists. At ION, Patrick was involved in groundbreaking research showing that multivitamins can increase children’s IQ scores – the subject of a Horizon television documentary in the 1980s. He was one of the first promoters of the importance of zinc, antioxidants, high-dose vitamin C, essential fats, low-GL diets and homocysteine-lowering B vitamins and their importance in Alzheimer’s disease prevention.

Patrick is the Founder of the Food for the Brain Foundation and on the board of trustees, and a Director of the Brain Bio Centre, the Foundation’s treatment centre that specialises in helping those with mental health issues, ranging from depression to schizophrenia. He is an honorary fellow of the British Association of Nutritional Therapy, as well as a member of the Nutrition Therapy Council and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. He is also Patron of the South African Association of Nutritional Therapy. In 2014 Patrick was inducted to the Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame.

[Terrierized]

It's the guidelines, upside down pyramid, and the denial/ignorance that we're being set up to fail

[angelawilliamson]

Life-changing information 🎉

Massively appreciated 👍🏼

[scoobtoober]

Dr Grant is right up my latest alley. I've been routine basking in sun, shirt off as much as possible. I truly has helped metabolic health and visceral fat, it's shrinking my insides and makes me feel well adjusted. Love you and i haven't heard of him. Nice to see no shill college folks on this panel. Love rob lustig, he saved my life and my families. No doubt about that. I was very ignorant and resistant to change. Until he said its the sugar stupid and low fiber.

[sebek]

🎯 Key points for quick navigation:

00:24 *📚 Patrick Holford has written 46 books, including "The Alzheimer's Prevention Plan" in 2005, advocating that Alzheimer's is largely preventable.*
01:20 *⏱️ Every 3 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, with 790 people diagnosed daily in the UK alone.*
01:48 *🧠 Changes in cognition that lead to Alzheimer's diagnosis occur 40 years before the actual diagnosis.*
02:30 *🔬 Alzheimer's diagnosis requires both loss of cognitive function and shrinkage of the medial temporal lobe, visible through MRI scans.*
03:12 *🧪 Homocysteine levels above 11.5 are associated with accelerated brain shrinkage, a key factor in Alzheimer's development.*
04:20 *📈 Small increases in blood glucose within the normal range confer a 15% increased risk of dementia in young adults (35+).*
05:42 *🧬 Contrary to popular belief, only about 0.5% of Alzheimer's cases are due to causative genes, not 30-50% as commonly thought.*
08:02 *🥗 A study of 29, 000 people showed that those with a healthy diet were 7 times less likely to have age-related cognitive decline and 9 times less likely to develop dementia than those with an unfavorable diet.*
10:52 *👂 Sensory impairments like hearing loss and vision problems are risk factors for dementia, highlighting the importance of sensory stimulation and an active lifestyle.*
13:23 *🔬 A meta-analysis of 396 trials concluded that homocysteine-lowering treatment is the most promising intervention for Alzheimer's disease.*
15:39 *🐟 About one-third of Alzheimer's risk is attributed to two factors: omega-3 deficiency and B vitamin deficiency (related to homocysteine levels).*
18:51 *💊 A study showed that high-dose B vitamin supplementation (B12, folate, B6) significantly reduced brain shrinkage in people with mild cognitive impairment, especially those with high homocysteine levels.*
24:42 *🧠 Brain shrinkage observed in people with B12 levels within normal range, suggesting current reference ranges may be misleading.*
25:21 *🐟 Recent study shows 20% reduced dementia risk for those with high omega-3 levels from supplements or fish consumption.*
26:29 *🔬 Study found 73% less brain shrinkage in participants with highest omega-3 levels when given B vitamins.*
27:50 *🤝 Synergy between omega-3 and B vitamins highlighted, with combined supplementation showing significant cognitive benefits.*
29:38 *💉 Discussion of anti-amyloid injections for Alzheimer's, comparing their effects to B vitamin and omega-3 supplementation.*
31:27 *📊 Criticism of recent anti-amyloid drug trials, noting potential unblinding issues and minimal reported improvements.*
33:30 *🔎 Raised homocysteine linked to increased risk of cognitive deficit and cerebrovascular effects.*
34:10 *🍎 Four major preventable drivers of Alzheimer's: sugar/carbohydrates, lack of omega-3 DHA, B vitamin deficiency, and insufficient
35:33 *📱 Introduction of "Cognition" program to help individuals change behavior and reduce dementia risk.*
37:38 *🏥 Launch of pilot program targeting GPs to track patients' progress in reducing dementia risk.*
39:25 *👨‍🦳 Case study of Noge, diagnosed with mixed dementia, showing significant improvement after implementing lifestyle changes based on Food for the Brain recommendations.*

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[patricksullivan]

Sugar and refined carbohydrates. Plus poisonous seed oils. Corn, soybean, canola, cottonseed. Anything invented after 1890.

[fiddlerJohn]

10:49 " in other words it's not just about having a healthy brain it's not just about having a good sort of metabolic Supply if you don't use it you lose it ."

[Annalwayslearning]

Fascinating and funny! Great presentation, thank you 😊

[peterpan]

All of this seems obvious to me but it's nice to know I'm right. Eat and live as our ancestors.

[petercyr]

I think he is missing the mark here a bit.
Our huge brains REQUIRE ketones along with glucose from birth to develop and be fueled properly. Yet we spend our lives blocking ketone production eating the crappy recommended diet full of sugar and junk starches. So this begins the first time a baby is given sugar. Then the brain is starved for decades. Your liver makes all the glucose you need. Any you eat is extra and blocks ketone production, also by the liver, while your body deals with the unneeded glucose. If you constantly eat carbs, you constantly block ketone production and starve your brain.
So prevention is to be in a well fed ketogenic state. It will also improve your vit B levels. Lots of info out there on how to do that.

[sharvo]

Many decades ago Robin Morgan's book, the descent of woman, theorized that Early humans evolved as partially aquatic.

[j.p.]

Can someone please post the TL;DR (a summary of key points) for lay people?

[jimw]

A link to the cognitive website would be useful.

[grunklebob]

Walking on uneven terrain is the hands down BEST brain exercise you can do! Get your sleep and have a good diet and you won't have to worry about this :)

[HaHaroni]

Great research but I believe this guy needs to talk to Dr Knobbe.

[fiddlerJohn]

7:58 "In the British medical jour 29, 000 people and what it found is that uh those who had a healthy diet were about 7 times less likely to have age- related cognitive decline than those with an average diet and nine times less likely to develop dementia than those with an unfavorable diet and one of the things that was quite interesting in this and this is not because I'm not a fan of exercise I totally am uh but the effect of the diet was was about twice as important as the next biggest risk factor which was exercise whether or not you had apoe4 made absolutely no difference at all the other big trial that's going on that is multifactorial and very respected and very well done is the finger trial and uh they're changing lots of different factors that are risk factors but once again whether or not your apoe4 makes no difference ."

[AnneMB]

So do I now go and get a blood test to see if I’m getting enough B vitamins and Omega 3? Would taking supplements be okay even if I feel I’m eating the right foods? Certainly want to avoid Alzheimer’s that Dad had. Great talk.
Did the test: 2 green, rest yellow. (68 years)

[genuineimpulse]

A diet made of grains= sugar+ statins. Babies have a high cholesterol, almost like it's a needed thing in the body. It's important in nerve sheathing and the brain. What could possibly be wrong with making 50 billion a year to screw with nerve function.

[stuarthutt]

It's very eloquent but I suggest you look at brain biopsies and aluminum poisoning as per Dr Christopher Exley.

[ostinspace]

Just eat red meat and eggs get out in the sun you should be right :)

[petermadany]

I guess chocolate chocolate chip ice cream is low in DHA and high in carbohydrates, not sure about B12.