Tag Archives: dementia

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 10

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APOE4 and the history of human disease
Apolipoprotein E, discovered in 1973, is derived from a polymorphic gene called ApoE that encodes for a signaling protein on a class of fatty proteins that primarily carry cholesterol and other molecules around the body. We find ApoE primarily on VLDL, very low-density lipoproteins and HDL, High density lipoproteins. It primarily helps to shuttle cholesterol from the periphery of the body back to the liver. ApoE proteins are also involved in neuronal signaling, neuroinflammation and glucose metabolism making them especially critical for brain activity. This is becoming a critical part of the story for understanding dementia and neurodegeneration. (Williams T. 2020) ApoE is most famous for an isoform, APOE4/4, being highly associated with Alzheimer’s dementia in modernity. Unfortunately, as we do with many things in medicine, we have been focused on this genetic protein variant as a net negative in humans because we look at things as black and white. Either good or bad. A binary choice. Rubish! …..
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Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 50

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The fundamentals are these: Age related changes that lead to neuronal loss and cognitive decline are related to loss or reduction of myokine release, systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, reactive oxygen induced mitochondrial stress, DNA mutations and poor protein intake.
First, exercise releases chemicals called myokines which are cell signaling molecules that have the job of telling other cells what to do via changes in gene expression, protein transcription and much more. The prototypical change is the increase of a substance called brain derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, for short. BDNF is critical for brain cell mitochondrial biogenesis. BDNF promotes many developmental functions in the brain, including neuronal cell survival, differentiation, migration, dendritic arborization, and synaptic plasticity. Regular exercise promotes a progressive increase in BDNF protein for up to at least 3 mo………
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Dr.M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 49

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Covid Update #75

All new omicron based variants are extremely infectious but not really dangerous anymore to immunocompetent people. They are evading prior immunity as well as all vaccines to varying degrees. Morbidity remains very low now. The current bivalent vaccines are not showing any improvement over the ancestral vaccine. Death remains almost zero for all healthy previous infected or vaccinated individuals. This is likely the new norm from here on out.

This week we cover covid, vaccine effectiveness, skeletal muscle and dementia, human protein needs and function.

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 42

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Literature review
1) Looking for a new sweetener that is natural and less toxic to your body? Usher in Allulose which is the enantiomer of fructose, is much less sweet to taste and does not spike blood glucose or insulin levels. In the British Medical Journal we find: “This is the largest study assessing the effects of D-allulose in Westerners demonstrating an early dose-dependent reduction in plasma glucose and insulin levels as well as decreased postprandial glucose and insulin excursion in subjects without DM. These pilot observations set the basis for large-scale investigations to support the anti-DM effects of D-allulose.” (Franchi et. al. 2021)…..
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Dr. M