Episode 67 - Ketogenic Strategies for Brain Health

The prevalence of Alzheimer's and the unfortunate lack of success with conventional medicine in treating patient's with Alzheimer's is disheartening to say the least.    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, about 50 million people have dementia, and Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-70% of cases. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease increases with age, and it is estimated that about 5-8% of people aged 65 years and older have the disease worldwide!   Unfortunately, the success of drug therapy for Alzheimer's disease has been limited, with no known cure or disease-modifying treatment currently available. While some drugs may provide temporary relief from symptoms, such as memory loss and cognitive decline, they do not stop the progression of the disease itself while also coming with a list of unwanted side effects. Additionally, the efficacy of these drugs varies widely among patients, and there is no consensus on the best treatment approach. This has led to frustration among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals alike, highlighting the urgent need for better treatments.   Luckily, there are treatments that improve brain function enormously! Yet in our current healthcare system, treatments that are not profitable rarely (if ever) become part of the standard of care.    This is why we empower ourselves!   In this podcast, Mary Newport and I explore Alzheimer's disease and the role of ketones vs. glucose in fueling a brain with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.   Mary Newport, M.D. practiced neonatology, the care of sick and premature newborns, for thirty years and was founding medical director for two newborn intensive care units in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.  More recently, she practiced at the opposite end of the spectrum, providing hospice care and health risk assessments.     In 2008, a ketogenic nutritional intervention with coconut and medium-chain triglyceride oil dramatically helped her husband Steve Newport, who had early-onset Alzheimer's disease, resulting in nearly four better quality years.    Her fourth book Clearly Keto for Healthy Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention focuses on a whole food ketogenic Mediterranean-style diet and other lifestyle modifications to help maintain brain health and prevent Alzheimer's and other dementias. The third edition of her first book, Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure? The Story of Ketones will be in published September 2023.