Using Precision Medicine to Reverse Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Heather Sandison: Rational Wellness podcast 464

View the Show Notes For This Episode Using Precision Medicine to Reverse Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Heather Sandison | Rational Wellness Podcast 464 Dr. Ben Weitz interviews Dr. Heather Sandison about a precision, multimodal approach to Alzheimer's and cognitive decline that challenges the amyloid-only model. Sandison cites a 2026 Cochrane review finding anti-amyloid antibody therapies remove plaque but don't meaningfully improve cognition and carry risks like brain bleeding and swelling, arguing cognitive decline is driven by multiple modifiable factors. She reviews lifestyle-intervention research (Bredesen/Toups 2022, her 2023 study, Ornish 2024, and the Alzheimer's Association POINTER trial) showing cognitive improvements, discusses key drivers such as toxins (mycotoxins, metals, chemicals), infections, metabolic flexibility/ketosis, sleep, stress, and social connection, and outlines evaluation tools including MoCA, CNS Vital Signs, MRI volumetrics with arterial spin labeling, and blood biomarkers like p-tau217, Aβ 42/40, and NfL, plus interpreting nutrients via homocysteine. 00:00 Show Intro  00:59 Alzheimers Rethink 01:34 Guest Background  02:48 Trial Clarification  03:39 Limits Of Amyloid Drugs  05:29 Houseplant Brain Analogy  07:10 Lifestyle Trials Evidence 09:41 Research Funding Reality  11:08 Preventable Dementia Risks  12:44 Synapses And Social Ties 15:13 Drivers Beyond Amyloid 17:27 Toxins As Key Factor 18:52 Why Toxins Get Ignored  20:42 Metabolic Flexibility Diet  23:33 Ketosis For Cognition 24:57 Exogenous Ketones Guide  26:57 MCT And Coconut Oil 27:10 Coconut Oil Ketones  28:10 Apollo Wearable Ad  29:42 Cognitive Testing Tools 31:17 Advanced Brain Imaging  33:56 Blood Biomarkers Explained  37:39 Nutrients And Homocysteine  40:29 Vitamin D And Calcium  41:53 Treatment Priorities  43:47 Sleep Apnea First  45:53 Hormones And Peptides  48:48 Wrap Up And Resources  49:53 Podcast Outro Dr. Heather Sandison is the founder of Solcere Health Clinic in San Diego, California and Marama, a pioneering residential care facility focused on personalized, root-cause approaches to dementia.  She is also the primary investigator and author of a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease demonstrating improvements in cognition using a personalized lifestyle intervention, and the author of the New York Times best selling book Reversing Alzheimer's.   Her website is DrHeatherSandison.com. Dr. Ben Weitz is available for Functional Nutrition consultations specializing in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders like IBS/SIBO and Reflux and also Cardiometabolic Risk Factors like elevated lipids, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Dr. Weitz has also successfully helped many patients with managing their weight and improving their athletic performance, as well as sports chiropractic work by calling his Santa Monica office 310-395-3111.