Theoretical Evidence for
Human-to-Human Transmission of Alzheimer's
September 24, 2015
Story at-a-glance
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Evidence suggests there are three causes promoting
Alzheimer’s symptoms: type 3 diabetes, gut dysfunction,
and a slow-acting human form of Mad Cow disease
Researchers have presented the first theoretical
evidence for human-to-human transmission of misfolded
proteins associated with Alzheimer’s pathology, via
injection with prion-contaminated growth hormone
Research has also shown amyloid-beta proteins injected
into animals act as self-propagating “seeds,” inciting a
chain reaction of protein misfolding that results in
Alzheimer’s pathology
By Dr. Mercola
An estimated 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, a
severe form of dementia,1
and the most recent data2,3
suggests over half a million Americans die from Alzheimer's each
year, making it the third leading cause of death in the US, right
behind heart disease and cancer.
As prevalence has increased, so have the questions about why,
and the search for answers has dished up some pretty curious
findings over the past several years.
It seems quite clear that Alzheimer's disease is primarily
diet-related, with insulin resistance, processed foods, trans fats,
and unhealthy omega 6:3 ratios being the primary culprits.
However, recent research has also uncovered evidence suggesting
that the disease may be the result of agricultural practices, and
even more surprising, Alzheimer's could potentially be transmitted
via certain invasive medical procedures.
Five Routes to Alzheimer's Disease
At present, evidence suggests there are a number of causes
promoting Alzheimer's symptoms, including the following:
Type 3 diabetes: Faulty insulin signaling is an
underlying cause of insulin resistance, which typically leads to
type 2 diabetes. However, while insulin is usually associated
with its role in keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy
range, it also plays a role in brain signaling.
Researchers have found that when insulin signaling in the
brain is disrupted, it results in dementia, hence the suggestion
that Alzheimer's may be a brain-related form of
diabetes.
Even mild elevation of blood sugar — a level of around 105 or
110 — is associated with an elevated risk for dementia.
According to neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, if your fasting
blood sugar is over 95 mg/dl, it's time to address your diet to
lower it, to protect your brain health.
Gut dysfunction, caused by a combination of
excess sugars and processed foods; antibiotic exposure from food
and medicine; genetically engineered (GE) grains, which create
foreign proteins; and pesticide exposure, just to name a few
well-known culprits
Trans fat consumption:
Trans fat is linked to a higher risk of memory impairment.
It may act as a pro-oxidant, contributing to oxidative stress
that causes cellular damage.
Vegetable oils oxidize when heated, and when oxidized
cholesterol and trans fat enter into your LDL particles, they
become destructive, contributing to arterial plaque buildup in
your brain.
Imbalanced omega-3 to omega-6 ratio:
Researchers have also found a link between Alzheimer's and
raised levels of an omega-6 fat called arachidonic acid.
They believe it interferes with the brain's nerve cells,
causing over-stimulation, and that lowering levels would allow
the cells to function normally.
Most experts agree that the omega 6:3 ratio should range from
1:1 to 5:1. The sad reality is that it now ranges from 20 to
50:1 for most Americans.
Omega-6 fats are found in high concentrations in
factory-farmed animals as they are typically fed grains, as well
as vegetable oils such as corn, canola, soybean, and sunflower
oils.
Slow-actingCreutzfeldt-Jakob
disease (CJD) — the human form of Mad Cow disease,
contracted either through:
Certain medical procedures, such as using human growth
hormone extracted from the pituitary glands of infected
human cadavers (a procedure now banned due to this
contamination risk)
The first four have been discussed at length in previous
articles. Here, we'll focus on the last route, which has disturbing
implications for the conventional meat industry.
Alzheimer's — A Foodborne Disease?
Researchers have found a compelling link between a particular
kind of protein and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, and Lou Gehrig's disease.
This protein, called TDP-43, behaves like toxic and infectious
proteins known as
prions, which are responsible for the brain destruction that
occurs in Mad Cow and Chronic Wasting Disease;4
two types of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
According to a study5
published in 2011, TDP-43 pathology is detected in 25 to 50 percent
of Alzheimer's patients, and research presented at the 2014
Alzheimer's Association International Conference revealed
Alzheimer's patients with TDP-43 were 10 times more likely to have
been cognitively impaired at death than those without it.6,7
The common denominator between Mad Cow and Chronic Wasting
Disease8
(the latter of which affects deer and elk) is forcing natural
herbivores to eat animal parts and byproducts, such as blood and
bone meal.9
This is common practice in confined animal feeding operations
(CAFOs).
The evidence also suggests humans may be infected with TDP-43 via
contaminated meats.
The most infectious parts of a cow carrying these prions are the
brain and spinal cord, which may be found in hot dogs, bologna, and
products containing either gelatin or ground meat.10
The human version of Mad Cow disease is known as
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and some researchers have noted
that Alzheimer's behaves like a slow moving version of CJD.11,12,13
The Case for Alzheimer's as a Slow-Acting Version of Mad Cow
Surprising as it may seem, the idea that neurodegenerative
diseases like Alzheimer's may be spread via CAFO foods isn't brand
new. A 2005 study14
published in the journal Medical Hypotheses, titled
"Thinking the Unthinkable: Alzheimer's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and Mad
Cow Disease: The Age-Related Reemergence of Virulent, Foodborne,
Bovine Tuberculosis, or Losing Your Mind for the Sake of a Shake or
Burger", states:
"In the opinion of experts, ample justification exists
for considering a similar pathogenesis for Alzheimer's,
Creutzfeldt-Jakob and the other spongiform encephalopathies such
as Mad Cow disease. In fact, Creutzfeldt-Jakob and Alzheimer's
often coexist and at this point are thought to differ merely by
time-dependent physical changes.
A recent study links up to 13 percent of all
'Alzheimer's' victims as really having Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease... Alzheimer's, Cruetzfeldt-Jackob, and Mad Cow
Disease might just be caused by eating the meat or dairy in
consumer products or feed.'" [Emphasis mine]
The study also notes that bovine tuberculosis serves as a vector
for human Mad Cow Disease, and bovine tuberculosis is one of the
most prevalent disease threats in American CAFOs. USDA data15
suggests anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of American dairy herds are
infected at any given time.
Theoretical Evidence for Person-to-Person Transmission of
Alzheimer's
All of this brings us to the most recent development, which has
gained widespread media attention.16,17,18,19,20
A study21
published in the journal Nature reveals the first
theoretical evidence for human-to-human transmission of prion-like
proteins associated with Alzheimer's, introduced via a medical
procedure involving contaminated material.
"Between 1958 and 1985, a number of individuals with
short stature received shots of human growth hormone extracted
from the pituitary glands of cadavers... Some of these samples
were contaminated with prions that caused certain patients to
develop Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and fatal brain
disorder.
Treatments ceased once these reports came to light, but
by that time an estimated 30,000 people had already received the
injections. As of 2012, researchers have identified 450 cases of
CJD worldwide that are the result of these growth hormone
injections and other medical procedures, including neurosurgery
and transplants."
To investigate the plausibility of human-to-human transmission,
researchers autopsied eight of the patients who died after
contracting CJD from the now-banned growth hormone treatments. All
had died between the ages of 36 and 51 — too young to have developed
Alzheimer's. Yet six of them had the misfolded proteins found in
Alzheimer's patients' brains, and four of them had amyloid deposits
in their cerebral blood vessels.
Previous animal research23
has also found that when tiny amounts of amyloid-beta proteins —
which are a hallmark of Alzheimer's — are injected into mice or
monkeys, they act as self-propagating "seeds," unleashing a chain
reaction of protein misfolding that results in pathology that is
very reminiscent of that seen in Alzheimer's patients.
Another recent study24
out of Germany found that seeds of amyloid-beta can persist for
months in the brain, and become pathogenic under certain
circumstances. As noted by Scientific American:
"All evidence pointed toward one possibility: Like
prions, amyloid-beta seeds were in the growth hormone injections
and infected these individuals... [H]ad the patients not died
young, they would have developed the disease later in life."
My Alzheimer's Prevention Strategies
Because there are so few treatments for Alzheimer's, and no
available cure, prevention really is your best bet. As explained by
neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, author of the book, Grain
Brain, Alzheimer's is a disease predicated primarily on
lifestyle choices. Diet is part and parcel of a successful
prevention plan, and my
optimized nutrition plan can set you on the right path in this
regard. In terms of your diet and other lifestyle factors, the
following suggestions may be among the most important for
Alzheimer's prevention:
Replace processed foods with real foods
The vast majority of processed foods contain genetically
engineered (GE) grains, which are heavily contaminated with
glyphosate — a herbicide thought to be worse
than DDT, and DDT has already been linked to the development
of Alzheimer's.
Eating real food will also limit your exposure to trans
fats. As a general rule, to avoid trans fats, you need to
avoid any and all foods containing or cooked in partially
hydrogenated vegetable oil, so be sure to check the list of
ingredients.
Avoid sugar andrefined
fructose
Alzheimer's appears to be intricately linked to
insulin resistance. Ideally, you'll want to keep your
sugar levels to a minimum and your total fructose below 25
grams per day, or as low as 15 grams per day if you have
insulin/leptin
resistance or any related disorders.
Optimize omega 6:3 ratio, ideally should be 1:1
to 5:1
Healthy fats that your brain needs for optimal function
include organically-raised grass-fed meats, coconut oil,
olives and olive oil, avocado, nuts, organic pastured egg
yolks, and butter made from raw grass-fed milk.
High intake of the
omega-3 fats EPA and DHA are also helpful for preventing
cell damage caused by Alzheimer's disease, thereby slowing
down its progression, and lowering your risk of developing
the disorder.
It is imperative to also reduce industrial omega 6 oils,
like soy, corn, sunflower, and safflower oils.
Avoid gluten and casein (primarily
wheat and pasteurized dairy, but don't avoid raw dairy, such
as whole milk, and organic butter)
Research shows that your blood-brain barrier is
negatively affected by gluten. Gluten also makes your
gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your
bloodstream, where they don't belong.
That then sensitizes your immune system and promotes
inflammation and autoimmunity, both of which play a role in
the development of Alzheimer's.
Cream is perhaps the most important part of raw milk because
the cream is where all the energy is that's needed to digest
the milk protein casein. That's why it's important to
consume full-fat, raw dairy products instead of non-fat or
skim dairy products. The cream is also responsible for
regulating the sugar absorption into your blood. It
decreases the likelihood of insulin spikes.
The vast majority of all store bought meats, and meats
served in restaurants, come from CAFOs unless otherwise
labeled as organic or grass-fed.
Optimize your gut flora
Regularly eat fermented foods or take a high potency and
high quality probiotic supplement.
Reduce your overall calorie consumption, and/or
intermittently fast
Ketones are mobilized when you replace carbs with
coconut oil and other sources of healthy fats.
Intermittent fasting is a powerful tool to jumpstart
your body into remembering how to burn fat and repair the
inulin/leptin resistance that is also a primary contributing
factor for Alzheimer's.
Improve your magnesium levels
Preliminary research strongly suggests a decrease in
Alzheimer symptoms with increased levels of
magnesium in the brain.
Unfortunately most magnesium supplements do not pass the
blood brain levels, but a new one, magnesium threonate,
appears to and holds some promise for the future for
treating this condition and may be superior to other forms.
Get plenty of folate
Vegetables, without question, are your best form of
folate, and we should all eat plenty of fresh raw veggies
every day. Avoid supplements like folic acid, which is the
inferior synthetic version of folate.
Exercise regularly
It's been suggested that exercise can trigger a change
in the way the amyloid precursor protein is metabolized,
thus, slowing down the onset and progression of Alzheimer's.
Exercise also increases levels of the protein PGC-1alpha.
Research has shown that people with Alzheimer's have less
PGC-1alpha in their brains and cells that contain more of
the protein produce less of the toxic amyloid protein
associated with Alzheimer's.
I would strongly recommend reviewing the
Peak Fitness Technique for my specific recommendations.
Optimize your vitamin D levels
Sufficient vitamin D is imperative for proper
functioning of your immune system to combat inflammation
that is also associated with Alzheimer's.
Avoid and eliminate mercury from your body
Dental amalgam fillings, which are 50 percent mercury by
weight, are one of the major sources of heavy metal
toxicity, however you should be healthy prior to having them
removed. Once you have adjusted to following the diet
described in my optimized nutrition plan, you can follow the
mercury detox protocol and then find a biological dentist to
have your amalgams removed.
Most contain both mercury and aluminum, well-known
neurotoxic and immunotoxic agents.
Avoid anticholinergics and statin drugs
Drugs that block acetylcholine, a nervous system
neurotransmitter, have been shown to increase your risk of
dementia.
These drugs include certain nighttime pain relievers,
antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants,
medications to control incontinence, and certain narcotic
pain relievers.
Statin drugs are particularly problematic because they
suppress the synthesis of cholesterol, deplete your brain of
coenzyme Q10 and neurotransmitter precursors, and prevent
adequate delivery of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble
antioxidants to your brain by inhibiting the production of
the indispensable carrier biomolecule known as low-density
lipoprotein.
Challenge your mind daily
Mental stimulation, especially learning something new,
such as learning to play an instrument or a new language, is
associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's.
Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up
your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions
associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Copyright 1997-2015 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.