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August 29 - September 13, 2017
We humans evolved to handle only small amounts of sugars (about 15 grams per day, less than half the amount in a 12-ounce soft drink). Sugar is like fire, a source of energy but very dangerous.
Among the synapse-strengthening compounds are brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which can be increased through exercise; hormones such as estradiol and testosterone, which can be optimized through prescriptions or via dietary supplements; and nutrients such as vitamin D and folate.
Homocysteine comes from eating foods with the amino acid methionine such as nuts, beef, lamb, cheese, turkey, pork, fish, shellfish, soy, eggs, dairy, or beans.
GOAL: vitamin B12 = 500–1500 pg/ml; folate = 10–25 ng/ml; vitamin B6 = 60–100 mcg/L.
IDE is tied up degrading insulin, it isn’t degrading amyloid-beta.
Your fasting insulin level should be 4.5 or below. Your fasting glucose should be 90 or lower, and your hemogloblin A1c should be less than 5.6 percent.
GOAL: fasting insulin ≤ 4.5 microIU/ml; hemoglobin A1c < 5.6 percent; fasting glucose = 70–90 mg/dL.
GOAL: hs-CRP < 0.9 mg/dL; albumin ≥ 4.5 g/dL; A/G ratio ≥ 1.8.
OPTIONAL TARGETS: omega-6:omega-3 ratio = 0.5–3.0; IL-6 < 3 pg/ml; TNFα < 6.0 pg/ml.
GOAL: vitamin D3 (measured as 25-hydroxycholecalciferol) = 50–80 ng/ml.
Free T4 is essentially the storage hormone, lasting about a week. Optimal levels are 1.3 to 1.8.
OPTIMAL: TSH < 2.0 microIU/ml; free T3 = 3.2–4.2 pg/ml; reverse T3 < 20 ng/dL; free T3 x 100:reverse T3 > 20; free T4 = 1.3–1.8 ng/dL.
GOAL: estradiol level = 50–250 pg/ml; progesterone = 1–20 ng/ml; estradiol:progesterone ratio = 10:100 (and optimize to symptoms).
GOAL: total testosterone = 500–1000 ng/dL; free testosterone = 6.5–15 ng/dL.
GOAL: copper:zinc ratio = 0.8–1.2. Zinc =
GOAL: RBC magnesium = 5.2–6.5 mg/dL.
GOAL: serum selenium = 110–150 ng/ml; glutathione (GSH) = 5.0–5.5 micromolar.
GOAL: mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium all < 50th percentile (by Quicksilver); or, if blood levels are evaluated by a standard laboratory: mercury < 5 mcg/L; lead < 2 mcg/dL; arsenic < 7 mcg/L; cadmium < 2.5 mcg/L.
GOAL: LDL-p (LDL particle number) =
700–1000; OR sdLDL (small dense LDL) < 20 mg/dL or < 20% of LDL; OR oxidized LDL < 60 U/l; total cholesterol > 150 (yes, more than 150, not less than).
GOAL: vitamin E (measured as alpha-tocopherol) = 12–20 mcg/ml.
GOAL: serum thiamine = 20–30 nmol/l OR red blood cell thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) = 100–150 ng/ml of packed cells.
GOAL: Cyrex Array 2 (or other measure of gut permeability) negative.
GOAL: Cyrex Array 20 negative.
GOAL: tissue transglutaminase antibodies negative OR Cyrex Array 3 negative and Cyrex Array 4 negative.
GOAL: Cyrex Array 5 negative.
The list includes antibiotics (which kill bacteria, and thus can be toxic to our mitochondria since they are descendants of bacteria), statins, alcohol, L-DOPA (prescribed to treat Parkinson’s disease), griseofulvin (prescribed for fungal infections), acetaminophen (Tylenol), NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, and related drugs), cocaine, methamphetamine, or AZT (azidothymidine, used for viral infections including HIV/AIDS). In addition, ApoE4 may be associated with mitochondrial damage.
GOAL: no exposure to mitochondria-damaging agents.
GOAL: BMI (body mass index) = 18–25; waistline < 35 inches (women) or < 40 inches (men).
GOAL: Knowing your ApoE status. OPTIONAL TARGET: Knowing your status on all SNPs related to neurodegeneration, such as APP, PS1, PS2, CD33, TREM2, CR1, and NLRP1.
(Montreal Cognitive Assessment) test, which is freely available online and takes only about ten minutes (http://dementia.ie/images/uploads/site-images/MoCA-Test-English_7_1.pdf).
GOAL: Obtain baseline cognitive performance as percentile for age or as MoCA score (out of a perfect 30).
methylcobalamin (methyl-B12) and adenosylcobalamin forms of B12, 1 milligram in total each day; and
Vitamin B1, 50 mg
Pantothenic acid, 100–200 mg
The B6/B12/folate combination
Vitamin D, starting with 2500 IU
