By Schuyler Corrigan

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September 1, 2023

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What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disorder that slowly erodes memory and cognitive skills. It is the most common form of dementia and is a progressive disease that becomes more severe over time. Alzheimer’s disease impacts the areas of the brain that control memory, language, and thoughts. These are where initial symptoms may be first noticed with behaviors such as getting temporarily lost in a familiar place, repeating questions, misplacing things and being unable to locate them, or inability to complete familiar tasks at home or work. Some of these symptoms may appear minor at first, but the patterns of this repeated behavior become more noticeable and overwhelming over time. 

 

It is estimated that some 6 million people in the US over the age of 65 have the disease, and many more under 65 have been diagnosed as well. Early onset Alzheimer’s (diagnosed from ages 30 to mid-sixties) is rare while aging is one of the most significant risk factors in developing Alzheimer’s. If you have witnessed a loved one struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, you know it is a heartbreaking condition to endure, and also for the caregivers to support. There is currently no cure for this disease, and it is one of the most aggressively researched degenerative diseases medical sciences are exploring today. 

What is the Microbiome?

Our gut microbiome is a massively complex array of bacteria, yeasts, microbes, and genetic material that influences everything from our metabolism, digestion and absorption, communication networks, immune function, brain health, and essentially every body system in between. The microbiome is dynamic and adapts and changes with early development, and environmental factors such as stress, diet, and use of antibiotics especially in response to disease. In current medical research, we are finding that support and manipulation of the microbiome can positively impact our health and disease presentation, and this research is offering insightful clues into how and why diseases – such as Alzheimer’s – may present. 

 

Read More: Nourishing the Gut Microbiome

The Role of the Microbiome in Alzheimer’s Disease

As modern medicine is developing a stronger understanding of how the whole body works together to develop the disease (and heal from disease), there has been some fascinating new research to support the understanding that the gut microbiome does in fact play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This is not surprising, as we know the gut and the brain are directly linked through an intricate network of neurons, proteins, and chemicals called the gut-brain axis. Dr. Leah Hollon explains, “For years medicine has looked at diseases within compartments and we have known that this is not the full picture. To think that the gastrointestinal tract has no impact on the rest of the body is short-sided. The gut is similar to soil where things can prosper and grow, and if there is not enough diversity, poor nutrients, or even dysbiosis, that vulnerability can potentiate where disease is more likely to set up. We have seen this with autoimmune disease, cancer and even Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s”.

 

For example, it has been shown that people with Alzheimer’s disease present with similar microbiome imbalances, namely lower microbial diversity and imbalanced bacterial cultures (specifically, elevated Escherichia & Shigella strains which are pro-inflammatory, and lowered Escherichia rectale which is anti-inflammatory). We also notice considerable Blood Brain Barrier breakdown in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and the gut microbiome is very much protective of this barrier when in a healthy state. 

 

Research is also suggesting that chronic inflammation and even dysregulation of glucose within the brain can be a significant contributor to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Inflammation may be a result of several things including trauma or injury, exposure to toxins, and immune dysregulation. Chronic inflammation activates our immune system (a huge part of which is located in the gut and microbiome), thus more research is being done on the effects of lowering chronic inflammation via diet and stress reduction to positively impact the bacterial flora within the microbiome, in turn, supporting brain health. The best support for Alzheimer’s has been a multi-disciplined approach including lifestyle.

 

There are so many avenues of research still yet to be done in this area, but it is evident that our microbiome health is such a major regulator and influencer of our health, it is no surprise that gut health, overall, is a major area of interest for naturopathic medicine and af foundational part of any care plan for a client who has cognitive health concerns acutely or preventatively. 

Naturopathic Approach

The Naturopathic doctors at RNM work to assess your neurological health by actively collaborating with your current physicians. Because many factors together impact your current health, your ND will thoroughly assess your family history, epigenetics, viruses, injury, nutrition/diet, environmental exposures, and stress. Each is important and vital to investigate; this provides the best outcome and quality of life for those struggling with Alzheimer’s disease or looking to facilitate prevention earlier in life. 

 

Dr. Hollon approaches Alzheimer’s disease by taking in the full health picture of every individual patient, explaining, “With Alzheimer’s, it isn’t just one thing; the collective aspects matter. Finding out food intolerances is one large key, as well as having labs regularly. If there is trauma or even emotional hardships, this is also something that can impact the biochemistry of the brain. Different recommendations may be given depending on the severity and stage of the disease. Also, certain drugs that are for memory are not broken down well by some people, and in those cases, doing additional pharmacogenomic testing can be useful. But the diversity of gut-flora is most protective and this can be from getting a well-rounded diet including grains, vegetables, and high-quality protein. When we cut out an entire group of food, we can reduce nutritional diversity, and the diversity is usually equal to health. We want more diversity and flora that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) for protection. Certain nutrients can also increase the health of flora within our gut, so assessing nutrient status is also important. We also want to find out if there are underlying microbes known as pathogenic or dysbiotic, leading to the Gut-brain axis permeability. Mucus serves as a protective barrier, but if it is broken down by microbes and their metabolites, then they can cross into the blood-brain barrier, causing more damage”. 

 

Some aspects of daily living contribute to neurological dysfunction in general, from dietary and environmental contaminants to long-term stress, poor sleep, and an overall sedentary lifestyle. These are just a few contributors to the growing epidemic of diminishing brain health and poor overall gut health. Other factors we consider for optimal brain function are the gut microbiome, infections, inflammation, hormone balance, and neurotransmitter balance.

 

Through this approach, your naturopathic doctor, in collaboration with your current medical care team, can create an individualized plan to enhance your overall state of health and well-being, whether with an active Alheizmer’s diagnosis or through a preventive lens.

 

Resources:

1. The gut microbiome in Alzheimer’s Disease: What we know and what remains to be explored
2. Alzheimer’s Disease & Healthy Aging 
3. The Human Gut Microbiome in Health & Disease
4. Inflammation: the link between comorbidities, genetics, and Alzheimer’s disease