Skip to content
Call: 303-993-7910400 S. McCaslin Blvd, Suite 210, Louisville, Colorado 80027 | Get DirectionsFor Practitioners
Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new windowYouTube page opens in new windowLinkedin page opens in new windowRss page opens in new window
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Your Functional Medicine Expert!
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MDDr. Jill Carnahan, MD

Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter

Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
  • HOME
  • MY STORY
  • ABOUT
    • About Us
    • What is Functional Medicine?
    • Mission Statement
    • Meet Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
    • Meet The Team
    • Location
    • Fees
    • FAQs
    • Forms
    • Testimonials
    • For Practitioners
  • SERVICES
    • Services
    • Functional Medicine Consulting with Dr. Jill
    • Naturopathic Consulting with Dr. Nicole
    • Massage Therapy with Rene
    • Nutritional Consulting with Judy
    • Nutritional Consulting with Megan
    • Chiropractic Care with Dr. JoEllen
    • Nutrition therapy and Private Yoga with Haley
    • Infrared Sauna Detox Therapy
    • IV Infusion Therapy
  • PRESS KIT
    • Press Kit
    • In the Media
  • EVENTS
  • PODCAST
  • DR. JILL’s BOOK
  • BLOG
    • Dr. Jill’s Blog
    • Dr. Jill’s Podcasts
    • Dr. Jill’s Recipes
    • Dr. Jill on Facebook
    • Dr. Jill’s Instagram
    • Dr. Jill on LinkedIn
    • Flatiron Functional Medicine on LinkedIn
  • ONLINE STORE
    • Online Store
    • Products We Love
    • Dr. Jill’s Book
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • MY STORY
  • ABOUT
    • About Us
    • What is Functional Medicine?
    • Mission Statement
    • Meet Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
    • Meet The Team
    • Location
    • Fees
    • FAQs
    • Forms
    • Testimonials
    • For Practitioners
  • SERVICES
    • Services
    • Functional Medicine Consulting with Dr. Jill
    • Naturopathic Consulting with Dr. Nicole
    • Massage Therapy with Rene
    • Nutritional Consulting with Judy
    • Nutritional Consulting with Megan
    • Chiropractic Care with Dr. JoEllen
    • Nutrition therapy and Private Yoga with Haley
    • Infrared Sauna Detox Therapy
    • IV Infusion Therapy
  • PRESS KIT
    • Press Kit
    • In the Media
  • EVENTS
  • PODCAST
  • DR. JILL’s BOOK
  • BLOG
    • Dr. Jill’s Blog
    • Dr. Jill’s Podcasts
    • Dr. Jill’s Recipes
    • Dr. Jill on Facebook
    • Dr. Jill’s Instagram
    • Dr. Jill on LinkedIn
    • Flatiron Functional Medicine on LinkedIn
  • ONLINE STORE
    • Online Store
    • Products We Love
    • Dr. Jill’s Book
  • CONTACT

Can we cure Alzheimer’s Disease? Understanding the link between toxic exposures, insulin resistance, and brain health.

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Brain Health
  3. Can we cure Alzheimer’s Disease?…
Alzheimer's

The recent discoveries surrounding Alzheimer’s suggest that one day getting this disease could become optional. In understanding the progression of this disease better, researchers are finding ways to catch it earlier and identify contributing factors so that we can prevent, stop, and reverse this devastating condition.

Two of these important developments came from studying how similar diabetes and Alzheimer’s and in toxin bioaccumulation. Let’s take a closer look.

 

Alzheimer’s Disease is Type 3 Diabetes in Some Cases

Diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are both top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. These two major illnesses are also on the rise across our country, and are proving to more alike than we once realized. At first glance, these two conditions might not seem too similar but both diseases are largely caused by changes in our diets and environmental exposure.

It’s well documented that diabetes and dementia are strongly associated. In fact, diabetics have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than the rest of the population. In the past few years, we’ve come to find that these two diseases share so many common pathologies, it’s led to some calling Alzheimer’s disease – type 3 diabetes.

Research has found that increased insulin resistance of the body (which is how you develop type 2 diabetes), leads to a cascade of factors that cause cognitive decline, which results in Alzheimer’s disease. These shared factors include:

  • Brain insulin resistance
  • Oxidative stress
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Disturbances in acetylcholine homeostasis
  • Disturbances in insulin-like growth factor

Cognitive decline is the precursor to dementia. Up until recently, the connection between signs of prediabetes and early cognitive decline hadn’t been linked. With both these diseases on the rise in our country, the question becomes – How can we identify onset earlier so as to prevent further regression? And do these two conditions share a common biomarker?

When it comes to diabetes, we hear a lot about blood sugar levels and maintenance. However, HbA1C is a more reliable measurement because it reflects about three months of fluctuating glucose levels. As a result, HbA1C  levels are a better indicator for diagnosing diabetes and identifying those at risk of developing diabetes.

 

Is HbA1C the Key to Catching Alzheimer’s Early?

What is HbA1C exactly? It stands for hemoglobin A1C or glycated hemoglobin. This is a type of protein found in red blood cells, which is responsible for transporting oxygen. In a diabetic, HbA1C levels are higher due to poor control of blood sugar. In addition to diabetes, higher HbA1C levels are also associated with higher risk of heart disease. Interestingly, this important marker has recently been linked to cognitive decline, which has added to the case for calling Alzheimer’s disease, Type 3 diabetes.

In a 2018 study, researchers found that not only were high HbA1C levels (as seen in diabetics) associated with cognitive decline, but this marker could be used as a predictor of early stages of cognitive decline.

This is fascinating new information!

Because it indicates we might be able to test for cognitive decline before there are even symptoms. Furthermore, this study found that there is a “linear correlation between circulating HbA1C levels and cognitive decline, regardless of diabetic status.” Meaning, you don’t have to be diabetic to have diabetically high HbA1C levels or the cognitive decline it causes.

Imagine you could get a simple blood test that could tell you if you were experiencing predementia, before you even noticed the signs. Between this promising indicator and other new understandings in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, we are coming upon a time where early detection is going to make prevention, arresting, and reversing the development of Alzheimer’s a possibility.

If you want to learn more about how to keep yourself from becoming insulin resistance, check out the 5 Incredible Benefits of Insulin Sensitivity – Plus, 11 Ways to Reverse Insulin Resistance. This article shows you exactly how to avoid this mess in the first place.

 

Alzheimer’s Disease as a Protective Response

For a long time it was believed that the development of the trademark amyloid beta oligomers and plaque build ups in the brain were due to damage and degradation. However, recent research indicates there appears to be no response by the brain to the increase in oxidative stress associated with Alzheimer’s development. Additionally, the brain appears to downregulate energy metabolism, which suggests this whole process is actually the brain trying to protect itself.

So, what exactly is the brain trying to protect itself from?

It appears there are a couple of different factors the brain could be trying to protect itself from, which has resulted in the six subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease. There are definitely overlapping characteristics, but in general these breakdown as follows:

  • Type 1 is characterized by systemic inflammation and thought to be a reaction to widespread, chronic inflammation.
  • Type 1.5 has both inflammatory and atrophic factors.
  • Type 2 Alzheimer’s is characterized by atrophic activity of certain molecules including insulin, other hormones, which is accompanied by insulin resistance.
  • Type 3 appears to develop as a protective effect against toxins, such as heavy metals and  mycotoxins from mold.
  • Type 4 this form occurs due vascular impairment or as a reaction to blood vessel damage.  
  • Type 5 is associated with head trauma.

**Please note: It’s important not to confuse the term “type 3 diabetes” with “type 3 Alzheimer’s.” Type 3 diabetes is a way to explain insulin resistance in the brain and relate it to how diabetes occurs in the body. Type 3 diabetes also a helpful term because it indicates poor diet and other lifestyle factors as a major cause, which is turning out to be more true that we’ve ever realized with Alzheimer’s. On the other hand, type 3 Alzheimer’s is also called inhalational Alzheimer’s and mostly caused by toxin exposure. Though, there can be overlap in all the causes, symptoms, and pathogenesis of each type of Alzheimer’s  – Shew! In case we weren’t confused enough already!

Of these, type 3 Alzheimer’s disease is of particular interest to me because the pathogenesis reveals how the brain responds in a protective manner against environmental toxins, such as mold mycotoxins. Identifying whether cognitive decline is caused by mold or other pathogens is extremely important because any treatment without removal of the assaulting microorganism or toxin l isn’t going to do anyone any good.

Research has found certain pathogens are associated with type 3 Alzheimer’s, including:

  • P. gingivalis – an oral bacteria
  • C. glabratus – fungi
  • Herpes simplex – virus
  • Borrelia burgdorferi – Lyme disease
  • Mycotoxins from water-damaged buildings:
  • Stachybotrys
  • Aspergillus
  • Penicillium

The brain is about 60 percent fat, which makes it more susceptible to persistent bioaccumulation of toxins. Science continues to unravel the mysteries of Alzheimer’s disease by finding new ways to catch cognitive decline earlier and identify contributing factors so we can eliminate them once and for all.  

Most people still think an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is a death sentence but this is no longer the case. Everyday new developments are revealing that Alzheimer’s disease is a direct result of the changes in our diet and environment, which have only occurred in the past few decades. Furthermore, we are finding Alzheimer’s is not only preventable, it’s also reversible in some cases.

It’s an exciting time for Alzheimer’s research – share this article with a friend or family who would love to hear the good news!

 

Introducing the International Society of Environmentally Acquired Illness

As a prominent educator about environmental toxicity and mold-related illness and board-member of the organization, I am delighted to introduce the NEW professional society International Society of Environmentally Acquired Illness (ISEAI) whose mission is to “raise awareness of the environmental causes of inflammatory illnesses and to support the optimal health of individuals affected by these illnesses through the integration of clinical practice, education, and research.”

You can find them at their ISEAI website and on Facebook. I’m excited for the awareness and action ISEAI will bring against environmentally acquired illness!

 

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16361024

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3045545/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769828/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304271/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20200384

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29368156

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586104/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4334623/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789584/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4334623/

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.   The information in this article is not intended to replace any recommendations or relationship with your physician.  Please review references sited at end of article for scientific support of any claims made.

Categories: Brain Health, NutritionBy Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCPFebruary 25, 201810 Comments
Tags: Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer’sbrain healthFunctional Medicineinsulin resistancetoxic exposures
Share this post
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook TweetShare on Twitter Pin itShare on Pinterest Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

Author: Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

https://www.jillcarnahan.com/

Dr. Jill is Your Functional Medicine Expert! She uses functional medicine to help you find answers to the cause of your illness and addresses the biochemical imbalances that may be making you feel ill. She'll help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual. She may use diet, supplements, lifestyle changes or medication to treat your illness but will seek the most gentle way to help your body restore balance along with the least invasive treatment possible. Dr. Jill is a functional medicine expert consultant and treats environmental and mold-related illness as well

Post navigation

PreviousPrevious post:The Fake Supplement Issue No One Is Talking About – Beware of AmazonNextNext post:Gut Supportive Prune Apricot Compote

Related posts

Flow State
What Is a “Flow State”? And Can It Really Boost Your Health and Happiness?
January 15, 2023
Is Gadolinium Helpful or Harmful
Is Gadolinium Helpful or Harmful? An Exploration of Gadolinium Retention and Toxicity
November 27, 2022
Celery Juice
The Scoop on Celery Juice: Is It Really All It’s Cracked Up to Be?
September 27, 2022
Post-Concussion-Syndrome
Persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome: Could Underlying Lyme Disease Be the True Culprit?
August 23, 2022
emfs
EMFs and Children: What Kind of Impact Are EMFs Really Having on Our Kids?
August 15, 2022
What’s the Best Home Water Filter? What to Look For and 4 Common Mistakes
July 13, 2022

10 Comments

  1. Kelly the Kitchen Kop says:
    March 6, 2018 at 7:11 am

    Hi Jill,

    What would you say is high for an A1C?

    Thanks,
    Kelly

    Reply
    • Jill Carnahan, MD says:
      March 6, 2018 at 1:52 pm

      A1C ideally should be < 5.5

      Reply
  2. Kym says:
    March 6, 2018 at 7:28 am

    Thank you for posting Dr. Jill! This is a fascinating read and relates to my business which is helping people reduce their toxic load by switching out their cabinets, cleaning and personal products with healthier choices.

    Reply
  3. Brady Pitts says:
    March 22, 2018 at 2:15 am

    I was diabetic for 10 years, I was taking metformin 1000 mg twice daily. Last A1C was 750. My symptoms were always weight loss, blurred vision, thirst. stomach and bowels. I am a 54 year old male, the metformin wasn’t really working so I went in search of alternative treatments, January 2018 I started on the Diabetes natural herbal formula I ordered from GREEN HOUSE HERBAL CLINIC, I spoke to some previous people who used the treatment here in the United States and they all gave a positive response, my symptoms totally declined over a 7 weeks use of the Green House Diabetes disease natural herbal formula. I am doing very well, the disease is totally reversed! Visit their website www . Greenhouseherbalclinic . com I am thankful to nature, herbs are truly gift from God. i see much better and feel comfortable doing so, I will keep sharing more awareness!!!

    Reply
  4. John Lorscheider says:
    April 16, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    Dr. Carnahan:

    I’ve been whittling away at my AD risk factors according to the protocols of Dr. Dale Bredesen. I believe you were a presenter on labs and other topics at the IFM-Bredesen seminar in Miami Beach that my doctor attended in December.

    I’m my journey, I discovered undiagnosed insulin resistance and later, diabetes thanks to a fasting 2-hour OGTT and later, the Kraft Insulin Survey, that didn’t get picked up with a with FBG or A1c tests.

    Quick question if I may: The Bredesen protocol suggests that serum thiamine levels should be optimized to 20-30 nmol/L in his book. My Quest results indicate I’m at 140 nmol/L (range is 78-185 nmol/L). That’s a huge disparity in lab ranges. Would you be able to clarify? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Jill Carnahan, MD says:
      April 16, 2018 at 2:05 pm

      Hi John,
      Your thiamine is perfectly fine… different labs have different ranges
      warmly
      Dr Jill

      Reply
      • John Lorscheider says:
        April 16, 2018 at 2:18 pm

        Thank you, Dr. Carnahan. I appreciate your opinion and your blog as well. John

        Reply
  5. Jan Mueller says:
    August 24, 2018 at 7:43 am

    HI Jill. This is Jan mueller from Roanoke and I had a few questions for you. Jim recently underwent some testing for memory loss at INI and a dr there said Alzheimer’s. He still is to get a MRI and psych testing. He had thyroid tests, folic acid, B12, vit D labs done. I read your newsletters and wondered if you had any other insights or suggestions and what you think of Aricept. If we should start it. Thank you so much for any help you can offer

    Reply
    • Jill Carnahan, MD says:
      August 25, 2018 at 8:11 am

      Hi Jan,
      Thank you so much for your question! I recommend reading more about Dale Bredesen protocol in his book, The End of Alzheimer’s Disease. If you want help finding a Bredesen protocol trained physician, let me know.
      Warmly
      Dr Jill

      Reply
  6. google street view says:
    April 2, 2019 at 10:32 pm

    Well hopefully it will be a step in the right direction. Dreadful illness.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Post comment

Search
Dr. Jill
Dr. Jill will help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual.
  • Address:
    400 S. McCaslin Blvd, Suite 210, Louisville, Colorado 80027
  • Get Directions
  • Phone:
    (303) 993-7910
  • Fax:
    (303) 993-4674
  • Specialty
    Functional Medicine Expert Trained in Family Medicine Board Certified Trained in Integrative Holistic Medicine

Find us on:

Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowYouTube page opens in new windowRss page opens in new windowLinkedin page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new window
Testimonials

I certainly understand how Dr. Jill got so popular! Love watching her very interesting videos on the site and have signed up for the newsletter. She exudes such an air of competence, authenticity, intelligence and humility!

Karin
Karin

Good day Jill, you Motivated me very much. In the Last years, I prepared to become a registered German Naturopath (Heilpraktiker). The webinars of Functional Medicine Practitioners I attended as often as I could. Best wishes from Europe.

Norbert
Norbert

In my many years and many experiences with doctors… you guys have them beat, hands down. You guys are great.

Jessica Hull
Jessica Hull

I just wanted to thank Dr. Carnahan and all the staff for a wonderful visit. What a great experience from start to finish. Of course, Dr. Carnahan is the icing on the cake! (Hmmm …need a healthier analogy) Anyway, I’m feeling excited optimistic, and hopeful after all these years of being sick. Again my thanks and blessings to you all. Warmly, Roberta

Roberta
Roberta

I just wanted to send a quick thank you for your time and advice today. I am so appreciative and I feel hopeful that the plan we have can really help me. I’ve been sick for a long time and recently I’ve been rather discouraged with where I’m at with my health. I believe that God has allowed our paths to cross and that He is going to use you help restore my body to health. Thank you for giving me hope. Blessings, Kara

Kara
Kara

I wanted to let you know you did an outstanding job at this past weekend at the IFM {Reversing Cognitive Decline} conference. I appreciate you sharing your personal health journey. You are a true inspiration!

Ronald Grisanti
Dr. Ronald GrisantiBoard Certified Chiropractic Orthopedist
Facebook
Jill Carnahan, MD
Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Dr. Jill
Dr. Jill will help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual.
  • Address:
    400 S. McCaslin Blvd, Suite 210, Louisville, Colorado 80027
  • Phone:
    (303) 993-7910
  • Fax:
    (303) 993-4674

Find us on:

Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowYouTube page opens in new windowRss page opens in new windowLinkedin page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new windowSoundCloud page opens in new window
Latest Podcasts
  • Shaina Cahill
    #130: Dr. Jill interviews Shaina Cahill, PhD on Fecal Microbiota Transplant
    November 28, 2022
  • #129: Dr. Jill interviews author Steven Kotler on Using Peak Performance & Flow States
    #129: Dr. Jill interviews author Steven Kotler on Using Peak Performance & Flow States
    November 24, 2022
  • #128: Dr. Jill interviews Dr. Terry Wahls on Recovery from Multiple Sclerosis & Wahl’s Protocol
    #128: Dr. Jill interviews Dr. Terry Wahls on Recovery from Multiple Sclerosis & Wahl’s Protocol
    November 19, 2022
  • #127: Dr. Jill interviews Jim Tomlinson on Mold Remediation 101
    #127: Dr. Jill interviews Jim Tomlinson on Mold Remediation 101
    November 12, 2022
Facebook
Jill Carnahan, MD
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD

© 2023 Jill Carnahan. All Rights Reserved | Site by Yakadanda  | FAQS | Disclaimer | Financial Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions

| Dr. Jill works as a functional medicine consultant in conjunction with your current health care team and is not considered a replacement for your primary care physician. She requires all new patients to have a primary care physician to cover emergencies and routine care and screening.

Go to Top
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Thanks for Joining Me in the Microbiome Summit. Get Your Free Download Here
Join new and get your free copy of Paleolicious Snack Ideas. We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and get SEVEN FREE health downloads
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Holiday Giveaway
Enter now to win your free Berkey Water Filtration Sysyem (my personal favorite).
We promise never to share your email with anyone.
RESOLVE YOUR MOLD EXPOSURE SYMPTOMS
Dr. Jill's long-awaited Miracle Mold Detox Box is finally here. This handcrafted and researched bundle includes all of the crucial pieces you need to release and flush out toxins in 30 days.
SHOP NOW