Sleeping Pills and Potions – What works and what doesn’t

Sleeping Pills and Potions – what works, what doesn’t

Follow on Social Media

Turn off your mind so you can sleep free cheat sheet

Do you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. 

Sleeping Pills and Potions - What works, what doesn't

You’re at the end of your rope, so you head to the pharmacy for the help you so desperately need to sleep. But wait, you aren’t sure if it’s safe, if it works, and if there’s a better way.  Stay tuned to learn about the benefits, side effects, and risk of sleep aids. 

 I’m Dr.Vickie Petz Kasper. If you’re ready to take control of your health, you’re in the right  place. I’ll give you practical steps to start your own journey toward better health because healthy looks great on you.

 This is episode 159, Sleeping Pills and Potions. What works and what doesn’t. You know that poor sleep is associated with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, immune dysfunction, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, and good grief, I could go on and on. So, taking something to help you sleep sounds like a good idea, right?  Today, we’ll discuss what you need to know before you go and get a prescription, supplement, or over the counter sleeping aid.

Look, we have to sleep. Our very lives and health depend on it. But the struggle is real. Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms people go to the doctor or health care provider for treatment.  

And what if I told you that good sleep is possible without medications? Well, it is. In fact, the first line treatment recommended to treat insomnia is not medication. The standard recommendation for managing insomnia is to eliminate things that go bump in the night and keep you awake.  Or, to treat underlying diseases that disrupt sleep. It’s not recommended to start with behavioral therapy or medications until these other things are maximized.

Ha! But good luck with that. If you go to your primary care provider and you don’t get a prescription, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee and we can both stay awake.  And, if you think you need to see a specialist, then you’ll probably get to spend the night in a sleep lab hotel hooked up to a bunch of wires and you may get answers, like, a CPAP, and that’s important if you have sleep apnea, but if not, you might not even hear from them. No wonder you’re looking for a good solution to sleep.  And though medications are not the first line recommendation, that is the topic of today’s episode. So let’s get to it. We’re going to start with prescription medications, then we’ll talk about over the counter medications and wrap up with supplements. 

There are three classes of drugs approved to treat insomnia. Benzodiazepine receptor agonist, histamine receptor antagonist, and melatonin receptor agonist. Listening to all that medical jargon may be sufficient to put you to sleep. But wait, let me explain. You’ll understand more after we go to mini medical school today and learn about receptors. 

These are made up of proteins and they receive chemical signals that produce a response.  Let me give you this analogy. You’ve got a lamp sitting on an end table, but it’s not plugged in, so there’s no light. And when you stick those two prongs into the socket, behold, now you can sit and read. And that’s kind of how a receptor works.

The plug fits into the plug in. So an agonist is like the plug. It fits. It turns it on. It lets the electricity flow.  But, if you had a toddler in the house, you might want to plug in one of those little plastic things so he doesn’t stick a butter knife in there and get shocked. So that would be an antagonist. 

Okay, now wake up and pay attention. We’ve got three classes of drugs to look at. Benzo receptor agonist and melatonin agonist. That plug in and histamine receptor antagonist that block the plugin. And then there’s another category called other. We’ll just call that the clapper, you know, clap, clap. And the light comes on, clap, clap, and the light goes off. 

There are eight drugs in the benzodiazepine receptor agonist family. And the first five are about my age, you know, born in the 60s. They are Estazolam, which is Prosom, Florazepam, which is Dalmane, Quamazepam, which is Doral, Temazepam, which is Restoril and Triazolam, which is Halcion. Now the millennials aren’t benzos, but they’re still benzo receptor agonist.

And you know, this generation got way more complicated spelling their kids’ names, so I’m probably gonna have to sound them out like a first grade teacher on the first day of school. 

Eszopiclone is Lunesta, Zaleplon is Sonata. Zolpidem is Ambien.  Those older drugs are crankier and cause more dependence although Restoril is the nicest in the category. There are other benzos which are technically prescribed for anxiety and  some people do use them to help them sleep. Do they work?

Here’s what the data says for the old guys. They help you fall asleep faster. A whole whopping 10 minutes faster. And they increase total sleep time by half an hour to an hour. That’s it.  What about risk? Well, they make you sleepy, which is kind of the point, but also they can make you dizzy, which can make you fall if you get up and go to the bathroom during the night. And if you mix them with opioids, the reaction can be fatal.  

Now, the younger guys function about as well as the older ones, but they have shorter half lives, so their effects don’t wear out their welcome so much with daytime grogginess. And they aren’t so deadly when socializing with opioids. But rarely, they do some bizarre things like compel you to shop or gamble in the middle of the night. All for 10 minutes faster to go to sleep and half hour to an hour longer sleeping. 

Okay, clap on, clap off, let’s talk about the other drugs.  These are dual orexin receptor antagonists.  Affectionately known as D O R A or Dora. 

The first one is Suvarexant, which is called Belsomra. The next one is Derodorexant, which sounds a lot like deodorant to me, and that’s exactly what I’m gonna call it because the brand name is Quviviq. And finally, there is Limboxerant, which has a really cool brand name, Dayvigo.  What? You’ve never heard of any of these? Well, that’s probably because they’re slightly less effective than the other drugs. They help you go to sleep seven minutes faster. But the main side effect is sleepiness, and people generally say they slept better.

The next topic in pharmacology class in mini medical school is the histamine antagonist. You know, the little plastic thing that goes in the wall socket so your toddler doesn’t.  Doxepin is a tricyclic antidepressant that functions this way, and even in low doses it causes the desirable effect of drowsiness. So, it’s approved for the treatment of drowsiness deficit. 

Unfortunately, there are some drugs it doesn’t play nice with. But, it does increase sleep time by Drum roll please! 25 to 30 minutes. Womp, womp, womp. And, it helps people stay asleep toward the end of the sleep cycle.

   And I think this underscores why one size does not fit all and prescriptions should be customized for individual needs.  The last class of drugs approved for the treatment of insomnia makes a lot of sense.  Ramelteon is a melatonin receptor agonist and the brand name Rosarem, get it? REM, R E M, as in rapid eye movement sleep.

It’s got a good mechanism of action, a good name. Problem is, it doesn’t work any better than placebo. So, you can skip the potential for fatigue, nausea, and worsening of liver disease and just take a sugar pill.  So, am I saying it doesn’t work at all? Of course not. Why would it be approved if it didn’t work?

Well, it’s not in Europe, but it does work to lengthen sleep time by a grand total of seven minutes. And I don’t know about you, but it’s going to take more than seven minutes to get rid of the bags under these eyes.  So that’s the gamut of drugs approved for the treatment of insomnia in the United States.

But wait, there’s more. Just because the FDA doesn’t approve something for a particular indication, that doesn’t mean that doctors can’t prescribe it. And sometimes, off label prescribing is a really good thing, though it’s a set up for a knock down, drag out fight with your insurance company for coverage.

In addition to using the antidepressant Doxepin, many doctors prescribe other antidepressants for sleep. Things like Amitriptyline and Trazodone, even though the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises against it because of side effects and no data showing that it works.

Now, I always recommend that you consult with your health care provider regarding your medications. Always, always, always.  But, I also recommend that they consult with up to date society recommendations and guidelines. That’s just fair. And while they’re at it, they should look at the potential adverse reactions.

So, now maybe you’ve decided to skip the copay and just help yourself to the sleep aid aisle of the pharmacy. You could even ask the pharmacist to guide you, and I recommend that. There are two over the counter medications approved to treat insomnia. They are diphenhydramine, commonly known as Benadryl, and doxalamine, commonly known as Unisom.

Side note, over the counter medications are regulated  FDA, And both of these drugs are histamine blockers. Therefore, all of the fun side effects that come with that, like dry mouth, GI distress, dizziness, trouble emptying your bladder, and of course, sedation, which is the desired side effect.

These medications are often combined with things like Advil or Tylenol with an added P. M. at the end, so you know what’s in store for you. And here’s what’s in store for diphenhydramine. 8 less minutes to fall asleep and 12 more minutes of sleep. And for doxylamine, there’s no data available.

That’s it. That’s what we’ve got. So, maybe now you’ve decided just to take matters into your own hands and look for a supplement. And because you’ve listened to my previous podcast episode about dementia, you’re gonna skip right over the Prevagen, right? Promise me. Now, in the supplement section, you’re going to walk in understanding that claims, concentrations, and ingredients are not guaranteed.

They’re not regulated. They are, generally speaking, considered safe and ineffective. You heard that right. Safe. And ineffective. But what about melatonin? You swear it works, but does it?  Maybe. It is sedating in about 10 percent of people and in everyone else, it shifts the sleep phase.

So, there is a place for that such as jet lag, and I have an episode on jet lag in the show notes.  But even though it may help you drift off to sleep, it probably isn’t going to help you stay asleep. The half life is less than an hour, and in some people it causes stomach cramps, irritability, and even depression.

It’s best used in combination with other things that regulate your circadian rhythm. More to come on that. But a big one is light. And so this probably would be a great time to tell you about some exciting news I have for you.

I have an upcoming series of live webinars to talk about six hidden things that keep you tossing and turning at night.   And soon you’ll have access to an online course called Unlock the Secret to Sleep, your personal sleep solution. I have been working so hard on this for so long that I cannot wait to share it with you. 

I want to help you reset your sleep and get your Z’s. Now there are other supplements labeled as sleep aids and most of them again are safe and probably not effective. The exceptions on safety are kava and valerian root. Both of those have been associated with liver damage. Now it’s rare, but it’s very serious.

Other things you might find on this aisle are chamomile, Glycine, Gryphonia, Hops,  , Kava, L theanine, Lavender, , Passionflower, Nightshade, Skullcap, Strymonium, Tryptophan, , and Wild Jujube Seeds.  They’re all equally effective and work every bit as well as a sugar pill, but hey, sugar pills can have powerful placebo effects.

And one last thing I want to mention, and that is cannabis. Bottom line is there’s not enough research to say one way or another, whether it works. It does have the potential for addiction and it’s not legal everywhere. So there’s that.  But also it’s a problem that if you quit, you’ll likely experience sleep disturbances that can last for several months.   

 The bottom line is, I want you to know that you shouldn’t have to choose between serious health consequences of poor sleep and the side effects and risk of sleeping pills and potions.  If you suffer from insomnia, I do encourage you not to stop any medications without medical supervision and to have an honest conversation with your doctor. And if they want access to my resources, just give them my email address. I’m happy to share and they’re 100 percent legit, but if good sleep eludes you, I want you to know while there’s no magic pill for perfect sleep, there is a proven path to natural, restorative rest that can transform your life. Imagine waking up energized, focused, and ready to tackle your day without relying on sleeping pills or potions.

 Are you tired of tossing and turning at night? Desperately wishing for deep, restful sleep? 

I’m hosting two exclusive live webinars where I’ll share my evidence based approach to achieving consistent quality sleep. Join me on March 3rd or March 5th to discover how to fall asleep naturally. and wake up refreshed, practical strategies to boost your energy and mental clarity, and solutions to common sleep challenges that keep you awake at night.

 Plus you’ll get a chance to ask your most pressing sleep questions during a live Q& A session. So don’t miss this opportunity. To revolutionize your sleep.

Click the link in the show notes to save your spot now. Registration is required. And make sure you’re on my email list to receive exclusive pre webinar insights and special bonuses. Your journey to better sleep starts here. Sign up right now and let’s transform your nights and supercharge your days.  Because good sleep is crucial for good health and healthy looks great on you.  

RESOURCES:

FREE, live sleep masterclass registration

Jet Lag

Does Prevagen work?

Why doctors prescribe a pill

Meet Aunt Edna – Your holiday survival stress guide

Turn off your mind and get some sleep free tip sheet

The work of sleep

Why is sleeping so hard?

Sign up to get podcast episodes by email

 

 

Related Episodes

Struggling with insomnia?

Struggling with Insomnia?Get your personalized sleep solution. Enrollment ends MARCH 12, 2025Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn more about Dr. VickieResources 7-Day RX for change: A free mini course to help you get...

Importance of Sleep and Weight

Importance of Sleep and WeightDo you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn...

All information associated with this website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Please visit the Disclaimer; Conditions, Terms of Use to learn more. 

Privacy Policy

The Risky Business of Poor Sleep

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-d345n-17d67a5

  You know that poor sleep leaves you dragging through the day, feeling drained and foggy brained, and more than a little bit grouchy. But did you know that poor sleep can be deadly? Stay tuned to learn about seven serious diseases linked to poor sleep  I’m Dr.Vickie Petz Kasper. Healthy Looks Great On You podcast takes you to mini medical school so you can learn the power of lifestyle medicine.

If you’re ready to take control of your health, you’re in the right  place.

This is episode 158, The Risky Business of Poor Sleep, Seven Serious Diseases.  You know you need to get a good night’s sleep.  You want to rest and wake up feeling refreshed and restored, but it’s not that simple for everyone. Even though sleep is essential for life, chronic insomnia affects 30 percent of adults, and half of all people experience some degree of insomnia during their lives. So if you struggle to sleep, you certainly aren’t alone. But, before you start planning a zombie party for all of your friends who are raring to go long after bedtime, let’s take a look at the impact on your health. And, spoiler alert, it ain’t good for ya.  Not only does poor sleep affect the quality of life and emotional well being, it’s associated with an increased risk of seven serious diseases.

I mean, it’s bad enough to slog through the day sleepy, irritable, and feeling blah, but people with significant insomnia tend to have a shorter lifespan.  I mean, if they know Jesus, they can sleep in heavenly peace, but in the meantime, it’s best to maximize restorative sleep because of the impact on health. 

And before you reach for the medicine bottle or go shopping down the supplement and sleep aid aisle, you’re going to want to stay tuned to this podcast because next week we’re going to break down all the pills and potions. But this week we’re going to talk about what the following conditions all have in common: heart disease, , type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity, Alzheimer’s dementia, immune dysfunction, and certain cancers. And you don’t even need to go to mini medical school to guess that poor sleep increases the risk of developing all seven of these serious diseases. Good sleep is crucial for good health.  

I know, I know, you get it. You know sleep is super important. You want to sleep. You’ve tried to sleep, but you can’t. I hope you know, I feel your pain. I’ve been there and I understand the frustration of going to bed and knowing you’re not going to sleep. That’s why I’ve created some resources for you. Head on over to my website, www.healthylooksgreatonyou. com and grab “Turn Off Your Mind and Sleep.”  It’s a free downloadable tip sheet. It’s not a cure, but it’s a start. And then in March of 2025, I’ll be doing a series of live webinars called ” Six Hidden Reasons You’re Tossing and Turning.” Then in the middle of the month, I’ll release my online course: “Unlock the Secret to Sleep” to help you get the Z’s you need.

And if you take advantage of any of the free resources on my website, you’ll automatically be subscribed to get every episode of this podcast, plus all those bonuses right in your inbox. And you’ll be the first to know about additional opportunities to improve your sleep and health.  Now last month, I did a series of podcast episodes on dementia and now I’m transitioning to sleep.

But before we exit this road Let’s take a look at the intersection between brain health and sleep. I’ve already given you the list of seven diseases associated with poor sleep, and so this is not in order, but logically I thought we would discuss Alzheimer’s dementia first. And if you missed the series, there are links in the show notes to each episode, but if you just want the bottom line.

Lifestyle modifications are your best weapon to prevent this disease which is exploding in our aging population.  Now, today in mini medical school, we’re going to learn about beta amyloid, which is sometimes referred to as amyloid beta.  That’s kind of weird. I guess this peptide is a little confused about which name comes first.

You can call me beta amyloid or you can call me amyloid beta, but you don’t have to call me Ray.  Okay, that was a poor attempt at humor,  but I stand by the fact that laughter is still the best medicine.  What’s in a name? Well, Dr. Alzheimer himself identified senile plaques, which are those buildups of beta amyloid in the brain, as well as neurofibrillary tangles which come from Tau proteins. And he discovered all of this in the early 1900s.  In people with Alzheimer’s, amyloid proteins stick together and get folded over and they form plaques and that is toxic to brain cells. In fact, beta amyloid plaques are the hallmark finding in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. But here’s the deal.  I’ve got amyloids and you’ve got amyloids in your brain, too.  But if you’re normal, then your glymphatic system washes it away and breaks it down.  Want to guess when this happens?  Yep, while you were sleeping. 

Or in the case of insomnia, not. And clearly, there’s an increased risk of Alzheimer’s dementia in people with mid life insomnia.

 As it turns out, a lot of things in midlife have long term effects on our health. So maybe if you think you got away with not paying attention to your health when you were young, now is the time to reset and change directions.  Need a little more motivation?

Well, let’s move on to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. And that’s a catch all term that refers to heart disease, heart attack, and high blood pressure. Cardio means heart, and vascular refers to blood vessels. And guess what? You’ve got blood vessels in your heart and throughout your body. So what’s sleep got to do with it?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Insomnia is considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with a higher chance of dying from heart disease or anything else for that matter. We call that mortality. And listen, I know we are all going to die of something, but the goal of this podcast is to give you information, motivation, and inspiration to take care of this one body God gave us to last a lifetime on this earth.

So yeah, I’m going to die of something and so are you. But I’d really like to stick around for a while with the people I love, wouldn’t you? And I want to be healthy enough to play and enjoy life. And cardiovascular disease can rob you of the ability to do anything that requires stamina.

So don’t give me that, we’re all gonna die of something line. Eventually your car is going to have enough miles that the engine fails. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get your oil changed on a regular basis.

Maintenance for your health is so much more important than maintenance for your vehicle. I mean, you can’t replace your body. So pay attention to your heart health and sleep. They’re all related. Now let’s explore why poor sleep  affects heart health. You know, when you sleep, not only is your glymphatic system clearing out toxins from your brain, but your sympathetic nervous system is just kind of chill, and your blood pressure drops.

But when instead your blood vessels don’t relax, that causes an elevation in blood pressure. And not only does that increase the risk of hypertension and heart disease, But also stroke.  Now, this is interesting. If you can’t sleep because you wake up during the night, or you wake up super early in the morning, then your blood pressure probably doesn’t do the normal dip. 

But, if you have trouble falling asleep at the beginning of the night, it doesn’t seem to have as much effect on your blood pressure. You see, sleep is very specific and complex, and the type of sleep trouble you have affects your risk. If you’re interested in learning more about blood pressure, then when you go to my website, healthylooksgreatonyou.com, and search for four reasons to control your blood pressure, There’ll be an episode that pops up and of course I’ll put a link in the show notes.  Okay, we’ve covered the brain and the heart and blood vessels. Now sweetie, it’s time to talk about those sugar plums dancing in your head because insomnia is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes as well as progression from pre diabetes to type 2 diabetes. 

Want some good news? Improving your sleep can improve your glycemic control. That means it’s easier to normalize your blood sugars with a good full eight hours of shut eye. And specifically, short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of diabetes.  Both inflammation and insulin resistance are increased with poor sleep. 

And if you’re interested in more of the science made simple, listen to the episode, “Why is sleeping so hard?” But here’s the deal, sugar causes inflammation. And insulin is the key that opens the door to move the sugar out of the blood vessels and into your cells. So, it can be used as fuel. But with type 2 diabetes, this mechanism is impaired.

 This all goes back to a coordinated effort by the body to balance various hormones like growth hormone, insulin, and cortisol. And yes, it’s all affected by sleep..  Next in the list of seven deadly diseases associated with poor sleep is cancer.

In fact, researchers have proposed a 24 percent increased risk of cancer in people with insomnia. And it’s certain cancers in particular, like lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Turns out that disrupting your internal clock does more than keep you wide eyed and bushy tailed.

It’s theorized that cancer cells may take advantage of lower levels of the sleep hormone, melatonin. You see, melatonin is released in the brain and  sends out signals to synchronize many organs and bodily functions. And it plays a huge role in hormone balance. Things like estrogen, but also cortisol.

And this affects cellular growth and repair at the DNA level. That’s where genes are switched on and off by the immune system.  At the most basic level, cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. So, it’s plausible that skimping on the cleanup and reboot system for your body’s defenses gives the enemy an advantage.

Both inflammation and insulin resistance contribute to DNA damage and that can increase the risk for cancer. I feel like I could just repeat the word inflammation with each of these seven diseases. Inflammation in the blood vessels affects every organ supplied by.. blood.

 And well, that pretty much covers it all,  but also inflammation’s life partner is the immune system.  You know, they’re still married, but they fight a lot trying to find the perfect balance between keeping out foreign invaders that have come to kill and destroy like infection and cancer and not going nuclear and exploding your body’s own cells.

 So that leads to number five on the list of deadly diseases associated with poor sleep, and that is immune dysfunction,  and if you think you have a dysfunctional family Let me tell you about the immune system Try putting the bone marrow, the thymus gland, the spleen, mucous membrane, skin, tonsils, and lymph nodes in a room together and watch them go into attack mode.

They’ll crank out some white blood cells, antibodies, cytokine, and compliment to mount a defense against infection. And that’s a good thing. When bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus breaches our first line of protection, We need a strong immune system to fight them off. Turns out that fighting off infection is a process that’s also related to tumor suppression like we discussed with cancer.

But here’s the deal. The immune family is a rowdy bunch and sometimes they miss the target and attack their own. I mean, you’ve seen a room full of toddlers, right? They want everything. That’s mine. It’s mine. That’s their favorite phrase. So when they get overzealous, it causes autoimmune disease. Okay, now this is getting personal.

I have an autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis. In this condition, the body makes antibodies against itself. And we all know that a house divided against itself cannot stand. And that’s what happened to me. Literally, my muscles were so weak, I couldn’t stand for very long, walk very far, or use my arms for any length of time.

Because every time my nerves tried to send a signal to my muscles, my misguided immune system interrupted the neurotransmitter as if it were there to hurt me. Now, what causes myasthenia gravis? Well, it’s not really known, but guess what? Poor sleep is associated with immune dysfunction. Now, I was a self described health nut for many years.

I ate a lot of whole, unprocessed foods, exercised regularly, managed my stress pretty well, and had a healthy group of connections.  Oh, and my mama always said, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t chew, and don’t go with those who do.

So I’ve never been one to be exposed to unhealthy levels of harmful substances. Now, I just listed five of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. Hmm, let me see, what did I leave out? Oh, yeah, sleep. Until MG knocked me flat on my back, I ignored the importance of rest and sleep on my health  and it caught up with me.

And that’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about restorative sleep.  Let those who’ve lived like the walking dead serve as a warning.  And if dementia, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and immune health aren’t enough to convince you that you need to prioritize sleep. Then how about obesity? 

And listen, do you see a theme developing? Aberrations in the circadian rhythm disrupt normal melatonin production, which in turn has a powerful influence in hormone regulation and balance. And all of that affects your levels of hunger and satisfaction, and ultimately, the number on the scales.  If you’ve ever wanted to reset your metabolism, then focus on resetting your sleep because they are closely related.

And obesity increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and of course, type 2 diabetes. This is starting to feel like a snowball, gaining more and more waist circumference as it rolls down the hill. Not only does lack of sleep slow down your metabolism, it increases the level of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and it decreases the satiety hormone, leptin, that tells your brain you’re full. 

 I’ve already mentioned the connection between insulin and sleep. And insulin resistance is also a factor in excess weight gain. Both insomnia and obesity are epidemic. And look, you’re not going to lose weight by sleeping better at night.

But you might gain weight by not sleeping at night. And it might be easier for you to stay active and eat healthy if you get a good night’s rest.  Gosh, this whole thing is kind of depressing.  You knew I was going there, didn’t you? The seventh serious disease associated with poor sleep is depression.

And get this, people with insomnia have a tenfold increased risk of depression. In one of my previous episodes, I called sleep the mood mechanic. There’s a link in the show notes. But on the other side of the pillow. If you have depression, you have 75 percent more trouble falling asleep.

Now, how do they measure that? Well, in the past, they relied on surveys where research subjects just recalled their sleep. But now, we’re getting more and more data from wearables, like watches and rings and smart beds, like the sleep number bed. But the fact remains that sometimes it’s hard to tell. If depression causes sleep disruption, Or the other way around.

Listen, don’t stay awake at night worrying about it. If you have depression, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about the right treatment for you and your insomnia. Because I’m guessing, if you have one, you have both.  However, that leads me to reason number two that I’m passionate about sleep.  The average doctor only gets two and a half hours of training on sleep in medical school.

So there’s that. And the number one recommendation to treat insomnia is not medication. So, you’re going to want to stay tuned and learn more so you can lower your risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, immune dysfunction, and depression.  Sleeping may not come easy for you, but it’s worth the effort to give your body a chance to do the work on the night shift and restore your mind and your health. Because healthy looks great on you. 

  

   the information contained in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not considered to be a substitute for medical advice. You should continue to follow up with your physician or health care provider and take medication as prescribed. Though the information in this podcast is evidence based, new research may develop and recommendations may change.

 

RESOURCES:

FREE LIVE Webinars

Turn off your mind and get some sleep free tip sheet

4 Reasons to control your blood pressure

The work of sleep

Why is sleeping so hard?

Type 2 Diabetes

Is it normal aging or dementia?

10 Must know risk factors for dementia

The Risky Business of Poor Sleep

The Risky Business of Poor Sleep and 7 Serious Diseases

Follow on Social Media

Turn off your mind so you can sleep free cheat sheet

Do you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. 

The Risky Business of Poor Sleep: 7 Serious Diseases

You know that poor sleep leaves you dragging through the day, feeling drained and foggy brained, and more than a little bit grouchy. But did you know that poor sleep can be deadly? Stay tuned to learn about seven serious diseases linked to poor sleep  I’m Dr.Vickie Petz Kasper. Healthy Looks Great On You podcast takes you to mini medical school so you can learn the power of lifestyle medicine.

If you’re ready to take control of your health, you’re in the right  place.

This is episode 158, The Risky Business of Poor Sleep, Seven Serious Diseases.  You know you need to get a good night’s sleep.  You want to rest and wake up feeling refreshed and restored, but it’s not that simple for everyone. Even though sleep is essential for life, chronic insomnia affects 30 percent of adults, and half of all people experience some degree of insomnia during their lives. So if you struggle to sleep, you certainly aren’t alone. But, before you start planning a zombie party for all of your friends who are raring to go long after bedtime, let’s take a look at the impact on your health. And, spoiler alert, it ain’t good for ya.  Not only does poor sleep affect the quality of life and emotional well being, it’s associated with an increased risk of seven serious diseases.

I mean, it’s bad enough to slog through the day sleepy, irritable, and feeling blah, but people with significant insomnia tend to have a shorter lifespan.  I mean, if they know Jesus, they can sleep in heavenly peace, but in the meantime, it’s best to maximize restorative sleep because of the impact on health.

And before you reach for the medicine bottle or go shopping down the supplement and sleep aid aisle, you’re going to want to stay tuned to this podcast because next week we’re going to break down all the pills and potions. But this week we’re going to talk about what the following conditions all have in common: heart disease, , type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity, Alzheimer’s dementia, immune dysfunction, and certain cancers. And you don’t even need to go to mini medical school to guess that poor sleep increases the risk of developing all seven of these serious diseases. Good sleep is crucial for good health.

I know, I know, you get it. You know sleep is super important. You want to sleep. You’ve tried to sleep, but you can’t. I hope you know, I feel your pain. I’ve been there and I understand the frustration of going to bed and knowing you’re not going to sleep. That’s why I’ve created some resources for you. Head on over to my website, www.healthylooksgreatonyou. com and grab “Turn Off Your Mind and Sleep.”  It’s a free downloadable tip sheet. It’s not a cure, but it’s a start. And then in March of 2025, I’ll be doing a series of live webinars called ” Six Hidden Reasons You’re Tossing and Turning.” Then in the middle of the month, I’ll release my online course: “Unlock the Secret to Sleep” to help you get the Z’s you need.

And if you take advantage of any of the free resources on my website, you’ll automatically be subscribed to get every episode of this podcast, plus all those bonuses right in your inbox. And you’ll be the first to know about additional opportunities to improve your sleep and health.  Now last month, I did a series of podcast episodes on dementia and now I’m transitioning to sleep.

But before we exit this road Let’s take a look at the intersection between brain health and sleep. I’ve already given you the list of seven diseases associated with poor sleep, and so this is not in order, but logically I thought we would discuss Alzheimer’s dementia first. And if you missed the series, there are links in the show notes to each episode, but if you just want the bottom line.

Lifestyle modifications are your best weapon to prevent this disease which is exploding in our aging population.  Now, today in mini medical school, we’re going to learn about beta amyloid, which is sometimes referred to as amyloid beta.  That’s kind of weird. I guess this peptide is a little confused about which name comes first.

You can call me beta amyloid or you can call me amyloid beta, but you don’t have to call me Ray.  Okay, that was a poor attempt at humor,  but I stand by the fact that laughter is still the best medicine.  What’s in a name? Well, Dr. Alzheimer himself identified senile plaques, which are those buildups of beta amyloid in the brain, as well as neurofibrillary tangles which come from Tau proteins. And he discovered all of this in the early 1900s.  In people with Alzheimer’s, amyloid proteins stick together and get folded over and they form plaques and that is toxic to brain cells. In fact, beta amyloid plaques are the hallmark finding in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. But here’s the deal.  I’ve got amyloids and you’ve got amyloids in your brain, too.  But if you’re normal, then your glymphatic system washes it away and breaks it down.  Want to guess when this happens?  Yep, while you were sleeping.

Or in the case of insomnia, not. And clearly, there’s an increased risk of Alzheimer’s dementia in people with mid life insomnia.

As it turns out, a lot of things in midlife have long term effects on our health. So maybe if you think you got away with not paying attention to your health when you were young, now is the time to reset and change directions.  Need a little more motivation?

Well, let’s move on to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. And that’s a catch all term that refers to heart disease, heart attack, and high blood pressure. Cardio means heart, and vascular refers to blood vessels. And guess what? You’ve got blood vessels in your heart and throughout your body. So what’s sleep got to do with it?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Insomnia is considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with a higher chance of dying from heart disease or anything else for that matter. We call that mortality. And listen, I know we are all going to die of something, but the goal of this podcast is to give you information, motivation, and inspiration to take care of this one body God gave us to last a lifetime on this earth.

So yeah, I’m going to die of something and so are you. But I’d really like to stick around for a while with the people I love, wouldn’t you? And I want to be healthy enough to play and enjoy life. And cardiovascular disease can rob you of the ability to do anything that requires stamina.

So don’t give me that, we’re all gonna die of something line. Eventually your car is going to have enough miles that the engine fails. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get your oil changed on a regular basis.

Maintenance for your health is so much more important than maintenance for your vehicle. I mean, you can’t replace your body. So pay attention to your heart health and sleep. They’re all related. Now let’s explore why poor sleep  affects heart health. You know, when you sleep, not only is your glymphatic system clearing out toxins from your brain, but your sympathetic nervous system is just kind of chill, and your blood pressure drops.

But when instead your blood vessels don’t relax, that causes an elevation in blood pressure. And not only does that increase the risk of hypertension and heart disease, But also stroke.  Now, this is interesting. If you can’t sleep because you wake up during the night, or you wake up super early in the morning, then your blood pressure probably doesn’t do the normal dip.

But, if you have trouble falling asleep at the beginning of the night, it doesn’t seem to have as much effect on your blood pressure. You see, sleep is very specific and complex, and the type of sleep trouble you have affects your risk. If you’re interested in learning more about blood pressure, then when you go to my website, healthylooksgreatonyou.com, and search for four reasons to control your blood pressure, There’ll be an episode that pops up and of course I’ll put a link in the show notes.  Okay, we’ve covered the brain and the heart and blood vessels. Now sweetie, it’s time to talk about those sugar plums dancing in your head because insomnia is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes as well as progression from pre diabetes to type 2 diabetes.

Want some good news? Improving your sleep can improve your glycemic control. That means it’s easier to normalize your blood sugars with a good full eight hours of shut eye. And specifically, short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of diabetes.  Both inflammation and insulin resistance are increased with poor sleep.

And if you’re interested in more of the science made simple, listen to the episode, “Why is sleeping so hard?” But here’s the deal, sugar causes inflammation. And insulin is the key that opens the door to move the sugar out of the blood vessels and into your cells. So, it can be used as fuel. But with type 2 diabetes, this mechanism is impaired.

This all goes back to a coordinated effort by the body to balance various hormones like growth hormone, insulin, and cortisol. And yes, it’s all affected by sleep..  Next in the list of seven deadly diseases associated with poor sleep is cancer.

In fact, researchers have proposed a 24 percent increased risk of cancer in people with insomnia. And it’s certain cancers in particular, like lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Turns out that disrupting your internal clock does more than keep you wide eyed and bushy tailed.

It’s theorized that cancer cells may take advantage of lower levels of the sleep hormone, melatonin. You see, melatonin is released in the brain and  sends out signals to synchronize many organs and bodily functions. And it plays a huge role in hormone balance. Things like estrogen, but also cortisol.

And this affects cellular growth and repair at the DNA level. That’s where genes are switched on and off by the immune system.  At the most basic level, cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. So, it’s plausible that skimping on the cleanup and reboot system for your body’s defenses gives the enemy an advantage.

Both inflammation and insulin resistance contribute to DNA damage and that can increase the risk for cancer. I feel like I could just repeat the word inflammation with each of these seven diseases. Inflammation in the blood vessels affects every organ supplied by.. blood.

And well, that pretty much covers it all,  but also inflammation’s life partner is the immune system.  You know, they’re still married, but they fight a lot trying to find the perfect balance between keeping out foreign invaders that have come to kill and destroy like infection and cancer and not going nuclear and exploding your body’s own cells.

So that leads to number five on the list of deadly diseases associated with poor sleep, and that is immune dysfunction,  and if you think you have a dysfunctional family Let me tell you about the immune system Try putting the bone marrow, the thymus gland, the spleen, mucous membrane, skin, tonsils, and lymph nodes in a room together and watch them go into attack mode.

They’ll crank out some white blood cells, antibodies, cytokine, and compliment to mount a defense against infection. And that’s a good thing. When bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus breaches our first line of protection, We need a strong immune system to fight them off. Turns out that fighting off infection is a process that’s also related to tumor suppression like we discussed with cancer.

But here’s the deal. The immune family is a rowdy bunch and sometimes they miss the target and attack their own. I mean, you’ve seen a room full of toddlers, right? They want everything. That’s mine. It’s mine. That’s their favorite phrase. So when they get overzealous, it causes autoimmune disease. Okay, now this is getting personal.

I have an autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis. In this condition, the body makes antibodies against itself. And we all know that a house divided against itself cannot stand. And that’s what happened to me. Literally, my muscles were so weak, I couldn’t stand for very long, walk very far, or use my arms for any length of time.

Because every time my nerves tried to send a signal to my muscles, my misguided immune system interrupted the neurotransmitter as if it were there to hurt me. Now, what causes myasthenia gravis? Well, it’s not really known, but guess what? Poor sleep is associated with immune dysfunction. Now, I was a self described health nut for many years.

I ate a lot of whole, unprocessed foods, exercised regularly, managed my stress pretty well, and had a healthy group of connections.  Oh, and my mama always said, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t chew, and don’t go with those who do.

So I’ve never been one to be exposed to unhealthy levels of harmful substances. Now, I just listed five of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. Hmm, let me see, what did I leave out? Oh, yeah, sleep. Until MG knocked me flat on my back, I ignored the importance of rest and sleep on my health  and it caught up with me.

And that’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about restorative sleep.  Let those who’ve lived like the walking dead serve as a warning.  And if dementia, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and immune health aren’t enough to convince you that you need to prioritize sleep. Then how about obesity?

And listen, do you see a theme developing? Aberrations in the circadian rhythm disrupt normal melatonin production, which in turn has a powerful influence in hormone regulation and balance. And all of that affects your levels of hunger and satisfaction, and ultimately, the number on the scales.  If you’ve ever wanted to reset your metabolism, then focus on resetting your sleep because they are closely related.

And obesity increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and of course, type 2 diabetes. This is starting to feel like a snowball, gaining more and more waist circumference as it rolls down the hill. Not only does lack of sleep slow down your metabolism, it increases the level of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and it decreases the satiety hormone, leptin, that tells your brain you’re full.

I’ve already mentioned the connection between insulin and sleep. And insulin resistance is also a factor in excess weight gain. Both insomnia and obesity are epidemic. And look, you’re not going to lose weight by sleeping better at night.

But you might gain weight by not sleeping at night. And it might be easier for you to stay active and eat healthy if you get a good night’s rest.  Gosh, this whole thing is kind of depressing.  You knew I was going there, didn’t you? The seventh serious disease associated with poor sleep is depression.

And get this, people with insomnia have a tenfold increased risk of depression. In one of my previous episodes, I called sleep the mood mechanic. There’s a link in the show notes. But on the other side of the pillow. If you have depression, you have 75 percent more trouble falling asleep.

Now, how do they measure that? Well, in the past, they relied on surveys where research subjects just recalled their sleep. But now, we’re getting more and more data from wearables, like watches and rings and smart beds, like the sleep number bed. But the fact remains that sometimes it’s hard to tell. If depression causes sleep disruption, Or the other way around.

Listen, don’t stay awake at night worrying about it. If you have depression, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about the right treatment for you and your insomnia. Because I’m guessing, if you have one, you have both.  However, that leads me to reason number two that I’m passionate about sleep.  The average doctor only gets two and a half hours of training on sleep in medical school.

So there’s that. And the number one recommendation to treat insomnia is not medication. So, you’re going to want to stay tuned and learn more so you can lower your risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, immune dysfunction, and depression.  Sleeping may not come easy for you, but it’s worth the effort to give your body a chance to do the work on the night shift and restore your mind and your health. Because healthy looks great on you.

the information contained in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not considered to be a substitute for medical advice. You should continue to follow up with your physician or health care provider and take medication as prescribed. Though the information in this podcast is evidence based, new research may develop and recommendations may change.

 

RESOURCES:

FREE LIVE Webinars

Turn off your mind and get some sleep free tip sheet

4 Reasons to control your blood pressure

The work of sleep

Why is sleeping so hard?

Type 2 Diabetes

Is it normal aging or dementia?

10 Must know risk factors for dementia

Preventing Cognitive Decline 

Practical Tips for Caregivers of People with Dementia

Is Dementia Really Preventable?

Sign up to get podcast episodes by email

 

 

Related Episodes

Struggling with insomnia?

Struggling with Insomnia?Get your personalized sleep solution. Enrollment ends MARCH 12, 2025Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn more about Dr. VickieResources 7-Day RX for change: A free mini course to help you get...

Importance of Sleep and Weight

Importance of Sleep and WeightDo you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn...

All information associated with this website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Please visit the Disclaimer; Conditions, Terms of Use to learn more. 

Privacy Policy

Effective Strategies to Connect with Others

Effective Strategies to Connect with Others

Follow on Social Media

Turn off your mind so you can sleep free cheat sheet

Do you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. 

Effective Strategies to Connect with Others

You are really going to enjoy my guest today.

Today I have Amberly Neese on the podcast. She is a featured speaker, emcee, and comedian. She lives in Prescott, Arizona. And she is the author of several books, Untangling Faith, Friendship Initiative, Common Ground, and Belonging Project. 

And I can tell you from personal experience that she doesn’t just talk about connection, she lives it.

 I’m Dr.Vickie Petz Kasper. If you’re ready to take control of your health, you’re in the right  place. Whether you’re focused on prevention or you’re trying to manage a condition. I’ll give you practical steps to start your own journey toward better health because healthy looks great on you.

This is episode 157. Effective strategies to connect with others.  

Dr. Vickie: Welcome, Amberly. I am so happy to have you on the show today. Now, I always like to start by talking about how we met. And I met you back in the fall in a very remote spot in the woods in California. We spent a week together and you made me laugh and you inspired me and you gave me hope that there are very practical ways that people can learn to connect with each other. So tell us a little bit about your ministry and what you’re doing.

 Amberly: Yeah. So I am an author and speaker and comedian and actually speaker coach as well. , but my, , my heart’s passion is connecting people to God, connecting people to others and connecting people to who God has created them to be.

And so connection is my jam. So I’m very excited about that.  I am connected to a really cute guy of 32 years, my husband, Scott, and we have two adult children who one lives across the country, which is not working for me and a son, an adult son who is going to school and living with us. But, I am so thankful to say that I have done pretty extensive research  on not only the benefits of community, but actually how to get into community.

And so. If in any way I could be an encouragement to somebody listening about how to how to find their tribe and learn to thrive I would love it. I have bible studies on it. I have , all sorts of resources on it because for me, this is really a pivotal part of a thriving christian life for sure.

 Dr. Vickie: You know, I talk a lot about the impact of loneliness on your health, and adults experience loneliness in increasing numbers since the pandemic. Anywhere from one in three to one in two. And so, if you’re speaking to that person who’s having trouble connecting, where do you even start?  

Amberly: That’s such a good question. And I think, in full disclosure,  That you would like connection is the first thing loneliness to say. I need a friend. I want connection is so vulnerable. And I, so I think it’s so courageous for somebody to get to a place where they say,  I can’t do this on my own. It is not good for me to be alone.

It’s not good for people to live in isolation. And so I think the first step is just admitting. I mean, it sounds like I’m leading an AA meeting and I’m okay with that. But the first thing is to admit you have a problem to admit that loneliness is a factor. The second thing is to kind of, it’s almost like a dating profile. Now, I have, I’ve never, praise the lord, I’ve never had to do the swiping left swiping right. I don’t even know what those things mean. But if I had to re enter that world, I would be very clear about what I was looking for, what I offer  and what I’m looking for. And, I think that the same thing happens in friendship.

You have to figure out, what is it that you’re looking for? Do you want somebody to sit with you while you knit every day? Okay, I mean, good luck with that, but it’s possible that that’s what you want. Do you want somebody to take walks with you? Do you want somebody to be able to share your secrets with?

Do you want somebody who you can go country line dancing on Tuesday nights? I mean, you have to figure out what it is that you want, but also you have to figure out what it is, what is it that you have to offer.  And for me, and I know Vickie for you as well, this is very possible. I had to be honest with the fact that I don’t have a plethora of extra time.

I just can’t lunch all the time. Like so many of the people in my life where they have this incredible margin of time. I don’t. So I have a limited amount of time. So I had to be honest that in a friendship, that’s part of what I bring to the table, but I also bring encouragement because that’s something I’d love to do.

I’d love to encourage people. I. I bring honesty.  Some people can’t handle the truth, so I’m looking for friends who can handle the truth. And not only that, I’m looking for friends who are what I call love and shove friends, which are people who love me where I’m at, but shove me to greater things and want the best for me.

And when I’m not doing what’s best for me, that they love me enough to say, girl,  cut it out.  I love you. And I would love to help you be part of getting better at this. So you have to figure out what do you bring to the table. So admit you need a tribe, figure out what it is that you bring and what it is that you need.

And then this sounds like such an old school kind of sage thing, but go to the need, which means figure out something you’re passionate about, something that makes your teeth itch when you think about it. It’s something that , makes you passionate, good or bad, and then be part of the solution. And in doing so, you will find people with equal,  passion for the things you’re passionate about.

If it’s hiking, if it’s women’s rights, if it’s whatever it happens to be, if it’s feeding the homeless, find the need and go there.  And, I promise you, you will find people who are like minded, maybe not perfect runoff into the sunset best friends, but you’ll find people who are like minded and you’ll be reminded of the power of community.

Dr. Vickie: You are spot on with vulnerability because like you, I’m an extrovert. I think we’ve established that. But during the years of the pandemic, I experienced the most loneliness that I have ever felt in my entire life. And it was extremely painful. And it was good to admit it. And I remember I wrote in a blog post one time and I said, I’m lonely. And it felt shameful almost.  

Amberly: 100%. I mean, the word lonely has one in it. To say  I’m by myself feels so difficult. However, I love that in many translations of the Bible, it said that Jesus went to lonely places, meaning he felt like, man, he had perfect connection with the Father and yet he felt like, man, nobody kind of understands my plight right now. 

And , I think we all have those, we all have those seasons where you’re like, wow, I am knee high and whatever it is I’m going through and I don’t feel like anybody understands this, but, you’re not alone. That’s the first thing I’m going to say. , you’re not alone. But the other thing is, I truly believe, the brilliant doctor in you, I’m sure is going to talk about this later on.

Your intro is going to talk about this particular thing, but I truly believe all the brain research, all of the physiological research says we are wired to connect with others. We are, we are literally fashioned to be stronger in number. And, no matter what your ideology is, as far as where we came from and how we got here, community was a vital part of all of that.

And so I think,  to recognize that you need other people, it means you, you get to a place of humility that you’re probably better to be with anyway, if you didn’t feel like you needed people, it’s probably why you don’t have people because nobody wants to be with you.  But if you get to a place where you say, I could use some help in this area.  What a beautiful invitation for others to get there. And as you said, the statistics are staggering. Before COVID January of 2020, more than half of Americans admitted to being lonely and 61 percent or something like that said they don’t have anybody to tell a secret to. So sister sledge, you and I were not the only ones that were feeling lonely. During COVID, and I think it’s gotten worse. Honestly, I think COVID actually exacerbated an already difficult situation.

Dr. Vickie: I do too, but I think it, it did shine a spotlight on it. And I also wanted to tell you that I’ve never felt my teeth itch before, so I don’t really know exactly what that means, but I do think that making connections takes time. And that’s one of the frustrations.

Amberly: oh, Absolutely. It does take time, but  at the risk of sounding like I’m giving like too broad a statement – anything worth having is worth investing the time in. And so if you say, I don’t have time to exercise, but I do have time to die early, right? That’s essentially what I say when I don’t exercise.  If I want to have all the benefits and you’re going to give us all  the medical ramifications of loneliness and they’re crazy. You have to recognize, do I want to do any of those things? It’s like the commercials on television when they say you’re going to have clear skin, but side effects may include proclivity to gamble, , you want suicidal thoughts. And I think, you know what, I think I’m going to stick with my itchy skin. Thank you so much. Right, you have to weigh the consequences. And, in this case, the benefits to your health are so  profound.

It seems almost ridiculous that we would say, I don’t have time for friends. You may look at your calendar and think that, but I would like to say, I think that you need to make the time you need to prioritize it because you need to prioritize you and your health.

So I don’t have the medical degree. I just have a lot of mileage on my friendship vehicle and have made tons of mistakes and would like to say my life is richer because of the people that I’ve opened my heart to. and open my calendar to as well. 

Dr. Vickie: That is so true. And it’s not just your physical health. It’s also your mental health and your spiritual health.  And I love that you talk about what we have to give to a friendship because let’s be honest, some people can be a drain.  

Amberly: True, true, true, true. And You know, my mom used to say to me, baby girl, there are two people, the two types of people, givers and takers, which is a kind of jaded.

So can I tell you this sweet, the sweetest story? I love this so much. So for my last birthday,  I think it’s the best birthday I’ve ever had. Okay. So I, I’m 55. I just turned 55. So I’m finally the speed limit. Excited about that. And I have a group of girlfriends that we’ve worked hard to invest in one another and it’s not all rainbows and happy faces. It doesn’t look like Gilmore girls all the time. We do life together and sometimes it’s happy and sometimes it’s hard and there’s lots in between. We support each other. Months before my birthday, one of the ladies said, save this weekend, don’t make any plans. And I said, okay, what are we doing? She said, you’re letting me take care of this. I said, okay, again, for me, Vickie, you know,  I do like to know the plans, right? I I love scripture that says, I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. But I am always like, could you let me in on the plans? And that’s not what he promises. So she says, let me take care of the plans. So  when all was said and done,  A group of ladies picked me up and we drove two hours to Phoenix and we went thrift shopping. Why? Because that’s my favorite thing to do.

Most of these ladies had never been thrift shopping. They’re in a financial echelon, they don’t have to worry about thrift shopping, but they did it because I love it. And then we had dinner and we had my favorite food and then they said, Oh, we better hurry up. We’ve got a show. I said a show and I’m thinking my husband teaches theater.

I know all the shows that are happening in Phoenix and I’m thinking I wonder what show we’re going to. Are we going to this one? Are we going to this one?  And one of them had asked me almost over a year ago, Hey, you inspire us when you speak, who inspires you? And I gave her a list of five people. She knew four of the five, but she didn’t know the fifth one.

So she looked it up and that person actually happened to be speaking in Phoenix the weekend of my birthday. And so they surprised me with one of my favorite speakers and Vickie I think it was my favorite birthday, not because I got the most amazing gifts, although I’m thankful for the gifts I got, it’s because for the first time in my life, I felt like a group of ladies  saw me and celebrated me. 

And that’s a sweet story, but I can tell you that’s 54 years of not necessarily doing community right. But they, however that happened, they felt like I see them and I celebrate them. And so that’s what they wanted to do for me  and seriously, sweetest birthday ever. And, again, long time coming.

I made a lot of friendship mistakes. I, I’ve dropped the friendship ball a lot and I’ve hurt people and I’ve had to make amends for that. So I’m thankful that there is hope. There is hope for all of us, even those. Weirdos who like thrift shopping and I’m so thankful for that. 

Dr. Vickie: That is so beautiful. And I think it demonstrates what we talked about earlier, and that is vulnerability. You have to have vulnerability to have a true relationship.

Amberly: Totally. As you know, I think you and I spend enough time, , you’re the master at this, but I’m a Padawan learner on this, the gift of questions. I can’t encourage you enough to, if you’re looking for a community to get yourself a couple of great questions  that help you get to know people better. And what’s so funny is that people are like, Amberly, you’re such a great conversationalist. And I’m like, no,  I just ask good questions. And you brought the conversation.

But at the end of the conversation, again, I had a group of ladies who wanted to  celebrate me and to help me know that I was seen. Why? Because I’ve asked questions and I’ve gotten in their world and I’ve done my best to try to remember stuff. If you tell me something, Vickie, like, this is my favorite Starbucks drink, it goes in my phone under your contact. And if I ever want to meet you, I look up your, your Starbucks order and I bring it to you on the way. And people are like, how do you do this? And I’m like, because of Jesus and Google. I just, I keep all this stuff together so that you feel like I see you. 

Dr. Vickie: That’s so intentional and I think that that’s really important in relationships to be intentional.  

Totally. Win-tentional is what I call it. You know,  it sounds like, , you know, strategy, strategery, , as they say in the office, but. The truth is it is intentional. It does take effort. There’s no doubt about there is no easy button on community. There’s no easy button on friendship.  Heck, we’re two or more gathered, there’s also conflict, right? So you have to work those things out. And last time I checked, it takes time and energy and investment and vulnerability, all those things, but worth it.  So worth it. 

Dr. Vickie:  I think that is so good and it encourages people who maybe feel like they’re on the outside looking in because I think a lot of times people think, Oh, they’re in a friend group and I just wish I could be like that. And so what advice do you have for people to just start being intentional and to start connecting?  

Amberly: So, first of all, I’ve  opened my Facebook feed and gotten my feelings hurt so many times I can’t even tell you. So I’ve been on the outside looking in. So there’s a couple of things. The first one is, I’ve also called people and said, Hey, the next time you go to that thing, let me know.

I would love to be a part of that. That looked like so much fun. So again, you’re admitting to yourself and another,  I could use this. But the second thing is start your own party.  Invite.  This sounds like such a third grade thing, but invite people that you see that were also not at said get together and think, you know what? Vickie’s not in any of those pictures. I bet Vickie would be, would be up for that. If that was your thing.

We have a new game that we love in our house called the Bible is Funny, hilarious. I get no kickbacks for saying this one of the greatest games. And guess what? It costs 0 to open up and play it in my house. 

It might cost me some chips and salsa to invite people over for a game night, but if I’m the instigator and again, sometimes you ask and people say no, and that’s hard, but what if it works out?  Well, then you’ve gotten to have chips and salsa with somebody who’s choosing to spend time with you. You get to have a great time of games and then you find out more about them. They find out more about you and you can figure it out. Again, it’s not formulaic because it’s people.  But, that would be what I would say is, again, go to the need, be part of that. Speaking of Facebook, and again, social media is such a  hotbed, but one thing about Facebook that’s fabulous, there is a group for everything.

Blonde people who love Pomeranians. There’s probably a Facebook group, hikers in the county, you know, big eyebrows who love, I don’t even know, chess. I promise you for every walk of life, there is a Facebook group. And so start maybe, on a very, easy level, which is connecting with people online with similar things.

And then once you practice that a little bit, then move on to the next thing and maybe again connect with somebody. Hey, can I meet you for coffee?  One of the best is ‘Wow, I really admire the things that you’re doing right now.’  At work or whatever it happens to be. ‘Can we meet for coffee? Can I talk to you about some of that stuff?’ News flash people love to talk about themselves and they love to talk about the stuff they’re passionate about. So why not make it about them?  And in doing so you may make a connection that you are forever thankful for.

Dr. Vickie: That is such good advice, and you know, I moved to a new town about a year ago, and so it was a big change for me. I didn’t have the group of friends around me that I had always had, and it’s not easy to make new friends. It’s not easy to connect in a new place, and I’m thankful to say that I’m kind of part of multiple groups now, and I’m very appreciative for, uh, the people that reached out to me, and it has made such a difference. But it’s hard.  

 Amberly: Absolutely it is. And, we had the same thing. That’s why I wrote my Bible study about finding your tribe, is that both my husband and I struggled terribly moving to a community we couldn’t wait to live in. I love this place, but it felt so cliquey. It really feels cliquey when you’re on the outside. But then the other thing is once you are in a group, remember that, remember the sting of feeling like an outsider and make sure there is always a chair available at the table, always.  

Because there are people that do that, where they’re like, well now that I’m in, let’s close the gates. And it’s like, wait, wait, wait, there are other people who could benefit from this.  And I’m going to say especially to older ladies, and I consider myself one of those older ladies. Please be on the lookout for those young moms who are on the struggle bus. Those young women who look like they have all the things because they’re because their Instagram page is on point.  But the truth is they are as lonely or more lonely than my generation than yours, I mean, you and I are in the same generation, but, just think that through. Don’t just look for people who look like you and who vote like you and who think like you do. Stretch out and make a difference. The Great Commission says go to Samaria, go to Judea, right? I think  the Great Commission applies to those of us in friendship and connection as well is get out of your comfort zone. It’s not just about you, right? ‘Can I bring you a meal? Can I help you baby hang out with your kids one night so that you’re not alone? Can I make killer microwave popcorn would love to bring that to you.’ Whatever the thing is, make it simple. It does not have to be difficult, but make it about connection and pour into others. And, I keep going back to the Bible because it’s such a beautiful love note of connection, but the Proverbs tells us that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. And I don’t know about you, but I could always use refreshment. And so, I think that that’s, that’s such an important thing when we make it about other people. I don’t know how the, how the heavenly math works, but it works out when we make it about other people that somehow we  reap the best blessings for sure. 

Dr. Vickie: Well that is so incredibly rich and I have not yet got to experience sitting in the audience with you on the stage but I hope that that is something that happens in the future.  I would love to get you booked to speak in my town and at my church and for anyone that’s interested in having you as a speaker they can visit your website and there’s a link in the show notes.  

Amberly: Absolutely. I would super love that. And if you end up booking me, those of you who are listening, if you book me, just say that Dr. Vickie sent you and I will give you the friends and family discount.   I love it.

Dr. Vickie: Do you have any last words of wisdom for our listeners?  

Amberly: My family was watching the chosen this week, and I know that there’s some people that they’re not chosen fans, and that’s okay. But, they took some creative license that I thought was so brilliant, which is when Jesus was preaching in order for all the crowds to be able to hear. He would say something and his disciples would just repeat the truth to so that everybody could hear. For those who are struggling with loneliness, I just want to encourage them. Just continue to speak truth to repeat the truth. You know, right? You don’t have to create your own truth, repeat the truth, to not only those in your that come into your sphere of influence, but also to the person in the mirror and remind yourself  you are loved. You are chosen. You are  beloved. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. And when you begin to do that, I can tell you people love to be encouraged. And when you repeat the truth that you know to those around you, I promise it will have an effect and you will make a difference. And that dissipates a lot of loneliness. So please continue to spread the truth and love people well.

Dr. Vickie:  I think my oxytocin levels just went up so high. Thank you for that. And yes, we are very much chosen fans in this family, and they do take some creative license, but they also just make it real.

Amberly: Agreed. We watched the episode with Peter walking on water and him holding onto Jesus. And I know that those are actors. I know they were reading a script, but I just found myself wrapping my arms around Jesus thinking, don’t let go, you know, so great. So I’m with you. I’m a huge fan, but, thankful for that. Again, they’re just repeating the truth that they know. And, I think it makes a difference.

So thank you so much for this. Thank you for your podcast. I’m just going to say, I know it takes time. I know it takes effort, and I know this is a passion area of yours, but you have spoken truth and echoed that. And I just want to say thank you so much from a listener who’s crazy about you.

Dr. Vickie: Well, thank you so much for sharing your expertise on connection with us. This has been just great. Love you..

Amerly: My pleasure. I love you right back. Have a great day. 

 

Dr. Vickie: Wow, this was such a great episode. It’s just gold, and I know that Amberly said I was going to share some medical information with you. But, you know what? I just want to let this sit right where it is, because I think this is an episode you’re going to want to listen to over and over again. Maybe you want to go and read the transcript, and I think you’ll want to share it with a friend.

And if you don’t have a friend, maybe this is a good way to  start a conversation. I love it when you share the podcast episodes and I know that this one in particular will give you some practical information on sharing connections with others. And I will put an episode to my previous podcast on loneliness in the show notes so that you can get that medical information.

But I think this is just powerful all by itself.

   The information contained in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not considered to be a substitute for medical advice. You should continue to follow up with your physician or health care provider and take medication as prescribed. Though the information in this podcast is evidence based, new research may develop and recommendations may change.

 

RESOURCES:

AMBERLY NEESE

The Deadly Epidemic of Loneliness

From Loneliness to Belonging

The Bible is Funny card game

Sign up to get podcast episodes by email

 

Related Episodes

Struggling with insomnia?

Struggling with Insomnia?Get your personalized sleep solution. Enrollment ends MARCH 12, 2025Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn more about Dr. VickieResources 7-Day RX for change: A free mini course to help you get...

Importance of Sleep and Weight

Importance of Sleep and WeightDo you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn...

All information associated with this website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Please visit the Disclaimer; Conditions, Terms of Use to learn more. 

Privacy Policy

Supplements, aluminum and other dementia myths

Supplements, Aluminum and other Dementia Myths

Follow on Social Media

Turn off your mind so you can sleep free cheat sheet

Do you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. 

SUPPLEMENTS, ALUMINUM AND OTHER DEMENTIA MYTHS

If I see that Prevagen commercial one more time, I just might scream. But instead, let’s talk about supplements, aluminum, and other dementia myths. We’re going to separate fact from fiction and debunk those myths.   I’m Dr.Vickie Petz Kasper and I want to help you make changes that make a difference. Healthy Looks Great On You podcast takes you to many medical school so you can learn the power of lifestyle medicine.

If you’re ready to take control of your health, you’re in the right  place. Whether you’re focused on prevention or you’re trying to manage a condition. I’ll give you practical steps to start your own journey toward better health because healthy looks great on you.

This is episode 156, Supplements, Aluminum, and Other Dementia Myths. 

If you’re a regular listener of this podcast and you listened closely last week, you know that I planned to talk about genetics today, but Sally, Steve and Lea, Greg, John and Sherry, and Barbara really got to me.  You don’t know them? You must not watch TV at all. Those stupid commercials air every few minutes.  In this episode, we’re going to bust some myths, but also amp up our game in the discernment category. We’re gonna discuss Prevagen, aluminum, and their relationship to dementia, as well  as some other misunderstandings. But wait, Sally is a nurse, isn’t she? Says so right on the commercial, a flight nurse.

Yeah, so she should know better. You see, she said she had a fear that she wouldn’t be able to keep up and she wanted all the boost that she could get. Okay, let’s stop right here because fear is a fantastic motivator when it comes to sales pitches.  People make purchases based on emotion. So this flight nurse who has all these medical resources available to her, heard from a friend.  Listen, friends don’t let friends take scammy supplements.  I will give her some credit because she said she read the clinical study on it and it had good reviews.  I’m not sure which study she’s referring to, but I did find a graph that has one bar going way up and the label says, In clinical trials, Prevagen has been shown to improve short term memory in people who were, and get this, normal or mildly cognitively impaired. Well, which is it? Because those two things are pretty different, aren’t they? But here’s an even better question. Compared to what? You see, the company’s own study showed that a placebo, which in this case was a flour pill instead of a sugar pill, was equally effective at improving the nine cognitive skills that they looked at, including memory.

So you can either pay 40 to 90 a month on Prevagen. Or you could just do something like, eat a peanut, and voila! Your memory will improve.

Just like Steve and Leah. They live in the North Pole, and they’re retired educators, but probably not science educators. And here’s how they got started taking Prevagen. Steve said he saw one of those incredibly annoying commercials and thought, That makes sense.  Does it though?  You tell me. The active ingredient is  aquaporin. It’s a calcium binding protein, and calcium is definitely linked to brain health and memory. Calcium is super important in communication between nerve cells in the brain. So it’s gotta work, right? Well, here’s what the announcer says. Can a protein originally found in jellyfish improve your memory? Our scientists say yes. Researchers have discovered a protein that actually supports healthier brain function. It’s the breakthrough in a supplement called Prevagen.  Their scientists say yes, but sounds fishy to me.

Specifically it’s made from jelly fish that luminesce. Now, these are some fascinating creatures, and honestly, I did not even know they existed until this summer. I went to the west coast to help my son move into a new apartment and we traveled down to Monterey Bay. There’s an aquarium there that has all these luminescent jellyfish and one of them was neon red. It was one of the most fascinating things that I’ve ever seen.

But what does that have to do with memory?  Well, you might have a bright future if you’re a Caribbean box jellyfish. Turns out they’re capable of learning even though they don’t have a brain. And what exactly can a jellyfish learn you ask? Well, they can learn to dodge obstacles, which can come in handy if you’re running an obstacle course, I guess. 

Nah.  Now, Barbara is a retired librarian from Michigan. Five years ago, she says she had a lot going on. And she saw the Prevagen commercial. And she started taking it. And she noticed that her memory was better, and people tell her that she doesn’t miss a beat.  I mean, she’s dodging obstacles like a professional jellyfish.

I guess the bottom line is, those commercials work. But look, we don’t have a lot in common with these jellyfish. They don’t even have a brain . But they do have 24 eyes and that’s pretty weird. 

But isn’t it the number one supplement for memory recommended by pharmacists?  Maybe, but I couldn’t verify that. But John is a pharmacist and he does a paid testimonial for Prevagen on the commercials. And he says he went ahead and gave it a try. And he feels like it’s really helping, so he recommends it to his customers, family, and friends as a safe product to try. 

That’s not how this works. In medicine, we don’t recommend things because we want to give it a try or because we feel like it helps. But I imagine a lot of people are listening to John because consumers have spent more than a hundred and sixty five million dollars on this product in the last ten years.

And it’s a hoax.

Maybe you noticed that their commercials changed recently. Well, that’s because a complaint was filed back in 2017 with the Federal Trade Commission. Because studies showed that this protein doesn’t even cross the blood brain barrier and it’s probably digested in your stomach and never goes anywhere else.  This was the beginning of a  seven year legal battle that ended last month. And there are two claims that got them in hot water.

One of them was that Prevagen reduces memory problems associated with aging. Because it  doesn’t.  The other one they said is that it was clinically shown to reduce memory problems associated with aging.  Now their website looks a little different since this case was settled last month, and it doesn’t even make a claim that it helps anything.

They can’t because it doesn’t work. Now, you may hate big pharma, but I can promise you that if you could milk some protein out of a jellyfish and make a medicine out of it, they’d have done it. It’s not like there’s a shortage of jellyfish.  

But on the Prevagen website, they list three studies showing that it’s safe. Not effective, safe. They’re labeled Safety Study 1, Safety Study 2, and Safety Study 3. But nothing to indicate that it does anything.  They don’t even pretend that it treats or cures anything. But, they do continue to aggressively market to an aging population who is concerned about memory loss. 

If you’re going to forget anything, forget Prevagen.  Here’s what they say now, I really feel like my memory has improved since I started taking Prevagen, or my wife thinks my memory is getting better.  

Greg is my favorite. He’s got a lot of gigs and is the most accomplished and likable paid testimonial in the game. He’s a motivational speaker so he has that edge. He noticed in his mid fifties that he was losing a bit, like walking into a room and forgetting why he came. Which, by the way, can be normal. And if you missed my episode on the difference between normal aging and early signs of dementia, I’ll put a link in the show notes.  But he’s been taking Prevagen for three years, and it’s helped him tremendously.

Now, I’m not sure what it helps him with because he admits he has a very healthy lifestyle. And people tell him that he has a memory like an elephant. Guess they didn’t know that aquaporin comes from jellyfish.  Now, maybe you’ve taken it and now you’re just feeling a little silly. I get it. People put soap under their covers to try to help with restless legs. At least that’s cheap. And desperate people do desperate things. Once I had tennis elbow really bad. I never played tennis, but I was desperate for relief. I ended up getting one of those copper bracelets and wearing it. Well, it’s kind of cute, but it didn’t work either. So I think we could all use some information.

So let’s go to mini medical school. 

Today we’re going to talk about medical research. Here’s the deal. Our bodies are incredibly complex.   So there are some experiments in nature that you could design to measure things or to prove this or that. But when it comes to the human body, we are quite varied in our responses to different things. So, a lot of times there’s not clear evidence to prove things. But you can’t just make stuff up. Well, I mean, you can, but the pharmaceutical industry is required to prove that their products are safe and effective.  It’s not a perfect system, but have you ever tried to actually read a package insert?

A lot of times it will say that a certain percentage of people had nausea or headache or even something more serious like a seizure.  But then the question becomes, would they have had the same thing even if they hadn’t taken whatever drug you’re reading about?  But they’re required to report anything that comes up during the trial. 

And if you look at the absolute numbers, it might say something like 9 percent of people had nausea, and if you look at the placebo group, well, 9 percent of them had nausea, too.  But here’s the deal, with the supplement industry, they don’t have to do all of this. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was passed in 1994. And they are exempt from having to prove claims that vitamins and supplements even work.  So the best advice I can give you is listen closely to what they’re saying.  Just because somebody saw an ad and feels like something is helping, doesn’t mean it works. 

And in general, be careful when looking at medical research. It’s complicated. Traditionally, we consider the double blinded placebo controlled randomized trial to be the gold standard. It gives us the most reliable data, and That means that the person taking the medication or placebo nor the researcher who’s evaluating the data about the medication or placebo knows which one they’re taking. And that allegedly prevents what we call bias and helps us sort out the placebo effect. But even that’s not perfect.

We also have to look at the power of the study. Typically, a well designed study has lots and lots of people in it. It’s more meaningful if you look at that versus a handful of people. It’s reported as the N, which logically stands for number. So if you see a study of about 400 people in the grand scheme of things, that’s not really very big.  Often what researchers do is take a bunch of smaller studies and clump them together and try to increase the validity. We call that process a meta analysis. And it’s not perfect science either.

Listen, science is hard. Research is complicated and math is a challenge for a lot of us, even researchers. Apparently, some really smart people are not exempt from this. Recently, there was a paper published that showed toxic levels of microplastics associated with those black cooking utensils you use to protect the Teflon on your pots and pans. It set off a firestorm of TikTok videos to help people get rid of those things.  But guess what?  They made a mathematical error and missed a decimal point. So what was actually being released was nowhere near the toxic level. But it was too late for a lot of poor soup spoons.  

Another problem we encounter in studies is extrapolating data from animal studies to humans. And I see a lot of reference articles to some reputable sources, but they’re looking at things like the effect of some chemical in gigantic doses on some little animal, and that can cause misleading information. 

In the 1960s, rabbits were injected with high levels of aluminum, and they got lesions in their brain that look very similar to the lesions that people with Alzheimer’s get in their brains. So they started looking at aluminum as a cause for dementia. And I’m old enough to remember feeling a little bit of caution drinking out of an aluminum can. 

Turns out, they did find aluminum in those plaques in the Alzheimer’s brains of people. And that’s scary. But hold on. Healthy brains also contain aluminum.  And despite looking for a link, there’s no evidence that aluminum from cans or pots and pans or deodorant or antacids causes Alzheimer’s.  So now that we’ve busted the myth that a jellyfish protein doesn’t do anything besides waste your money, and that your pots and pans aren’t out to get you, Let’s talk about some more somber misinformation that people believe about dementia.

There are three falsehoods I want to address. Number one is that only older people get dementia. Number two is there’s nothing that can be done about dementia. And unfortunately, number three is that dementia is always preventable, because it’s not.  If you’ve been following this series on dementia, you know that the number one risk factor for developing dementia is age.

But that doesn’t mean it only affects people over the age of 65. Early onset Alzheimer’s can affect people in their 50s, 40s, and rarely even in their 30s. The symptoms are the same, but are often misdiagnosed. You can imagine partly that’s because it’s very rare and unexpected. It’s also even more tragic because it’s now affecting someone who may be still parenting children at home or maybe providing the family’s income.  And it can feel very isolating for the person affected and their family. And let me just pause right here and say that if you or your loved one has dementia, regardless of their age, there is so much value in support groups.  I think this is so important that if you cannot find a support group in your area, I would challenge you to start your own. I’m sure you could get some help from the Alzheimer’s Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association. But if your life is affected by someone with dementia, I urge you right now to Google Alzheimer’s support groups in your area. 

If you’re worried about yourself or someone you love, it’s important to see a doctor. Because if anyone tells you that nothing can be done, they are falling for a myth.  The truth is that there are treatments available and lots of research is being done with new treatments in the pipeline. The earlier you get a diagnosis, the more opportunity you have to slow progression.

Not only that, there are some business aspects that you need to tend to to protect your family.  Lastly, I need to tell you that dementia is not always preventable.  I’m going to put some links in the show notes to all the episodes I’ve been doing on this series, and I stand by the fact that lifestyle matters. A lot. But even the most promising studies claim that 40 percent of dementia is preventable with lifestyle. And that means 60 percent isn’t. 

Remember, I told you you needed to listen closely when paying attention to medical research. Nevertheless, don’t you want to do all you can to protect your brain health? Lifestyle matters. The first recommendation is a healthy diet, physical fitness, social connectedness, stress management, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and routinely getting a good night’s sleep. 

And I have some exciting news for you about sleep. I’m going to do an entire series in the month of February about restorative sleep. I have a couple of resources on my website that you’re gonna want to snag. Just go to www healthy looks great on you.com and you can find those. I’ve got an upcoming series of live webinars to help you with this as well.

Now that you know how to critically evaluate scientific medical studies, let’s take a moment to focus on a study that was released in June of 2024 by Dr. Dean Ornish, and it looked at the effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s.

Now, this study was randomized and it was a clinical trial and that gives it some validity. And here’s what they did. They took people with early Alzheimer’s and randomly assigned them into two groups. One group implemented intense lifestyle changes, like the stuff I promote on this podcast. And they did it for almost six months. And the two groups were similar in their performance on standardized cognitive tests at the beginning of the study.  They also had blood work done to measure biomarkers of Alzheimer’s. Specifically, these are things in your plasma. And after 20 weeks, they compared the intervention group with the no intervention group, and they found improvement in their performance on cognitive tests, as well as these biomarkers in their bloodstream. In addition, their gut microbiome improved, and that’s super exciting.

Now, let’s think critically. There were 51 people in this study, and that’s not really very many. But still, the results showed that eating minimally processed, plant based, whole food, doing moderate aerobic exercise and resistance training, managing stress through meditation, breathing, and stretching, and attending support groups made a difference and the difference was statistically significant. 

71 percent of patients in the intervention group either improved or at least they didn’t decline and all of the patients in the control group either stayed the same or got worse. Now I don’t know about you but even though this is a small study that’s pretty encouraging. I’ll put a link to the study as well as an article about it from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine in the show notes. And I’ll send it out to my email list.

So, even though all dementia isn’t considered preventable,  let’s do what we can to be healthy. Because healthy looks great on you.    

   The information contained in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not considered to be a substitute for medical advice. You should continue to follow up with your physician or health care provider and take medication as prescribed. Though the information in this podcast is evidence based, new research may develop and recommendations may change.

RESOURCES:

Dr. Ornish’s study on dementia

American College of Lifestyle Medicine Article on Dr. Ornish’s Study

Preventing Cognitive Decline 

Practical Tips for Caregivers of People with Dementia

Is Dementia Really Preventable?

10 Must Know Risk Factors for Dementia

Is it Normal Aging or Dementia?

Sign up to get podcast episodes by email

The Deadly Epidemic of Loneliness

From Loneliness to Belonging

How to prevent, treat and reverse type 2 diabetes

4 Reasons to control your BP

Why is Sleeping so Hard?

The Mood Mechanic and the work of sleep

 

Related Episodes

Struggling with insomnia?

Struggling with Insomnia?Get your personalized sleep solution. Enrollment ends MARCH 12, 2025Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn more about Dr. VickieResources 7-Day RX for change: A free mini course to help you get...

Importance of Sleep and Weight

Importance of Sleep and WeightDo you have trouble sleeping because your thoughts spin? I created this cheat sheet to help you shut off your mind and turn on restorative sleep. Hosted by: Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. American Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate Learn...

All information associated with this website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Please visit the Disclaimer; Conditions, Terms of Use to learn more. 

Privacy Policy