The brain is no exception
Your brain is ruled by hormone signals. (That’s why my latest book is called SEXY BRAIN as your brain is especially run by your sex steroid hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). Your brain is flush with receptors that receive many signals from these specific hormones.
Memory, motivation, and sense of self come mostly from healthy hormones sending signals to your hippocampus (a small part of your brain that gets the biggest blood flow in the body since your memories and identity live here). Knowing this, Dr. Dale Bredesen, a neurology scientist at UCLA, developed an effective “Anti-Alzheimer Protocol”. One essential part of his multi-faceted program is adding hormones back into an aging brain. Part of the reason the brain is not acting healthfully is hormone deficiencies. These can be easily be addressed by hormone replacement.
Testosterone, in higher healthy normal ranges, has been shown to “down-regulate” or “shut up” the Alzheimer vulnerability gene, ApoE 4—one of several variants of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene. Those who have this ApoE 4 gene are three to eight times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who do not carry it. Having healthy levels of T in your bloodstream helps fight off this genetic tendency.
Most doctors have not been taught these diverse benefits of T. Women are often told that if they don’t want more sex drive, they shouldn’t add T to their hormone therapies. They don’t realize this means having their patients miss out on T’s brain protection! Let alone immune protection.
Estrogen protects brains, too. The Cache County studies out of Utah showed that Alzheimer’s disease incidence was reduced by up to 50% if women had been on estrogen therapy for at least 10 years. If Dr. Oz had a show that shared any product that lowered the risk of dementia by 50%, we would all be running out to get it.