New Alzheimer's Drug Vs. Hanging out With Best Friends?
Hormones are the most powerful signaling molecules within the human body, yet their importance in overall health is not taught in most medical schools, particularly when it comes to the brain.
Hormones rule and protect much of our brain tissue. Especially tissue that has to do with memories. Yet hormones are not considered as a line of prevention or treatment for cognitive issues.
At the same time, The Food and Drug Administration accelerated the approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug, it’s very expensive, and brain bleeds and death are possible complications. The regular trials did not provide a strong enough benefit to get through the typical FDA approval process. Why? The trials did not provide strong enough evidence of clinical benefit.
But the FDA did approve this drug through an alternative pathway. An accelerated special pathway that enables the FDA to approve drugs on the basis of “biological markers”. In this case, the drug reduced brain plaque, amyloid, which has been thought, though NOT proven, to be part of cognitive impairment.
The FDA then asserted that they were not sure but that decreases in amyloid load would most likely improve cognition. And thus, help Alzheimer’s patients.
Yet the drug has a high complication rate, especially of brain bleeds and death, and it’s truly expensive.
“A New Era”?
This is the first drug approved for cognitive impairment in the last 18 years. So much so, the Alzheimer’s Association hailed it as “a new era in Alzheimer’s treatment and research.” With hopes of many new drugs headed out along these very same lines.
Many disagree. Dissenters include the FDA’s own advisory committee members, who in November 2020 unanimously recommended against approving the drug, Aduhelm, because it showed no convincing evidence of efficacy, leading three committee members to resign in protest after the approval.
Numerous scientists, clinicians, bioethicists, and policymakers have serious concerns about the drug’s efficacy, its side effects, and possible negative social, scientific, and financial consequences of its approval.
Biogen, the drug’s maker, has set an annual price tag of about $56,000, representing an annual cost to Medicare of anywhere between $29 and $100 billion, depending on the number of patients who take it, with additional patient expenses for copays and imaging to screen for side effects.
At the same time, we have scientists like Dr. Dale Bredesen that has been publishing in peer review and training other docs to replicate his success of rather rapidly reversing early and moderate stages of Alzheimer’s disease by several lifestyle steps. The first several steps include assessing and replacing hormones that protect and heal brain tissue. (My podcast with Dr. Bredesen, Dementia Reversal with Dr. Dale Bredesen (#186))
At the same time, we keep ignoring that hormone therapies maintain the volume of the hippocampus. Even magnesium, in healthy levels, has been shown to be a hippocampus volume protector. This is where memory protection is at. Yet gerontologists, internists, and many other doctors often remark to patients, “I don’t believe in hormones. Or nutrition.” These well-intentioned yet poorly informed physicians see hormones as a threat, not as physiologic protection.
Hormones are Extraordinarily Brain Protective
One reason we have a greater incidence of neurodegenerative decline as we age is that our sex hormones are declining.
What if you don’t believe in hormones? Or you ask your doctors if you are a candidate for hormone therapies and they say no, they don’t believe in them.
What else can you do to protect your hormones and your brain besides hormonal therapies?
Hang out with besties! Community boosts brain protective hormones!
This work comes from my alma mater, the University of Michigan.
The University of Michigan study has identified that feeling emotionally close to a friend increases hormone progesterone levels, helping to boost well-being and reduce anxiety and stress. Why? Progesterone is a brain-friendly and protective hormone.
These findings are consistent with a new evolutionary theory of altruism which argues that the hormonal basis of social bonds enables people to suppress self-interest when necessary to promote another person’s well-being, as when taking care of children or helping ailing family members or friends. And to keep our brain tissue healthier.
Knowledge is Power
Our health care system is captured. It is all about new drugs. Our present health care system is mainly for chronic health issues such as cognitive decline, not looking at how to keep physiology safe and brain tissue protected. It is all about new drugs.
What to do?
Keep hanging with friends for community so your body and brain keep making brain-protective hormones.
Also, work with practitioners that “believe” in hormones and the ability of hormone replacement to help keep your brain tissue safer than new accelerated pharmaceutical products with high fatality risks.
Dr. B.
References:
Connecting prosocial behavior to improved physical health: Contributions from the neurobiology of parenting. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2015 Aug;55:1-17
"Feeling Close To A Friend Increases Progesterone, Boosts Well-being And Reduces Anxiety And Stress." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 June 2009.
Well stated as always! Thank you for sharing the hormone perspective!
Thank you!! this is very important and has to be delivered over and over again. I am grateful for your books and communications. Feeling well, energized and of clear thinking - not present before. However - the handling of the application had to turned over to my dear Primary doc - who is familiar with and follows your line of thinking. Thank you , again.