The #1 Genetic Test to Determine Your Risk for Dementia

Disclaimer: Not Medical Advice. Opinions are my own.

In partnership with ​Function Health​

Today's newsletter at a glance:

• Fifth Leading Killer Worldwide for Older Adults

• The Best Genetic Test to Determine Your Risk for Dementia

• Patients with this have up to a 10-15x higher risk for Alzheimer's

• Understanding Your Results

Dementia is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide for individuals over 65.

It is a terrible disease that has personally affected my family members and friends.

Dementia is characterized by a decline in at least two cognitive functions, such as memory, language, visuospatial skills, or executive functions.

Approximately 55 million people are living with dementia, and this is forecasted to grow to 139 million by 2050.1

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and is biologically defined by β-amyloid plaques and tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.

Prevention is the best form of medicine; therefore, in this newsletter, we are going to discuss the best test to determine your risk for dementia, and how to understand your results.

The Best Genetic Test to Determine Your Risk for Dementia

APOE is the most informative single genetic marker for late-onset Alzheimer’s risk, the most common cause of dementia.2

​Function offers an add-on to test your APOE genotype.​

Your APOE gene helps with cholesterol transport, waste removal, and brain repair.

Depending on which variant you have, the effectiveness of these functions varies.

The three major alleles (variants) are: APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. You receive one allele from each parent. For example, you could be APOE 3/2, APOE 2/2, APOE 3/4, etc.

What do these different variants mean in terms of dementia risk?

APOE2 = lowest risk for dementia3

APOE3 = neutral or average risk for dementia

APOE4 = increased risk for dementia2

Therefore, APOE 2/2 is the lowest risk, and APOE 4/4 is the highest risk for dementia.

Patients with APOE 4/4 have up to a 10-15x higher risk for Alzheimer's.4

Why is APOE4 the highest risk factor for dementia?

APOE helps clear amyloid-β from the brain.

For most people, amyloid-β is quickly cleared; however, APOE4 carriers are much less efficient at clearing it.

This can lead to amyloid-β accumulation, plaque formation, inflammation, and neuronal damage.

Understanding Your Results

We can't run from our genes.

You can't change the APOE alleles your parents contributed.

To be clear, having an APOE4/4 genotype doesn't guarantee you'll develop dementia, and having an APOE2/2 genotype doesn't make you immune to dementia either.

If you can't change your genes, why is it important to know your APOE genotype?

1. You can influence how your genes are expressed. Lifestyle changes such as exercise, alcohol consumption, and sleep are all within your control and can make a difference.5

2. It may change your approach to treating vascular and metabolic health with medical management.

3. Your genotype may alter your testing, screening, and monitoring approach.

4. Knowing your APOE variants can be helpful when family planning and understanding your family history.

An APOE2 or even APOE2/3 genotype can be reassuring, but shouldn't give you an excuse to skip all the big pillars.

Understanding where you sit on the dementia risk curve based on your genetics can help you make the best-informed decisions.

If You Don't Test, You Don't Know

True health ownership starts with knowledge.

Understanding which biomarkers are in range or, more importantly, out of range will help you personalize and create your own instruction manual.

​Function Health​ is an all-in-one health platform that starts with 100+ lab tests, including your heart, hormones, liver, kidneys, thyroid, autoimmunity, cancer signals, toxins, and overall nutrients.

Function provides five times more bloodwork testing than standard primary care labs, which would cost you thousands of dollars out of pocket.

Function makes scheduling at 2,000 locations across the USA convenient and straightforward, with lab visits averaging only 15 minutes.

Once your results are in, you will receive a comprehensive summary written by Function's Clinical Team. Clinicians call you promptly if any urgent results arise.

After seeing your biomarkers and Function's insightful recommendations, you will have the confidence to take action and retest in the future to track your progress.

Join hundreds of thousands, including me, who use Function to take control of their health. ​Click here to sign up for Function for $1/day ($365 a year) and use code LONDON25 for an additional $25 off.​

Only the best,

Jeremy London, MD

P.S. Don't forget to follow my podcast for free on ​Spotify​ or ​Apple Podcasts