Alzheimer’s disease is among the top ten causes of death in the United States and is steadily climbing toward the top of that list. Is there anything that can be done to prevent or even reverse it?

Subtitled The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline, The End of Alzheimer’s by Dale E. Bredesen, outlines a program that offers hope for those who have been, or soon will be, diagnosed with this devastating condition.

Table of Contents:

1. Why a book on Alzheimer’s Matters to Me
2. Why This Book on Alzheimer’s?
3. What Can be Done to Prevent or Reverse Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?
4. Is The End of Alzheimer’s Protocol To Good to be True?
5. The End of Alzheimer’s Protocol is Not Just for Alzheimer’s Disease
6. More book reviews:

Why a book on Alzheimer’s Matters to Me

My interest in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is longstanding and personal. Our adult son with Down Syndrome is genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s Disease and, according to Medscape, “almost all adults with Down syndrome (DS) develop neuropathological AD changes by 40 years of age. The leading cause of death in individuals with DS is AD and its complications.”

So, Alzheimer’s Disease has been on my radar for over twenty-five years and, now that I am getting older, my interest in AD has expanded from helping our son to preventing cognitive decline in myself as one of his caregivers.

Why This Book on Alzheimer’s?

I was first attracted to this book, not only because of the title, but because of the credentials of the author:

“Dr. Bredesen earned his M.D. from Duke University Medical Center and served as Chief Resident in Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), before joining Nobel laureate Stanley Prusiner’s laboratory at UCSF as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow. He held faculty positions at UCSF, UCLA, and the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Bredesen also directed the Program on Aging at the Burnham Institute before joining the Buck Institute in 1998 as founding President and CEO.”

What Can be Done to Prevent or Reverse Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?

I have read through the entire book and my copy now bristles with numerous sticky bookmarks. Some basic elements of this program we have had in practice since our son’s birth, which is reassuring. However, there is much more that can be done in the way of prevention, which is also reassuring. I have begun implementing some of these elements for myself as well.

Some highlights on issues the book addresses:

• Where does AD come from and how does it start?
• Lifestyle factors; how to prevent AD
• Why most of the experimental AD drug trials have failed
• How to stop the process if it has already begun; how to reverse it if it has already taken hold
• How to evaluate your genetic and biochemical status and how to address each factor
• Why only reducing amyloid beta is unlikely to help unless one identifies and removes the inducers of amyloid production
• The importance of addressing root causes and not just the responses to them

Is The End of Alzheimer’s Protocol To Good to be True?

This book is not about guarantees and does not offer sensationalized results or false hope. It is a book that outlines a plan that can work if you stick with it. According to Dr. Bredesen, “the sooner you start, the better your chance for complete reversal and protection.”

Positive effects may take six months to be noticeable. “Do what you can-you don’t necessarily have to follow every part of the protocol.” “. . . addressing the most important contributors turns out to be good enough for many people.”

That sounds doable to me.

The book also gives recommendations for key laboratory tests, nutritional supplements, diet, and physical and mental exercise. Chapter Ten gives us a handy chart outlining the entire program.

Additional Resources

Appendices include patient testimonials, workarounds, a summary of foods to eat and foods to avoid, an outline of evidence to support the program, and mentions over two hundred peer-reviewed publications available online.

There are two sequels to The End of Alzheimer’s by Dale E. Bredesen that I am looking forward to reading this summer:

and

The End of Alzheimer’s Protocol is Not Just for Alzheimer’s Disease

While the program described in this book may look daunting at first glance, it is actually quite manageable if taken one step at a time. And every small step taken is one step closer to overall better physical health as well as better cognitive function.

I found The End of Alzheimer’s by Dale E. Bredesen, MD to be an encouraging book that puts effective tools in the hands of those who battle Alzheimer’s disease or those who are interested in preventative or corrective cognitive healthcare.

May God bless you as you care for your loved one and as you navigate your own personal cognitive health journey.

I am not a medical professional. Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice. Please consult your medical provider before implementing any changes to your healthcare.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

More book reviews:

Books About Heaven