48 | id == 48
48 | category_id == 9
48 | category_order == 6
48 | category_name == Longevity
48 | category_color == #C47AC0
48 | slug == longevity-ApoE
48 | title == Could You Live Longer if You Improve This Gene? (APOE)
48 | meta_description == APOE is a primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s, but it could affect lifespan as well. Can you improve this gene’s function?
48 | summary == <p><strong>APOE is well-studied as the primary genetic risk factor for Alzheimer&rsquo;s, but did you know that it could affect your lifespan as well? Read on to learn which combination of alleles you carry, whether you&rsquo;re at risk of reduced longevity, and what you can do about it.</strong></p>
48 | overall_score_text == Longevity Score (based on APOE)
48 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/Could-You-Live-Longer-if-You-Improve-This-Gene-APOE.jpg
48 | author_id == 1
48 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
48 | author_title == BSc, BEd
48 | author_order == 36
48 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
48 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
48 | reviewer_id == 2
48 | reviewer_name == Joe Cohen
48 | reviewer_title == BS
48 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
48 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
48 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
48 | publish_date == 2019
48 | publish_date == 9
48 | publish_date == 20
48 | avg_rating == 5.0
48 | tags_id == 154
48 | tags_name == APOE Gene
48 | tags_id == 152
48 | tags_name == Cholesterol
48 | tags_id == 155
48 | tags_name == Cognitive Decline
48 | tags_id == 135
48 | tags_name == Heart Attack
48 | tags_id == 134
48 | tags_name == Heart Disease
48 | tags_id == 24
48 | tags_name == Inflammation
48 | tags_id == 101
48 | tags_name == Longevity
48 | permissions_favorite == False
48 | permissions_rate == False
48 | content_article == <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <table style="width: 90%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="1" cellpadding="10"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Note:</strong> We have a special <a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/apoe/">ApoE report</a> ready for you. If you&rsquo;re looking for a comprehensive report that can help prevent Alzheimer&rsquo;s and cardiovascular diseases, check it out!</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;">What is Apolipoprotein E?</h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene provides instructions for the production of the ApoE protein, which helps transport fats (lipids) and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in particles called lipoproteins [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4401287/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About three quarters of the ApoE in your blood is made by your liver, whereas the rest comes from the brain. ApoE cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), so all of the ApoE in your brain was produced there [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC397000/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3517701/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond Alzheimer&rsquo;s Disease</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Doctors have known for decades that two variants in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene, rs429358 and rs7412, strongly influence a person&rsquo;s likelihood of developing Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease and cardiovascular disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4401287/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">More recently, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has been linked with lifespan [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6298189/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818712/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3995879/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">*4568326607664907*</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Six Genotypes Affecting Mortality Risk</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two SNPs above have a uniquely strong effect on disease risk, so they&rsquo;re almost always studied together. Rather than referring to any one allele at any single variant, researchers and doctors discuss the two SNPs in combination. These combinations are called isoforms, and there are three especially important ones: 𝛆2, 𝛆3, and 𝛆4 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12614323"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆2 is produced from a &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele at both rs429358 and rs7412</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆3 is produced from a &lsquo;T&rsquo; at rs429358 and a &lsquo;C&rsquo; at rs7412</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆4 is produced from a &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele at both rs429358 and rs7412</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Technically speaking, other isoforms (𝛆1 and 𝛆5) exist, but they appear in less than 0.1% of the global population [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4509527/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Very nearly 100% of people will therefore have one of six <em>APOE</em> genotypes: 𝛆2/𝛆2, 𝛆2/𝛆3, 𝛆3/𝛆3, 𝛆3/𝛆4, 𝛆4/𝛆4, or 𝛆2/𝛆4. 𝛆3 is the most common isoform, and 𝛆3/𝛆3 is the most common genotype [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4401287/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE Isoforms and Longevity</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> isoforms that increase Alzheimer&rsquo;s risk may also decrease lifespan, and vice versa. More specifically [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818712/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆2 decreases Alzheimer&rsquo;s risk and is more common in long-lived people</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆4 increases Alzheimer&rsquo;s risk and is less common in long-lived people</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">To say it another way, the more copies of 𝛆2 you have, the more likely you are to live an exceptionally long life. The more copies of 𝛆4 you have, the less likely you are to live an exceptionally long life.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a study of over 28,000 people, people with even one copy of the 𝛆4 isoform are only about half as likely to live to 100 as those without. Furthermore, those with the 𝛆2/𝛆3 and 𝛆2/𝛆2 genotypes are about 32% more likely to live to 100 as those with 𝛆3/𝛆3 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6298189/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">𝛆3 is the most common isoform of APOE. People with 𝛆2 are more likely to live longer, while people with 𝛆4 are more likely to develop life-shortening conditions like Alzheimer&rsquo;s.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Does APOE Affect Your Lifespan?</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The link between APOE and longevity is clear, but how does it work?</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Increased Blood Cholesterol</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ApoE protein is required to transport </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/ldl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LDL</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> cholesterol and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/triglycerides/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">triglycerides </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">(two types of fats) into cells like neurons and muscle cells. The better ApoE functions, the more efficiently these fats can be transported out of the bloodstream and into target cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3283935"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210928"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, people with more effective ApoE (𝛆2) tend to have lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides, and people with less effective ApoE (𝛆4) tend to have higher blood cholesterol and triglycerides [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210928"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">High LDL cholesterol is linked with potentially life-threatening cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279318/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Increased Inflammation</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ApoE may help balance the immune system and reduce inflammation. Macrophages (a type of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/how-to-increase-and-decrease-white-blood-cells/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">white blood cell</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) may use ApoE to lower an overactive immune response. Meanwhile, mice with the 𝛆4/𝛆4 genotype experience a more severe inflammatory immune response than 𝛆3/𝛆3 mice when bacterial toxins are injected into their brains [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782461/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15979312/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chronic inflammation plays a key role in the development of many chronic diseases, including [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19149749"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Heart disease</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diabetes</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Autoimmune diseases</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Arthritis</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inflammatory bowel disease (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ibd-ulcerative-colitis-crohn-genetics-lifestyle-stress-infections/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IBD</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cancer</span></li> </ul> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alzheimer&rsquo;s Disease &amp; Its Complications</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course, the disease most famously linked with ApoE 𝛆4 is Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease; people with even a single copy of 𝛆4 have a lifetime risk of AD of about 30%, compared to 9% for those with the 𝛆3/𝛆3 genotype [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7487559"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease is degenerative and fatal. It can shorten a person&rsquo;s lifespan directly and through any number of associated complications. These complications include [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5657871/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3962992/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-common-medical-problems"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Swallowing disorders</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pneumonia</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Flu</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diabetes</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dangerous falls</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many researchers suspect that Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease is underreported as a cause of death; people with AD are much more likely to suffer from complications such as these, and the complications are reported as the direct cause of death [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5657871/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3962992/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 𝛆4 isoform of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">APOE</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> predisposes its carriers to high cholesterol, heart disease, chronic inflammation, and Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, all of which can shorten a person&rsquo;s lifespan.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your APOE Results for Longevity</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember: if you have the 𝛆4 isoform, don&rsquo;t panic! It&rsquo;s better to know and to take steps to prevent Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, heart disease, and chronic inflammation.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SNP Summary and Table</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNPs:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>APOE rs429358</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Will not produce 𝛆4, increased longevity</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Produces 𝛆4, decreased longevity</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 73% of people worldwide have the &lsquo;TT&rsquo; genotype and no risk of 𝛆4</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>APOE rs7412</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Produces 𝛆2, increased longevity</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Will not produce 𝛆2, decreased longevity</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only 14% of people worldwide have at least one &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele (at least one 𝛆2)</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">*8637780935546162*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*4568326607664907*</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">But What Is My Isoform Genotype?</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because of the way commercial kits analyze your DNA, your data file will likely give your genotype at the two SNPs above, but may not directly report your 𝛆2/𝛆3/𝛆4 genotype. If you just want to know your relative likelihood of living a long life, check out the blue summary box above.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you want to determine your isoform genotype in more detail, check your SNP table above and match your alleles with the following options:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆4/𝛆4: rs429358-CC and rs7412-CC</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆3/𝛆4: rs429358-CT and rs7412-CC</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆3/𝛆3: rs429358-TT and rs7412-CC</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆2/𝛆3: rs429358-TT and rs7412-CT</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆2/𝛆2: rs429358-TT and rs7412-TT</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">𝛆2/𝛆4: rs429358-CT and rs7412-CT (may rarely be 𝛆1/𝛆3)</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Technically, there are other possibilities, but they are </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">extremely </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">rare. For example, if you have a &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele at rs429358 and &lsquo;TT&rsquo; at rs7412, you have the so-called &ldquo;missing allele,&rdquo; 𝛆1. This isoform is so rare that researchers haven&rsquo;t been able to effectively study it and don&rsquo;t know what its effect is on human health [</span><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-1809.2006.00344.x"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4509527/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations to Increase Lifespan</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fortunately, science has turned up dozens of viable strategies for optimizing ApoE function, preventing age-related disease, and possibly </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/lifestyle-diet-increase-longevity/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">living a longer life</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. As you read through these recommendations, remember that each one is probably not enough by itself; if you have the 𝛆4 isoform, you need to combine as many as possible to allow each one&rsquo;s effect to build on the others.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ApoE is a well-known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative conditions. Talk to your doctor about your genetic data before making significant changes to your exercise, diet, or supplement regimens.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">*7259055141303827*</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lifestyle</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Physical activity is among the most important factors determining cognitive impairment in people with the 𝛆4 isoform. In one study, 𝛆4 carriers who committed to performing even mild </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during midlife were significantly less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment later. People who exercise are also known to live longer, on average, than those who live a sedentary lifestyle [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5173416/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3395188/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who consistently get enough </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> appear to have better ApoE function in their brains than those whose sleep schedule is irregular. Steady, sufficient sleep has also been linked to human longevity. Try to go to bed at the same time every night to optimize ApoE and prevent Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease and other consequences of 𝛆4 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859706/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 𝛆4 isoform is relatively common in native Nigerians living in Nigeria, but the people who carry it do not have a higher risk of Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease than the general population. This is known as the Nigerian Paradox, and one possible explanation is that people in Nigeria have very low blood cholesterol [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2491016"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16156481"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2977849/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thus, it&rsquo;s important to make dietary </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/cholesterol/#How_to_Lower_Cholesterol"><span style="font-weight: 400;">choices that lower your cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, especially if you carry the 𝛆4 isoform. The Mediterranean diet may be the best option: it lowers blood cholesterol and may be associated with improved ApoE function. These may be the reasons why the Mediterranean diet is also associated with longer lifespan [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30864165"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537789/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5902736/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the reasons why the Mediterranean diet may be so successful at reducing cholesterol and preventing ApoE complications (like heart disease and Alzheimer&rsquo;s) is its high concentration of healthy fats. Oily fish contain DHA, an </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">omega-3</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> fatty acid known to improve the prognosis for people carrying the 𝛆4 isoform [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5812012/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may also prevent the worst effects of poor ApoE function, but only if cholesterol remains low. Oleocanthal may be the component responsible for increasing ApoE activity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16115471"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5713200/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In mice without ApoE function, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/green-tea/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">green tea</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> prevented atherosclerosis from becoming dangerous. The active component of green tea, </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/green-tea/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">EGCG</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, has also been associated with healthy aging and longer lifespan [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29862488"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23834676"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Intermittent </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/intermittent-fasting/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fasting</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and caloric restriction are popular strategies among people who are trying to naturally extend their lives. In mice without ApoE, these strategies protect neurons in the brain from damage [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5988561/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5191869/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, people who develop Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease have, on average, significantly lower blood </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/manganese/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">manganese</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> than healthy people, suggesting a possible link between manganese deficiency and poor ApoE function. Eating manganese-rich foods like shellfish, nuts, and whole grain will prevent deficiency [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372894/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Manganese-HealthProfessional/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">People with the 𝛆4 isoform should try to lower their cholesterol, for example by eating the Mediterranean diet, including oily fish and olive oil. Other good options include green tea, manganese-rich foods, and intermittent fasting.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplements</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">As discussed above, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fish oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">DHA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) and </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/green-tea/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">EGCG</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (from green tea) may be good supplement options for people with 𝛆4 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5812012/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29862488"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A number of plant compounds have been found to slow down the progression of Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease and to improve markers of poor ApoE function. These include:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-15-scientific-health-benefits-of-resveratrol-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resveratrol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664214/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/curcumin-cures-top-15-scientifically-proven-health-benefits-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Curcumin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796761/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781139/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23325575"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oleocanthal (in high-quality </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-leaf-extract-10-unexpected-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">olive leaf extract</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5713200/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/baicalein-baicalin-top-7-health-benefits-flavanoid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Baicalein</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (in </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/chinese-skullcap/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chinese skullcap</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5841551/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Catalpol (in </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/rehmannia/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rehmannia</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> root) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30877973"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul>
48 | content_snp_table_8637780935546162_key == 8637780935546162
48 | content_snp_table_8637780935546162_blur == True
48 | content_snp_table_8637780935546162_hidden == False
48 | content_learn_more_4568326607664907_key == 4568326607664907
48 | content_learn_more_4568326607664907_blur == True
48 | content_learn_more_4568326607664907_hidden == False
48 | content_learn_more_4568326607664907_text == Based on the variants we looked at, you have the 𝛆3/𝛆3 genotype, which gives you an average chance of living to 100. To increase your chances, you should support ApoE function, reduce inflammation, and carefully control your diet and sleep cycle. Keep scrolling to find out more.
48 | content_recommendation_7259055141303827_key == 7259055141303827
48 | content_recommendation_7259055141303827_blur == True
48 | content_recommendation_7259055141303827_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs429358,rs7412
rsStatus = rs429358,APOE,chr19,44908684,T,C,,,22,13,HET
rsStatus = rs7412,APOE,chr19,44908822,C,T,,,30,0,Normal
