Groundbreaking Hypothesis Identifies The Biggest Driver Of Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Richard Johnson

This episode is brought to you by Birch Mattress by Helix and InsideTracker.

This week on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru sits down with Dr. Richard Johnson to discuss his revolutionary new hypothesis on the link between fructose consumption and Alzheimer’s disease. Dhru and Dr. Johnson discuss the evolutionary mechanism behind fructose metabolism, insulin resistance, and weight gain that has completely backfired today due to its overconsumption. 

Dr. Richard Johnson is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Denver and has been a practicing physician and clinical scientist for over 25 years. He is internationally recognized for his seminal work on the role of fructose in obesity, diabetes, and now, Alzheimer’s disease. His work also highlights the fundamental role of uric acid (which is generated during fructose metabolism) in metabolic syndrome. He is the author of The Fat Switch and his newest bestselling book, Nature Wants Us to Be Fat.

In this episode Dhru and Dr. Johnson dive into:

-Dr. Johnson’s new hypothesis on the relationship between Alzheimer’s and fructose consumption (3:06)

-The origins of Alzheimer’s (what’s going on in the brain) (14:00)

-How modern-day life has hijacked our genetics to make us fat (23:08)

-How fructose impacts mitochondrial function (35:22)

-Why the body converts glucose to fructose (50:00)

-The relationship between salt, dehydration, and fructose production (1:03:03)

-How fructose makes us crave more sugar (1:09:23)

-Fructose and Alzheimer’s disease (1:11:46)

-The importance of strength training for glycemic control and Alzheimer’s prevention (1:30:53)

-Sources of fructose in our ancestral diet (1:36:00)

-The role of salt and dehydration in obesity (1:46:17)

-Hidden “healthy” sources of fructose in the diet (1:58:57)

-High-glycemic foods to minimize in the diet (2:00:03)

-Umami foods and uric acid (2:07:55)

-Dr. Johnson’s thoughts on Saturated fat (2:12:53)

Also mentioned in this episode:

-The Fat Gene 

-Could Alzheimer’s disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism? 

-Study Suggests Fructose Could Drive Alzheimer's Disease (study press release)

-Nature Wants Us to Be Fat by Dr. Richard Johnson

-The End of Alzheimer's Program by Dr. Dale Bredesen

-Drop Acid by Dr. David Perlmutter

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