APOE Genes Decoded... Rewriting the Rules of Alzheimer's. Your APOE Gene - a Risk Factor, Not a Life Sentence

In this episode of the Chronic and Thriving Podcast, host Elaine explores the APOE4 gene and its implications for brain health, particularly its association with Alzheimer's disease. Explaining the different variants of the APOE gene (APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4) and how carrying the APOE4 variant can influence Alzheimer's risk, Elaine emphasises that carrying the APOE4 gene is not a life sentence but a call to action. Elaine shares actionable lifestyle changes that can mitigate the risks associated with APOE4. She also introduces listeners to epigenetics, the study of how behaviors and environment can influence gene expression. 

00:00 Introduction

00:52 Understanding the APOE Four Gene

05:11 APOE Four's Impact on Brain Health

07:02 The Role of Epigenics

08:03 Should You Get Tested for APOE Four?

11:29 Top Tips for APOE Four Carriers

21:16 Recommended Books and Resources

23:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

1. The FINGER Trial (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability)

• Primary Study: *"A 2-year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER)"* (The Lancet, 2015).
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• APOE4-Specific Analysis: "Effect of the Apolipoprotein E Genotype on Cognitive Change During a Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention" (JAMA Neurology, 2018).

2. APOE4 and Alzheimer’s Risk

• Comprehensive Review: "APOE4: The most prevalent yet understudied risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease"(Nature Neuroscience, 2021).
  • Explains APOE4’s mechanisms (amyloid clearance, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation).
• Risk Statistics: "Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer disease: pathobiology and targeting strategies" (Nature Reviews Neurology, 2019).
  • Breaks down the 2–3x (one copy) and 8–12x (two copies) risk increase.

3. Epigenetics & Lifestyle Mitigation

• Epigenetics Study: "APOE4 alters ABCA1 membrane trafficking in astrocytes" (PNAS, 2019).
  • Shows how lifestyle factors (e.g., diet) can modulate APOE4’s effects.
• Prevention Strategies: "Lifestyle interventions reduce Alzheimer’s risk, even in APOE4 carriers" (Alzheimer’s Association).

4. YouTube Dr Kevin Tran .com/@Dr.KevinTran

5. Further Reading Resources;

i) The Ageless Brain: How to Sharpen and Protect Your Mind for a Lifetime

ii) The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Programme to Prevent and Reverse the Cognitive Decline of Dementia

iii) What did I come in here for again?

If any of this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey, so please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with anyone who might need it. If you have questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send me a message on social media or avanihealthhub.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!

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