Probiotic Can Decrease Your Risk for Dementia

Ross Pelton is a pharmacist, nutritionist, author and a health educator who is widely recognized as the world’s leading authority on drug-induced nutrient depletions. He was named one of the top 50 most influential pharmacists in the United States by American Druggist magazine for his work in Natural Medicine.

A good gut makes for a great mind!!

By Ross Pelton, RPh, PhD, CCN

It is estimated that over one-third of Americans age 85 and older have Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia.ⁱ A recently published study reported finding that people with dementia have higher amounts of certain strains of harmful bacteria their colon compared to non-demented people of a similar ageⁱⁱ.

This groundbreaking study compared 128 patients, average age 74, who were attending a memory loss clinic with individuals who did not have dementia. According to the researchers, individuals with dementia were found to have the following:

substantially lower colon levels of Bacteroides (enterotype I), which are healthful bacteria that decrease inflammation and help to lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure
significantly increased harmful colon bacteria of enterotype III that increase inflammation
higher stool concentrations of ammonia, indole, skatole, and phenol that are produced by harmful colon bacteria when they try to invade colon cells.
MRI results showing substantially greater evidence of brain bleeds and strokes

Numerous studies have shown that what you eat determines the types of bacteria live in your colon and that certain strains of bacteria can alarm your immune system, causing inflammation, which increases the risk for dementia.ⁱⁱⁱ

You can encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in your colon and discourage the harmful bacteria by:

Consuming a diet that is high in fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.^iv
Reducing consumption of meat^v,processed carbohydrates^vi and fried foods^vii.
Taking Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics regularly. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics contain probiotics, prebiotics and over 400 postbiotic metabolites. The postbiotic metabolites help induce changes in the microbiome ecosystem from a state of dysbiosis back towards a more balanced, healthy microbiome.

Studies report a strong association between inflammation and dementia.^viii One study described that inflammation during mid-life is associated with cognitive decline 20 years later.^ix Results from a large prospective study showed that dementia is associated with anything that causes inflammation to damage blood vessels (diabetes, hypertension, smoking, lack of exercise, obesity), even in people who have not had a stroke.

The Bottom Line: Taking Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics on a daily basis will keep your intestinal tract filled with predominantly good bacteria, which reduces inflammation and decreases your risk of cognitive decline. A good gut makes for a great mind!!

i Alzheimers.net Statistics. https://www.alzheimers.net/resources/alzheimers-statistics/

ii Saji N, et al. Analysis of the relationship between the gut microbiome and dementia: a cross-sectional study conducted in Japan. Scientific Reports. Jan 30, 2019;9:1008.

iii Solas M, et al. Inflammation and gut-brain axis link obesity to cognitive dysfunction: plausible pharmacological interventions. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2017 Dec;37:87-92.

iv Kinder A, et al. Impact of increasing fruit and vegetables and flavonoid intake on the human gut microbiota. Food Funct. 2016 Apr;7(4):1788-96.

v Singh RK, et al. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health. J Transl Med. 2017;15:73.

vi Spreadbury I. Comparison with ancestral diets suggests dense acellular carbohydrates promote an inflammatory microbiota, and may be the primary dietary cause of leptin resistance and obesity. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 2012;5:175-89.

vii Barnard ND, et al. Dietary and lifestyle guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Neurobiology of Aging. Sept 2014;55(2):S74-S78.

viii Metti AL and Cauley JA. How predictive of dementia are peripheral inflammatory markers in the elderly? Neurodegener Dis Manag. 2012 Dec 1;2(6):609-622.

ix Walker KA, et al. Systemic inflammation during midlife and cognitive change over 20 years: The ARIC Study. Neurology. 2019 Feb 13.