Friday, June 19, 2009
APOE4 and medium chain triglycerides
Due to results of studies done by Accera in developing Axona, there is a possible misconception that the medium chain triglycerides will not help people with AD who are APOE4.
Axona has only one of the medium chain triglycerides (C:8) but coconut oil has C:6, C:8, C:10, C:12 (all medium chain triglycerides) and five other fatty acids, including some monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including the essential fatty acid omega-6 (but no omega-3, which is necessary and should be supplemented.) It also happens to have some phytosterol, which is one of the substances that lowers cholesterol and is the basic component in some of the cholesterol lowering agents! It is very possible that each of the fatty acids in coconut oil plays an important and different role in the metabolism of our brains and other organs.
Another possibility is that the Axona folks did not have a huge number of people in their trials and I often wonder if the APOE4 problem was a fluke in their study.
Also, some people in their studies had "mild cognitive impairment," not yet diagnosed with A.D. Dr. Richard Veech of the NIH, an expert in ketones who makes a ketone ester, says that he can think of no biochemical reason why Axona wouldn't work for someone with APOE4.
Steve is APOE4 and responded very well to the medium chain fatty acids. I also read this before trying this with Steve, and therefore expected that MCT oil would not do much for him. I decided to try it anyway in the form of coconut oil for Steve and the rest is history of the happiest kind.
posted by Dr. Mary Newport at 9:04 AM 