Does Alzheimer’s Begin In the Gut?
Plus, join me for a new webinar about brain fog (and what to do about it)
Hello, Brain Health Ambassadors! I am excited to be kicking off a new mini-series on BHK all about the gut microbiome. No doubt you’ve heard about the gut microbiota, also known as the estimated 100 trillion microbes that reside in your gut. Feed the beneficial gut bugs the right foods and they give back in a myriad of ways. Not only can they make or break a healthy immune system, they help cultivate brain health, too.
In fact, the more I learn about brain health, the more I realize that these gut bugs are driving the ship. The numbers and diversity of these microbiota influence things like brain fog, appetite, mood, and have even been linked to Alzheimer’s risk. And I know it sounds crazy, but we now know that there’s a whole community of gut microbiota that regulate how a woman metabolizes estrogen during perimenopause.
Registration is now open for Brain Fog & Women’s Hormones: 6 practical steps to get your thinking and focus back. Join me and Julie Fratantoni, PhD on April 9 at 1 pm MST for this one-hour webinar all about brain fog: what it is and what to do about it. We have a limited number of spots available.
Medical journals have been exploding with new data on the importance of getting our guts in tip-top shape. It’s time this ongoing conversation between the gut and the brain (called the Gut-Brain Axis) gets its own mini-series.
Here’s what I have in store for you in the next few weeks:
Meet , gut microbiome expert, nutritionist, and author of Second Brain. Dr. Emily will be updating us on the pros, cons, and controversies about taking probiotics. I’ll share an excerpt from her book Genius Gut: The Lifesaving Science of Eating For Your Second Brain and give you all a chance to win a copy.
A BHK Guide to Fermented Food: a practical approach to cultivating good gut bugs by introducing fermented food into the diet. What counts as a fermented food? I’ll take you on a spin through the supermarket to show you my favorite products, including a deep dive into yogurt.
Cookbook giveaway! Did you know there is a whole cookbook devoted to gut-healthy eating? I’ll be sharing a recipe from Help Yourself: A Guide To Gut Health for People Who Love Delicious Food by Lindsay Maitland Hunt, who also wrote another amazing cookbook Healthyish. You may recognize Lindsay as the author of the Substack Othertongue (on my Recommendations list) and as the editor of this newsletter. Lindsay will be sharing the perfect recipe for spring: Salmon with Broccoli-Pea Puree Cucumber-Grape-Dill Salsa, and we’ll give you a chance to win a copy of Help Yourself.
What’s the deal with estrogen and the gut? This cutting-edge topic is both fascinating and has real life implications for all women, especially those going through perimenopause. I’ll share what I’ve learned about the niche of estrogen-metabolizing microbes called the estrobolome from my interview with Dr. Lisa Mosconi, author of The Menopause Brain.
What, exactly, are gut health disruptors? I’ll go into the food additives and environmental toxins that keep our friendly gut bugs from thriving, too.
Meet the oral microbiota: Finally, we’ll take a short detour to another key microbiome—the mouth—to look at the latest research on how the gut bugs that live there can be brain friends or foe. Does what you eat impact your oral microbiome? What about how you take care of your teeth and gums, what toothpaste you use, and is it a good idea to use mouthwash?
I have a few surprises scattered throughout, too, and I’m saving room for a post that addresses all your questions. Without further ado, let’s take a few moments to look at how the gut microbiome composition has been linked to the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
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Does Alzheimer’s begin in the gut?
It’s long been suspected that gut microbes have something to do with the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This was first seen in animal studies. Transplant gut microbiota from a person with Alzheimer’s into a mouse’s intestinal tract and it develops cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, and increased amyloid-beta deposition in the brain. In other words, the mouse gets an Alzheimer’s-like syndrome.
Is this influence of gut microbes in mice applicable to humans, too? Recent studies indicate that it is. Just in the last few years, researchers have described a typical gut microbiome profile in those living with Alzheimer’s. The medical term for this is dysbiosis: an imbalance in the composition, diversity, or function of the gut microbiota that is associated with disease or adverse health outcomes.
Dysbiosis in Alzheimer’s can look like:
Loss of beneficial microbes, such as fewer bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids, which quell inflammation in the brain.
Overgrowth of harmful microbes, such as increased pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli or Clostridioides difficile.
Reduced microbial diversity, meaning a narrow spectrum of the different kinds of single-celled organisms that make up the microbiota community of bacteria, viruses, archaea, and protozoa.
Now, imagine a community of gut microbiota that are the picture of health. What does that look like? There are pods of health-promoting gut bugs working like tiny factories cranking out beneficial substances for the brain. One colony is specialized to synthesize neurotransmitters, for example, for cell-to-cell communication. Another makes short chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, that cross the blood brain barrier and quell neuroinflammation.
And what does this community need to thrive? A diverse diet, for one, such as a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern that includes plenty of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Secondly, fiber, which we explored in this post about how to get enough of the right kind of fiber into your diet. Third, these gut microbes need a clean and safe environment to live. By that I mean they are not constantly being bombarded by environmental toxins—a long list of gut disruptors that I’ll go into in an upcoming post.
In other words, gut microbes are just like us. They need healthy food and a serene environment in which to thrive at home. In their case, that home is every nook and cranny of your intestinal tract.
Catching up on BHK
In case you missed it, we just wrapped a three-part mini-series about coffee. Is it good for the brain? The science says, well, it depends. The devil is in the details of how you source, brew, and what you put in your daily dose. Plus, I shared my recipe for making the perfect cup.
Last month I shared my experience enrolling in an online brain health consultation service. Could something like this be a good option for you? I encourage you to learn more in the post. The founders of Better Brain have shared a generous discount code for BHK subscribers. (Paying subscribers: find your special discount code here.)
If you want to enroll in the program, sign up here and type in ANNIE50 at checkout for $50 off.
I also shared my recipe for this gut- and brain-healthy Sardinian Lentil Soup With Lots of Herbs. It’s a very versatile recipe sure to chase away any chilly spring weather.
And I’ve unlocked this recipe for Sicilian Broccoli, Kale, and Pistachio Pesto.
I’ll be back next time with part 2 of our gut health mini-series. I would love to know: what are the questions you have, and which of these topics have piqued your interest?
Thank you for being here, Brain Health Kitchen subscribers. I appreciate each and everyone of you.
Love,
Annie
Brain Health Retreat Updates
My spring Brain Health Retreats in Puglia and Sardinia, Italy are sold out but I’ve just announced a retreat in Mexico this June, and another Sardinia retreat for fall. For the most up to date information, tap on RETREATS on the homepage.
BHK Retreat at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico June 7 to 14, 2025. Join me at the Ranch during Brain Health Week for a special retreat within a retreat. To register or submit questions, contact Donna Sher at 858.449.3672 or email her at dsher52@hotmail.com.
Sardinia’s Secrets For a Long and Healthy Life, October 12 to 19, 2025. Just announced! Join me this fall to explore Italy’s blue zones. Find all the details here; call 877-298-9677 for more information and to reserve your spot. This Brain Health Retreat was featured in National Geographic Traveller UK.
Costa Rica in February 5 to 10, 2026: Spots are filling quickly for this jungle and beach retreat. Learn more and reserve your spot here. Health Kitchen is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This may be one of your most important series yet, Annie! I’m so looking forward to following along. And how beautiful is it that food...colorful, diverse, and delicious...is the primary driver of microbiome diversity and health?! What a hopeful message!! Thank you for continuing to illuminate the path.
Hi Annie-I’m signed up for the brain fog webinar today and am looking forward to it! Do you plan on recording it in case we can’t stay for the entire webinar? Thanks so much!