Scientists discover potential cause of Alzheimer's disease (Fix: intermittent fasting or exercise causing autophagy)

Prevailing theories posit plaques in the brain cause Alzheimer's disease. New UC Riverside research instead points to cells' slowing ability to clean themselves as the likely cause of unhealthy brain buildup.

Along with signs of dementia, doctors make a definitive Alzheimer's diagnosis if they find a combination of two things in the brain: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques are a buildup of amyloid peptides, and the tangles are mostly made of a protein called tau.

"Roughly 20% of people have the plaques, but no signs of dementia," said UCR Chemistry Professor Ryan Julian. "This makes it seem as though the plaques themselves are not the cause."

For this reason, Julian and his colleagues investigated understudied aspects of tau protein. They wanted to understand whether a close examination of tau could reveal more about the mechanism behind the plaques and tangles…

In general, the process of clearing spent or defective proteins from cells, known as autophagy, slows down in people over the age of 65. It isn't clear why, but Julian's laboratory is planning to study this.

Fortunately, drugs are already being tested to improve autophagy. Some candidates include existing drugs approved for cardiovascular disease and other conditions, which may help speed up the approval process.

Autophagy can be induced by fasting. When cells run short on proteins from an individual's diet, they fill the void by recycling proteins already present in cells. Exercise also increases autophagy.

These measures, as well as drug therapies, may ultimately help prevent the disease. "If a slowdown in autophagy is the underlying cause, things that increase it should have the beneficial, opposite effect," Julian said.

"In general, the process of clearing spent or defective proteins from cells, known as autophagy, slows down in people over the age of 65. It isn't clear why, but Julian's laboratory is planning to study this. Fortunately, drugs are already being tested to improve autophagy. Some candidates include existing drugs approved for cardiovascular disease and other conditions, which may help speed up the approval process. Autophagy can be induced by fasting. When cells run short on proteins from an individual's diet, they fill the void by recycling proteins already present in cells. Exercise also increases autophagy. "

No drugs are necessary, as for a nation in which over 70% are overweight and 42% are obese - which, along with often related other conditions as hypertension and diabetes, are leading comorbidities in Covid-assigned deaths - the fasting and exercise are just what the doctor ordered.

Yet what is meant by fasting - how long? Your mileage may vary relative to on how much fat you have and you metabolism, for (as with giving, "it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (2 Corinthians 8:12) And which is relative to how much fat you have. For a person who is thin, then going a few hours without food can be like an overweight person going without food for a day or more. An example of two extremes is that of a rather sedentary evangelical pastor who (when younger) sometimes to fasted for 40 days once a year (though I think he drank juices, which makes a real difference), but was 6'7'' and obese, while a skinny evangelical missionary with a fast metabolism, very active was/is about 135 lbs and 6 feet (about the same as me at about 5'2''). For the latter to go even a day without any consumption of food was like the pastor going at least many days on juice.

Going without food after a while means

0 to 4 hours The first four hours after you eat are known as the anabolic growth phase. Your body is using up the energy you just ate to power your current activity and for cellular and tissue growth. Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin. This allows your body to use up the glucose that was released into your bloodstream after your meal and to store any excess energy in your cells for later use.

4 to 16 hours The second phase kicks off after four hours and lasts up until about 16 hours from your last meal. This is the "catabolic," or breakdown, phase, when all those extra nutrients start being released from storage to be used for energy. Once the energy stored in your cells runs out, your body starts to rely instead on stored fat. The process of releasing fat and burning it up for energy releases chemicals known as ketone bodies for energy, which usually happens around the 16-hour mark. The rate at which you reach this stage really depends on what you ate for the last couple of meals before your fast. If you ate a lot of carbs and starch, it will take a bit longer than if you ate mostly fats and protein. One of the most powerful features of fasting, called autophagy, also kicks off during this phase. Autophagy is triggered by a reduction in a growth regulator called MTOR, and this process is basically a spring cleaning for your cells. It gets rid of any dead or damaged cellular material, which can otherwise contribute to aging, cancer, and chronic disease

Once you pass 24 hours of fasting, your body will enter into a state called ketosis, where you're reliant on burning your fat stores for energy. As fat cells are broken down for energy, ketone bodies are created and released into the bloodstream. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-happens-when-you-fast

As a rule however, a life of leaness of what we were designed for, meaning labor-intensive hunting-gathering, and without much of any "fast" food. Meaning forgetting fad diets, I think we should only eat when actually needed for functionality, not because the clock says so or out of love for food. "Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!" (Ecclesiastes 10:17) And unless needed for long term or intensive labor situations, keep away from many far calories, while as able, trying to regulatory engage in intensive exercise that makes you breath and your heart to pump. I think a good basketball game is good, though at 69 do not have the stamina the young competition does (can't shoot very well either!). Glory to God.

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