To Your Health

A. The news is plenty bad but not a death sentence.

We each inherit from our parents one copy of each gene, and if one copy is imperfect (has a genetic defect that makes it function inefficiently) the matching one can usually take up the slack. The most common Apolipoprotein E gene is Apolipoprotein E3, and when a person has one copy of ApoE3 and one copy of ApoE4, they can lead a near-normal life. Two copies of ApoE4 (one from each parent), however, can significantly shorten life span unless bold adjustments are made in lifestyle.

The ApoE gene is involved in moving cholesterol in and out of cells, helpful in removing cholesterol from plasma. There are three common forms of ApoE: E2, E3, and E4. ApoE2 is the rarest but most efficient form. ApoE3 is the commonest form, while ApoE4 is the most dangerous form. Not only is the risk of heart disease increased with a double dose of ApoE4, the risk of Alzheimer's disease increases also. In people without ApoE4, estimates for the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by age 85 range from 9% to 20%. In those with one copy of the gene, the risk is between 25% and 60%, and in people with two copies, the risk ranges from 50% to 90%. The good news for most people is that only 2% of the population carry two copies of the ApoE4 gene.

Without doubt, the best way to live a long, healthy life is by keeping yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fit. Exercise keeps the cardiovascular system working optimally, so emphasize activity rather than reading or passively watching TV and movies. Good nutrition, with high fiber vegetables and fruits rather than heavy dependence upon animal protein, will help prevent the buildup of toxic substances in the body.

Some elderly people with ApoE4 have been found to be more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of low vitamin B12. Researchers found that healthy people over the age of 75 who carried the ApoE4 gene had worse memory when their vitamin B12 levels dropped below normal. They performed various memory tests, and the ApoE4 group who also had low B12 scored only about half as high as the ApoE4 group with normal B12.

The same researchers found a less noticeable difference when folic acid was deficient, and another group found that two daily doses of vitamin E (1,000 IU each) delayed the progression of the Alzheimer's disease. Bear in mind that antioxidants such as vitamin E should not be used alone. Antioxidants always work best as a team, so when supplementing with an antioxidant such as vitamin E, always include other antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, coenzyme Q-10, and lipoic acid for security. More research is also needed to determine whether smaller amounts of the antioxidants can work if they are used as a team.

Matching the new breakthroughs in gene science with the power of preventive medicine may even decrease risk of disease. The known enemy is more vulnerable than the unknown, and the knowledge you now possess empowers you and your physician to design more effective preventive interventions than ever before.