Research Finds A Link Between The Gut Microbiome & Preclinical Alzheimer's

Acne, digestion issues, inflammation, and even some depression symptoms all have one thing in common: They've been linked to the gut microbiome.

Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death1 and one of the major causes of disability globally among older people, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) making up 60 to 70% of dementia cases1.

There is currently no cure for AD. But the earlier you can spot signs of it, the better—and new insights on the gut microbiome's relationship to dementia may help with early detection.

A study published in Science Translational Medicine2 found that the gut microbiomes of symptomatic patients with Alzheimer's differed from those of cognitively healthy control individuals who ate a similar diet.

For the cross-sectional study, researchers took gut microbiome samples from 164 individuals—49 of whom had biomarker evidence of early, preclinical Alzheimer's. Those with preclinical AD were more likely to have some specific gut bacteria than those who did not have preclinical AD.

Knowing these unique microbiome features could eventually help improve the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of AD testing, the researchers note. However, they have not concluded a causal relationship quite yet. Though they found a correlation between these microbiome features and preclinical AD, they can't say for sure whether these microbiome changes cause dementia or the other way around. 

Take a probiotic: Taking a daily probiotic is one of the easiest ways to feed your gut with good bacteria, which will help to support a healthy functioning microbiome. Be sure to take a probiotic that includes bacterial strains that have been studied in humans (not just animals), like these nine Ph.D.-approved probiotic supplements.

Cut down on sugar: Too much sugar can cause imbalances in your gut bacteria that can throw off your mood3 (nod to the link between your microbiome and mental health), so limit sugar when possible. 

Research shows that a lack of sleep contributes to stress, which can lead to an imbalance of good and bad bacteria.

On the flip side, getting enough sleep (around seven to nine hours for adults) can help you manage the physical effects of stress, promoting healthy gut balance.

A healthy gut is also associated with better sleep quality4.

In other words, the more you do to increase the good bacteria in your gut, the better you may sleep.

Even moderate drinking—which research5 describes as seven drinks for women and 14 drinks for men per week (in total)—can contribute to brain damage.

One 2022 study5 found that alcohol intake is negatively associated with global brain volume measures, regional gray matter volumes, and white matter microstructure.

New research found a correlation between the gut microbiome and markers of preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Whether these gut microbiome features cause dementia (or the other way around) is still unknown.