As I get older, one of my highest priorities is preserving my brain health. I want to stay sharp, creative, and mentally agile while also avoiding neurodegenerative disease. The truth is, neurodegeneration doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of aging. In fact, research shows the brain has remarkable resilience when its energy systems are supported.
The brain is one of the most energy-demanding organs in the body.
When glucose and oxygen metabolism are working well, the brain remains stable, and is protective to other tissues, acting as an anti-stress organ.
But when energy production is disrupted, whether from blood sugar swings, chronic stress, or impaired respiration, dysfunction shows up quickly: often as memory lapses, mood changes, or immune suppression.
Cholesterol & the brain’s structure:
A healthy young brain contains extraordinary amounts of free cholesterol: over 99.5% in its unesterified form. Cholesterol is vital for repair, neuronal communication, and growth. But as the brain ages, it accumulates esterified cholesterol, which is linked to degeneration. Supporting brain cholesterol metabolism with enough thyroid, progesterone, and adequate glucose helps maintain resilience.
The PUFA problem:
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as seed oils, when broken down, create inflammatory metabolites like prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Research shows PGE2 can directly block glucose oxidation in the brain, forcing glucose into glycogen storage instead of being used for energy.
The result? An “aged brain” phenotype with reduced ATP, impaired cognition, and accelerated degeneration.
This process also raises lactate and fatty acid oxidation (the “Randle cycle”), further draining the brain’s energy reserves. Encouragingly, blocking PGE2—even outside the brain—restored glucose metabolism and reversed cognitive decline in aged animals.
Key nutrients & hormones for brain protection:
- Vitamin D: A study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia followed over 12,000 older adults for 10 years. Those who supplemented with vitamin D had 40% fewer dementia diagnoses, and they lived dementia-free longer than those without supplementation.
- Vitamin K + Vitamin A: Together, these vitamins activate receptors (SXR and RAR) that stimulate production of MAP2, a protein critical for neuronal growth and repair. This pathway overlaps with the effects of neurosteroids like pregnenolone and progesterone—suggesting a synergistic combination that may help conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, and MS.
- Progesterone & Pregnenolone: Low levels of allopregnanolone (a progesterone metabolite) are consistently found in Alzheimer’s patients. Clinical studies show that restoring this pathway:
- promotes new nerve cell growth
- reduces amyloid buildup
- restores cognitive function
- Early human trials demonstrate both safety and cognitive benefits.
- Thyroid Hormone (T3): Thyroid hormones are essential for myelination, the protective sheath around neurons. In MS research, liothyronine (a synthetic T3) has been shown to promote remyelination, improve cognition, and reduce fatigue—highlighting the role of thyroid optimization in brain repair.
- Aspirin: Low-dose aspirin blunts the inflammatory response to sleep restriction. In a Harvard study, aspirin reduced IL-6, CRP, and COX-driven inflammation, offering protection against one of the most overlooked drivers of brain aging: poor sleep.
All of these findings point to one central truth:
- When the brain can oxidize glucose efficiently, it thrives.
- When glucose metabolism is blocked—by PUFA metabolites, inflammation, low thyroid, or nutrient deficiency—the brain begins to age prematurely.
The hopeful message? Brain function doesn’t have to significantly decline as you age. By reducing harmful PUFA metabolism, supporting thyroid and progesterone, optimizing vitamin D, K, and A, and protecting against chronic degenerative processes, we can actively maintain youthful brain energy.
What can you do to keep your brain sharp?
- Prioritize nutrient-dense foods: especially high-quality protein, B vitamins, magnesium, etc. to fuel mitochondria and protect neurons.
- Get daily sunlight: natural light helps regulate circadian rhythm, improve mood, and boost vitamin D for brain and immune health.
- Support metabolic health: avoid seed oils and processed foods that impair energy production and promote inflammation.
- Stay physically active: regular, moderate exercise improves circulation, oxygen delivery, and neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells).
- Train your brain: reading, learning new skills, or creative activities keep neural pathways flexible and resilient.
- Prioritize quality sleep: deep, consistent rest is essential for memory consolidation and clearing metabolic waste from the brain.
- Manage stress: breathing practices, prayer, meditation, or time in nature calm the nervous system and protect against cortisol-driven damage.
- Balance hormones: thyroid, progesterone, DHEA, and pregnenolone all play crucial roles in brain energy and cognition.
- Stay socially connected: meaningful relationships and community lower dementia risk and support emotional well-being.
- Minimize toxin exposure: reduce plastics, pesticides, heavy metals, and mold, which are increasingly linked to cognitive decline.