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Lewis HowesThe ROOT CAUSE Of Alzheimer's & How To PREVENT IT! |Dr. Steven Gundry
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Chapter summaries
Book Success and Why Genes Matter Less Than You Think
Lewis Howes and Dr. Gundry talk about the Plant Paradox's bestseller run and Kelly Clarkson's story. Gundry then argues that genes account for only about 6% of health outcomes, and that families share eating habits and microbiomes.
- •Plant Paradox spent 34 weeks on the New York Times list and has been translated into 34 languages
- •Gundry says Kelly Clarkson publicly credited the book with resolving her Hashimoto's
- •A large study cited by Gundry puts genetic influence on health at about 6%
- •Family history of disease often reflects learned eating habits and a shared microbiome
- •Identical twins raised apart have microbiomes resembling their adoptive families, and their health outcomes follow the microbiome
You Are a Condominium for Bugs: The Microbiome
Gundry explains that 90% of our cells and 99% of the genetic material in us are non-human. He says these microbes control our fate, and he cites the oral microbiome's link to pancreatic cancer.
- •The microbiome includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and worms
- •90% of cells and 99% of genetic material in us are non-human
- •The Longevity Paradox focuses on what these bugs eat and how they communicate across the gut wall
- •Breast milk contains bacteria and fungi that seed a baby's microbiome
- •A distinctive oral microbiome has been linked to pancreatic cancer, and the same bacteria were found in the pancreas
The Mouth, Brain Gateways, and Alzheimer's Risk
Gundry describes how the nose and mouth give microbes direct access to the brain, citing the rat experiment with LPS and P. gingivalis found in Alzheimer's brains. He also shares his flossing study and its effect on CRP.
- •Swabbing LPS in one side of rats' noses led to Parkinson's on the opposite side of the body
- •Care of the oral microbiome is part of preventing Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dementia
- •A gum bacterium was isolated from the brains of Alzheimer's patients
- •In Gundry's flossing experiment, CRP fell to normal in people flossing every other day
- •He argues coronary artery disease partly originates in the mouth
Gut Roots, Soil, and Microbial Diversity
Gundry compares the intestines to a plant's root system and the microbiome to soil. He argues that diversity is key, noting that 105-year-olds have the gut diversity of a 30-year-old.
- •The intestinal surface area is compared to a tennis court, with microvilli like a shag carpet
- •The gut is described as a rainforest of at least 10,000 bacterial species
- •Greater microbial diversity is linked to living longer and living well
- •Centenarians such as Edith Muray have gut diversity resembling a 30-year-old
- •Microbial diversity normally declines with age
Naked Mole Rats, Mushrooms, and Alzheimer's Prevention
Gundry explains how the long-lived naked mole rat, which eats roots, tubers and fungi, has a microbiome like that of 105-year-olds. He cites a Singapore study on mushrooms and Alzheimer's and explains the role of polyphenols.
- •Naked mole rats live far longer than other rats and eat tubers, roots and fungi
- •A study he cites found that eating two cups of mushrooms per week was associated with no Alzheimer's
- •Mushroom polyphenols are modified by gut bacteria into brain-protective compounds
- •The type of mushroom doesn't matter, and plain button mushrooms are fine
- •Gundry himself takes mushroom blends and capsules
Longevity Key #1: Olive Oil
Asked what someone should do in three minutes to live longer, Gundry starts with olive oil. He describes the Spanish study, the polyphenols' effects on blood vessels, and why he says cooking with olive oil is fine.
- •Gundry says two or three blue zones use roughly a liter of olive oil per week
- •In the Spanish study, the olive oil group improved memory and had less breast cancer and fewer coronary events than the low-fat group
- •Olive oil polyphenols are credited with the benefits, including making blood vessels slippery
- •He calls the claim that olive oil oxidizes when cooked a myth
- •Olive oil polyphenols can activate the vitamin C 'ghost gene'
Longevity Key #2: Vitamin D3
Gundry argues that people with the highest vitamin D3 levels live longest and that sunlight alone is rarely enough. He describes his own dosing and calls vitamin D a strong antiviral.
- •D3 is needed to activate stem cells
- •80% of Southern Californians are described as deficient
- •A UCSD study cited recommends roughly 10,000 IU daily, and Gundry says he has never seen toxicity
- •He runs his own level above 120 ng/mL and takes high doses when fighting off a virus
- •People with the highest vitamin D have the longest telomeres
Vitamin C, the Ghost Gene, and the Kitavans
In a tangent, Gundry explains why humans need vitamin C: we lack the final gene to make it. He covers collagen repair, scurvy, the Kitavan smokers and the vitamin C rat study, and recommends timed-release vitamin C.
- •Humans, monkeys and guinea pigs have a turned-off 'ghost gene' for making vitamin C
- •Vitamin C repairs collagen and blood vessel cracks, and cholesterol patches the cracks
- •Kitavan smokers in New Guinea reportedly have no heart disease while eating vitamin C-rich foods
- •Rats engineered without the gene lived half as long unless given vitamin C
- •He suggests 1,000 mg of timed-release vitamin C twice a day
Longevity Key #3: Omega-3s and DHA
Gundry says the brain is about 70% fat, with half of that DHA. He ties higher omega-3 index to larger brains and hippocampi, recommends about 1,000 mg of DHA daily, and advises against frequent sushi.
- •Algae-based DHA and EPA are options for vegans
- •People with the highest omega-3 index have the largest brains and memory areas
- •Sushi and sashimi-grade tuna are tied to high mercury levels
- •Read supplement labels for serving size and DHA per capsule
- •Aim for about 1,000 mg of DHA per day
Longevity Key #4: Polyphenols and Bitter Plants
Gundry explains polyphenols as plant defense compounds found in dark berries, olives and stressed plants. He says bitter, organic, struggling plants are richest in them and defends supplements given limited dietary variety.
- •Polyphenols protect plants from stress and sunlight, and higher-altitude grapes make more
- •Leaves like black raspberry and olive have more polyphenols than the fruit
- •Organic, insect-pocked vegetables are likely to have more polyphenols
- •Jack LaLanne's saying 'if it tastes good, spit it out' illustrates the bitter-is-better idea
- •Most people eat only about 20 plant species while the Hunza eat about 250, which is why he supports supplementation
Longevity Key #5: Turning Down mTOR with Fasting
Gundry describes mTOR as an energy sensor that responds to sugar and animal protein amino acids. He recommends a monthly five-day fasting-mimicking approach, intermittent fasting, and explains autophagy, zombie cells and stem cell activation.
- •mTOR is most sensitive to amino acids in animal protein including fish, eggs and cheese
- •Valter Longo's ProLong is a vegan, low-amino-acid, five-day diet
- •Autophagy clears weak cells, and senescent 'zombie' cells accumulate without it
- •Gundry suggests five days a month at about 900 vegan calories, which can be done at home
- •He eats in a two-hour window, 6 to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday from January to June
Avoiding the Old-Age Trap: Reversing Decline and Wrap-Up
Gundry explains why the book is called The Longevity Paradox and tells a patient story about regrowing cartilage and canceling a knee replacement. Howes then promotes the book and Gundry shares where to find his resources.
- •Gundry says aging doesn't have to end in joint replacements, bypasses and nursing homes
- •A diabetic patient with heart disease canceled his knee replacement after six months on the program
- •He says lectins are a major reason for arthritis
- •The book has 40-plus pages of notes and diet programs, and Barnes & Noble's edition has 10 extra recipes
- •Resources include drgundry.com, gundrymd.com, a YouTube channel and a podcast
Defining Greatness and the Bonus Key: Never Retire
Howes acknowledges Gundry's shift from heart surgery to prevention, and Gundry defines greatness as teaching people to fish. He credits his patients for his learning and adds a fifth bonus tip about staying socially connected and never retiring.
- •Howes credits Gundry for moving from operating to addressing root causes
- •Gundry defines greatness as teaching someone to fish rather than giving them a fish
- •He says he owes everything to his patients and still sees them every day
- •Gundry says never retire, because losing a social network starts a downward spiral
