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Home Court Habits: The Secret to Effortless Weight Control
10 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight When You Think You’re Doing Everything Right
How To Burn More Calories Without Breaking A Sweat
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Foodists
Dr. Rhonda Patrick – Why Eating Fish, But Not Omega-3 Supplements, Can Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a scientist who has done extensive research on aging, cancer and nutrition. She has a Ph.D. in biomedical science from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude’s children’s Research
Hospital in Memphis TN, a bachelor’s of science degree in biochemistry/chemistry from the University of California San Diego and has trained as a postdoc at the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute with Dr. Bruce Ames. Her research on the role of insulin signaling in protein misfolding commonly found in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, was conducted at the prestigious Salk Institute for Biological Sciences.
Rhonda’s podcast and website, both called Found My Fitness, discuss topics such as the role of micronutrient deficiencies in diseases of aging, the benefits of exposing the body to hormetic stressors such as exercise, fasting, sauna use or various forms of cold exposure, and the importance of mindfulness, stress reduction and sleep on health.
In this episode we discuss Rhonda’s new publication on the role of the APOE4 gene in Alzheimer’s Disease, and why eating fish but not taking fish oil DHA supplements help slow the progression of the disease for carriers. We also touch on how we both approach healthy pregnancies and Rhonda’s personal nutrition strategies.
Related Links:
iWi Algae-based omega-3 phospholipids – fact sheet
Listen:
Show details (links don’t work on mobile devices):
3:21 – How Rhonda helped Darya get pregnant the first time.
6:55 – Apparently, daily sauna use is not a good form of birth control.
9:21 – The APOE-4 gene––what it is and why it matters.
18:42 – Why getting good sleep is crucial for lowering an APOE-4 gene carrier’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s.
21:30 – Rhonda’s new publication explains how omega-3 DHA is transmitted to the brain differently in people who carry this gene.
24:08 – Eating fish versus taking fish oil DHA supplements.
27:26 – Why caviar isn’t just for special occasions.
31:07 – Why supplement companies have to distill fish oil, the downside of purified fish oil and what Rhonda suggests instead.
34:30 – It’s OK to eat fish roe when you are pregnant, just find a trusted source.
36:57 – How much fish should I be consuming on a weekly basis?
38:07 – An alternative source of omega-3 DHA for vegetarians.
41:35 – How to find out if you are a APOE-4 gene carrier.
45:27 – Engage in this type of exercise to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s, improve deep sleep and keep your brain healthy.
46:43 – How accurate is the Oura Ring for tracking sleep? + The difference between REM sleep and deep sleep.
49:26 – Rhonda’s nutrition strategy.
53:23 – Why she chooses Vital Choice Salmon….
54:15 – and focuses on certain nutrients more than others.
57:30 – Why Darya is skeptical of functional foods.
58:59 – Things to avoid during pregnancy.
1:03:21 – Is it safe to consume detoxifying foods when you are pregnant?
1:06:13 – Find Dr. Rhonda Patrick on the Found My Fitness podcast, www.foundmyfitness.com and @foundmyfitness on social media.
Regarding how APOE4 carriers may be less able to pull DHA to the brain.. the very popular Nordic-Naturals sees to be of the phospholipid form of omega-3 supplements.
Also, any thoughts if supplementing with broccoli sprout powder (Food To Live, SunFood, etc) is effective, or is growing broccoli sprouts (even with the contamination concern) the only proven way to get sulforaphane?
Another reason I should start following a Mediterranean diet (rich in fruit, vegetables, olive oil, and fish). But caviar is expensive.
So you both mention that carbohydrates prevent tau tangles and that the brain needs carbs. So are keto follows at a higher risk for alzheimers?
This episode is a goldmine of science-backed insights! Loved the deep dive into APOE4 and how real food—like fish—can make a tangible difference in brain health. Rhonda’s take on DHA absorption, sauna myths, and pregnancy nutrition is refreshingly honest and practical. Truly empowering to hear two brilliant women decode wellness with clarity and heart!
This is a fascinating and crucial distinction between eating fish and taking supplements. The insight about how the APOE4 gene changes how DHA is transported to the brain is a gamechanger ,it’s the kind of nuanced, scientific detail that truly empowers personal health decisions. Thank you for translating such complex research into actionable advice.
Dr. Rose, this conversation with Dr. Patrick is absolute gold. As someone who carries the APOE4 gene (found out through 23andMe a few years ago), I cannot thank you enough for diving deep into the nuances — especially the difference between eating fish versus taking fish oil supplements for DHA transmission to the brain.
I’ve been taking fish oil for years thinking I was protecting myself. Now I’m rethinking everything. The point about supplement distillation stripping away phospholipids that help DHA cross the blood-brain barrier? That alone was worth the listen.
Also, the sauna comment made me laugh out loud. 😂 “Not a good form of birth control” — noted.
One question: For APOE4 carriers who don’t eat fish (vegetarian or fish-averse), is algae-based DHA a viable alternative? You mentioned iWi algae-based omega-3s briefly. Is the absorption mechanism similar to fish or closer to distilled supplements?
Thank you both for this. Truly impactful science communicated clearly. 🙏
Okay Darya, I need the pregnancy story you teased at 3:21! 😂 Currently in the exhausting “trying” phase and would love any science-backed advice you and Rhonda shared.
Also, thank you for addressing detox foods during pregnancy (1:03:21) — no one talks about that. Everything is just “eat this superfood” without explaining why some “healthy” things might actually be problematic.
How do you tell the difference between legit nutrient-dense foods vs. overpriced marketing hype? My wallet is struggling. 😅
Thank you for keeping it real. More pregnancy episodes please!
We stopped drinking coffee 🙂