Using the New Alzheimer's Blood Biomarkers To Sense Danger And Progress
- Michael Barr
- Oct 29, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 12, 2025
In his newest book, March 2025, Dr. Dale Bredesen shares the inspiring story of Susan. This narrative follows her clinical history from her 30s to her 90s, highlighting how she utilized the latest Alzheimer's blood biomarkers as they became available and affordable. I found her journey compelling and thought it might be beneficial to share it here.
Susan's Journey: A Holistic Approach to Health
Susan was vibrant and loved to socialize. However, at 35, she took a BrainScan test and discovered she was ApoE 3/4, indicating an increased risk for Alzheimer's. While her p-tau 217 levels were normal, her GFAP was slightly elevated, suggesting some brain inflammation and repair activity. Her biological age was measured at 39, which was a bit high.
With the help of a ReCode trained practitioner, Susan decided to investigate further. She calculated her HOMA-IR, a measure of insulin resistance, and found it at 2.0, indicating moderate insulin resistance. (The goal is <1.3.)
Her ApoB level was 105 mg/dL, while the target range is 40-90 mg/dL. A home blood pressure device recorded her BP at 139 over 90. Overall, it appeared she was on a path toward developing metabolic syndrome, a common risk factor for dementia.
Creating a Personalized Health Plan
Determined to take control of her health, Susan developed a comprehensive plan. She purchased a CGM device (Lingo) for $89. If you have an iPhone, you can now order one for yourself. Android users can set up an alert for when the Android version is available.
She began following Dr. Bredesen's "Ketoflex 3/12" eating program and even bought a ketone meter to track her progress.
Some people prefer finger stick tests (like Precision Xtra or Keto Mojo) for a drop of blood, while others use breath tests. However, many practitioners are finding breath results unreliable. Dr. Bredesen no longer recommends using breath testing for tracking ketosis. You can find a list of vetted products to help you.
To boost her health, Susan increased her exercise routine to five times a week, incorporating both resistance training and cardio.
Remarkable Improvements
Within a couple of months, Susan saw significant improvements:
Her BP dropped to 118/74 ✔
Her HOMA-IR decreased to 1.2 ✔
Her ApoB level fell to 82 ✔
When she re-checked her GFAP a year later, it was normal. Her biological age was reassessed at 40 and came back at 35!
However, at ages 42, 43, and again at 45, she contracted varying intensities of COVID-19, with the last bout hitting her particularly hard. Work stress was also escalating.
To combat stress, she added a wearable sleep monitor to track her sleep quality. Here’s what she discovered:
Average sleep duration per night: 6 hours
Average time in deep sleep: 20 minutes
Average time in REM sleep: 60 minutes
The ideal goals are 7-8 hours of sleep, 60 minutes of deep sleep, and 90 minutes of REM sleep. Clearly, she was falling short.
Despite this, her nighttime oxygen saturation (SpO2) was impressive at 95%. (The goal is 96-98%.)
When she checked her Alzheimer's blood biomarkers, p-tau 217 and GFAP, they were slightly elevated. When neurofilament light chain (NfL) testing became affordable, she added that to her regimen, and it returned normal!
DIYers can order NfL testing (but not in NY, NJ, MD) for $278 via Rupa Health at *this link
To manage work stress, she took some time off and began practicing shinrin-yoku (forest bathing). She also dedicated time each morning to mindfulness meditation.
Lo and behold, her energy returned! Her deep sleep and REM sleep improved, and she was now sleeping a full 7 hours. When she re-tested her p-tau 217 and GFAP the following year, both had returned to normal.
Her biological age was now measured at 40!
Continuing the Journey
At 50, Susan began bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), carefully monitoring and adjusting it rather than just taking something without thought. She consulted with Dr. Ann Hathaway, a resident expert in San Rafael, CA, though her services were pricey at $600 an hour.
Susan underwent a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, which came back at 8. A DEXA bone density scan also yielded excellent results.
Around her 55th birthday, after upgrading her cell phone, she struggled more than usual to navigate its features. This frustration prompted her to take a free online cognitive assessment, which revealed Subjective Cognitive Impairment (SCI). Not the news she wanted to hear.
She re-checked her GFAP and p-tau levels: 150 ng/L and 0.50 ng/L—both elevated but only slightly.
[This is the part of the chronology that chafes just a little, but if I haven't lost you yet, we're almost finished!)
A urine test indicated signs of mycotoxins: trichothecenes from black mold and gliotoxin produced by Aspergillus.
Without diving into all the details, she identified the sources of exposure, eliminated them, and successfully cleared the mycotoxins from her body.
Over the next 12 months, she noted a return to normalcy. She resumed her organizational skills and had no issues with her phone or other technology.
Her p-tau and GFAP levels were back to nearly normal, and two years later, they were completely normal again.
At 60, her biological age was measured at 49, and more importantly, she felt fantastic.
From 60 to 70, she continued with the KetoFlex 3/12. She incorporated EWOT into her workout sessions.
She maintained her morning mindfulness meditations and monitored her BHRT. Additionally, she took basic supplements: vitamin D+K2, ashwagandha (500 mg BID with meals), DHA/EPA 1 g QD, nicotinamide riboside 250 mg QD, ProButyrate 600 mg QD, urolithin A 500 mg QD, zinc picolinate 20 mg QD, and magnesium citrate as needed for bowel health and sleep.
At one point, she self-treated suspected SIBO with S. boulardii and Atrantil.
At 70, her cognition remained excellent. Her Alzheimer's blood biomarkers, p-tau and GFAP, were in the normal range, and her biological age registered at 55.
At 80, her CAC began to drift up to 15, indicating mild plaquing. To address this, she added the "vascular triad" to her regimen:
Nattokinase 4,000 units
(Beet-derived) nitric oxide supplement (no dose provided)
Arterosil HP (presumably 2 capsules daily with a meal)
She also increased her EWOT training and soon noticed that her vascular age (measured by elasticity) improved rapidly.
(Apparently, a company called *Withings allows you to do this at home with your phone?
A retinal exam showed no signs of age-related macular degeneration. (Having ApoE4 alleles actually reduces this risk.) Nonetheless, she tried to limit her exposure to blue light.
At 85, her CAC dropped back down to 7, and her biological age was assessed at 67.
By 99, she was still thriving. During a discussion with her doctor, they reflected on how, even as an ApoE 3/4, she had successfully avoided dementia. When a friend asked how much longer she wanted to live, she replied, "As long as I have something to live for." Amen, Susan!
BrainScan testing appears to be the latest addition to the Apollo Health suite of products. It tells you your p-tau 217, your GFAP, and your NfL. You need to either have an account or register for an account in order to do the testing. If you live in NY or NJ, they may refer you to a neighboring state for the phlebotomy
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