Understanding and managing Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) affects around a million folks in the U.S. -- only Alzheimer's disease is more prevalent. But many folks don't understand what it is or what signs to look for.
LBD is caused by deposits in the brain of a protein called alpha-synuclein and that can lead to either dementia with Lewy bodies (first you develop dementia, later LBD symptoms emerge) or Parkinson's disease dementia (first you see changes in motion leading to a Parkinson's diagnosis, later dementia develops).
According to a study in JAMA Neurology, the risk for LBD increases with age, and symptoms have a faster progression and cause greater functional decline than Alzheimer's. In folks age 65 and older, there are around 352 cases in every 100,000 people. In younger folks, it appears around 2.5 times in every 100,000 people.
Unfortunately, the diagnosis of LBD is often missed, because symptoms, from motor control issues to cognition, vision, mood and sleep difficulties, dizziness, blackouts and constipation, can resemble other diseases and forms of dementia.
Fortunately, there's remarkable research going on, and if you (or a loved one) are interested in participating, go to the Lewy Trial Tracker at lbda.org.
In the early stages of LBD, avoiding inflammatory, highly processed foods, added sugars, red and red processed meats can help ease some symptoms. Exercise helps maintain balance and strength to reduce your risk for falls. And therapeutic plasma exchange (see the data at LifeSpan-Edge.com) may help get rid of the troublesome, mis-signaling protein, alpha-synuclein. For more information on brain health, read "The Great Age Reboot."
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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