This specific oil may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. What is it? I’m extrapolating from the data, but new research in Cell Metabolism shines light on how a metabolite made by a particular bacteria that is depleted in human Alzheimer’s disease may act as a protective agent by reducing amyloid accumulation, reducing neuroinflammation, rescuing synaptic function, and preventing a form of cell death called ferroptosis. We will walk through the data, and, at the end, you can decide whether you think this oil is worth adding to our regimen or if you’d rather focus on the fundamentals, which we also review.

Microbiota-derived lysophosphatidylcholine alleviates Alzheimer’s disease pathology via suppressing ferroptosis

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a pervasive neurodegenerative disorder, and new approaches for its prevention and therapy are critically needed. Here, we elucidate a gut-microbiome-brain axis that offers actionable perspectives for achieving this objective. Using the 5xFAD mouse model, we identify increased Clostridium abundance and decreased Bacteroides abundance as key features associated with β-amyloid (Aβ) burden. Treatment with Bacteroides ovatus, or its associated metabolite lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), significantly reduces Aβ load and ameliorates cognitive impairment. Mechanistically, LPC acts through the orphan receptor GPR119, inhibiting ACSL4 expression, thereby suppressing ferroptosis and ameliorating AD pathologies. Analysis of fecal and serum samples from individuals with AD also reveals diminished levels of Bacteroides and LPC. This study thus identifies a B.ovatus-triggered pathway regulating AD pathologies and indicates that the use of single gut microbiota, metabolite, or small molecule compound may complement current prevention and treatment approaches for AD.

https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(24)00402-9