Advanced Age Management

11/20/2025

11/20/2025

Neuroplasticity refers to your brain’s ability to absorb information and evolve to manage new challenges. It’s a natural gift that allows you to develop as a person and take on the ever-changing tasks of daily life. 🧠💡

Neuroplasticity speaks to the flexibility and adaptability of our brain throughout our life. It’s how we grow as people.

So, when you memorize the alphabet as a kid, that’s an example of neuroplasticity in action at a young age. Ditto for when you learn how to drive and navigate the streets in your neighborhood. Even something as simple as remembering the name of a new coworker involves brainwork that falls under the umbrella of neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity actually brings physical changes inside your cranium. In essence, your brain undergoes a sort of rewiring while learning from your experiences.

Morphological alterations and structural changes occur within our brains. New synaptic connections form between the billions of neurons in your brain as you take in information. It’s a constant process.

But neuroplasticity isn’t just about learning new stuff. Your brain’s ability to constantly update and reprogram can also power relearning — a critical need after a stroke or traumatic head injury.

Remember those physical changes behind neuroplasticity? That building process in your head makes it possible for your brain to bypass damaged areas. Those synaptic connections essentially create new pathways to work around injuries.

In many ways, physical therapy and rehabilitation activities after a stroke or head injury look to use the regenerative force of neuroplasticity.

The functions of learning and relearning serve as the foundation for two different types of neuroplasticity:

🔵Structural plasticity. Experiences that create pathways to solidify learned information.
🔵Functional plasticity. The construction of pathways around damaged brain areas to work around an injury or weakness.

Want to make your brain stronger? Then challenge it regularly with new activities and experiences.

11/18/2025

11/18/2025

Alcohol tricks your body into falling asleep, but you’re not really sleeping: your body is working to detoxify the alcohol.

Instead of drinking alcohol before bed, try magnesium glycinate in warm water or kombucha tea.

11/18/2025

When estradiol levels drop during menopause, it doesn’t just affect mood or metabolism. It also impacts the brain.

Research shows that low estradiol triggers immune activity in the brain that can lead to the loss of connections between neurons.

That’s one reason I’m a strong supporter of women in menopause using bioidentical estradiol along with progesterone to help balance their hormones and protect brain health.

I’ll be diving deeper into this topic in my new book Brain Defenders.

Be the first to know once it’s available for preorder: https://drperlmutter.com/books/brain-defenders/

11/18/2025

Erythritol is the sweetener increasing stroke and cognitive risk.

New research has revealed a startling health risk: a common sweetener widely used in foods and beverages may damage the brain barrier, increasing the risk of stroke and other neurological problems. The brain barrier, also known as the blood‑brain barrier, is a critical defence system that protects the brain from harmful substances. When it is compromised even slightly, it can allow toxins and harmful molecules to enter the brain and cause long-term damage.

Scientists found that regular consumption of this sweetener can weaken the barrier over time, making the brain more vulnerable to inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular damage. This discovery raises concerns about daily intake in sweetened drinks, snacks, and processed foods.

Health experts emphasise moderation and suggest seeking natural alternatives when possible. Protecting the brain barrier is essential not just for reducing stroke risk but also for maintaining overall cognitive health, memory, and long-term brain function.

With neurological diseases on the rise, awareness of hidden risks in everyday foods has never been more important. This finding is a wake-up call to monitor sweetener intake and make informed choices for long-term brain health.

11/18/2025

A pair of 52-year-old identical twins—one an Ironman athlete, the other a sedentary truck driver—gave researchers a rare look at how lifestyle shapes the body, even with identical DNA.

After 30 years, the athletic twin had 55% more endurance muscle, higher VO₂ max, and dramatically better health markers.

Surprisingly, the sedentary twin had stronger legs from years of carrying extra weight—proving fitness isn’t just about appearance.

This real-world case study reveals how daily choices—not genetics—shape our health span.

The full study uncovers even more surprising insights into training, aging, and resilience.

11/15/2025

A stunning discovery shows that six short, all-out 30-second sprints can boost human growth hormone (HGH) levels by an astonishing 771%. This natural hormone is key for muscle growth, fat loss, and tissue repair and it’s activated not by long workouts, but by smart, intense effort.
This form of training, called HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), pushes your body to its limits for brief moments, forcing it to release powerful recovery hormones that stay active for hours. It’s a built-in biological upgrade your body’s way of saying “grow stronger, recover faster.”
In just a few minutes, you can ignite a hormone surge that reshapes your energy, metabolism, and fitness. Six sprints. Thirty seconds each. That’s all it takes to switch your body into high-performance mode.
Source: Sprint Interval Training and Growth Hormone Study, Journal of Applied Physiology.

11/15/2025

A recent study shows that added sugar may be more harmful to heart health than cholesterol. High sugar intake increases inflammation, insulin resistance, and triglyceride levels, all contributing to cardiovascular disease.
While cholesterol has long been the focus, these findings highlight that moderating sugar could have an even greater impact on reducing heart disease and stroke risk. Experts recommend swapping sugary drinks for water, cutting sweets, and emphasizing whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins for lasting heart protection.
Small dietary adjustments today could dramatically improve cardiovascular health tomorrow.
Source: Journal of the American Heart Association, 2025

11/12/2025

Menopausal hormone therapies, also commonly referred to as hormone replacement therapy or HRT, are approved to provide relief from common menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Women may be under-utilizing approved therapies that can alleviate menopause symptoms and improve women’s health because of misleading U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “black box” warnings that the agency is removing.

11/11/2025