Try This –3 Big Shares for the Week

Try This family, I know brain and cardiovascular health are super important to you. They’re important to me too. Today, I have some really important shares for your brain and your heart. 

High level:

1. Brain alert: This risk factor might actually cause dementia! 

2. Twelve months of this supplement helped REMOVE soft plaque in the arteries

3. An unexpected yet welcome benefit of GLP weight-loss drugs
   
   

Number 1: The Obesity–Dementia Connection

Obesity may be a huge driver of dementia.

A new genetic study used advanced “Mendelian randomization” to dig into whether high body mass index (BMI) does more than predict dementia—it may directly drive it. By analyzing genetic and health data from large populations, researchers found clear evidence that higher BMI increases the risk of vascular‐related dementia and that much of this effect is due to higher blood pressure that often accompanies excess weight.

The takeaway isn’t subtle: Carrying too much weight can harm brain health by damaging blood vessels, impairing blood flow, and increasing inflammation in the brain. Unlike observational studies, which can be clouded by lifestyle and socioeconomic factors, this analysis uses genetics to simulate lifelong high weight and suggests a causal relationship, not just an association.

That means strategies we already focus on for metabolic and cardiovascular health—like maintaining a healthy weight, managing blood pressure, eating whole foods, staying active, and improving sleep—may also be critical for protecting your brain as you age.

Think of weight management not just as a heart or diabetes strategy but as brain insurance. What’s good for your heart and blood vessels appears to be great for your cognitive future too.

Number 2: Worried About Soft Plaque in Your Arteries? You Need to Know About This Supplement 🤯

I saw this post pop up on X recently, and it reminded me of an article I wrote about the power of aged garlic extract in helping reduce soft plaque in the arteries. 

In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study featured in this post, researchers followed 66 patients with diabetes over the course of a year to see how aged garlic extract (AGE) impacted plaque buildup in the heart’s arteries. Each participant took either 2,400 mg of AGE daily or a placebo, with heart scans at the start and end of the study.

The standout result? Those taking AGE saw a 29 percent reduction in low-attenuation plaque (LAP), a particularly risky type of soft plaque linked to heart attacks. That’s pretty huge! Meanwhile, the placebo group experienced a 57 percent increase in LAP. The reduction in this vulnerable plaque type suggests AGE may help stabilize arteries and reduce cardiovascular risk.

This is pretty powerful, and why my cardiologist recommended aged garlic extract for me, and I also put my dad on it too. 

Also, I have no affiliation with this company, but if you’re curious, this is the aged garlic extract I take. 

Number 3:  A Major Brain Benefit of GLP-1s

If you’re taking GLP-1s, you might want to know about this extra brain-protective benefit.

A large study looked at whether two popular types of type 2 diabetes drugs, GLP-1 receptor agonists (like Ozempic) and SGLT2 inhibitors (like Jardiance), could help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Researchers followed nearly 100,000 people over 50 with type 2 diabetes and no prior signs of cognitive decline. 

The findings were promising: both drug classes were linked to a significantly reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s or other dementias when compared to other common diabetes meds.

Specifically, GLP-1 drugs were associated with a 33 percent lower risk, while SGLT2 inhibitors showed an even stronger 43 percent risk reduction. When directly compared to each other, there was no meaningful difference. Both appeared equally protective for brain health.

While the study doesn’t prove these drugs prevent dementia, it does suggest they might offer neuroprotective benefits beyond blood sugar control. That’s especially important for people with type 2 diabetes, who face a higher risk of cognitive decline.

The takeaway: The right diabetes treatment may do more than regulate glucose; it might support long-term brain health too. 

See you next week. 

Much love,
Dhru Purohit  

The information in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice; please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions.