David PerlmutterPresident,, Perlmutter Health Center · Board-Certified Neurologist | Functional Medicine Pioneer | #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author | International Speaker | Host of The Empowering Neurologist Podcast

Newsflash: Alzheimer’s Is Not Caused by What We Thought | Dr. David Perlmutter

2 Oct 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:03

In this health commentary, Dr. David Perlmutter challenges the prevailing view that beta‑amyloid plaques are the primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease. He argues that Alzheimer’s is largely a manifestation of metabolic dysfunction, citing elevated blood sugar, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, excess body fat, and dyslipidemia as key contributors. While acknowledging that amyloid may play a role, he asserts it is not the root cause. Consequently, he emphasizes controlling blood sugar as the most important preventive strategy, urging the avoidance of all added sugars—including natural sweeteners and fruit juice—because sugar threatens metabolism and increases the risk of both dementia and stroke.

Chapters

Newsflash, Alzheimer's is not caused by what we thought, and I say we parenthetically. This idea that Alzheimer's is caused by beta amyloid is completely wrong. Is it playing a role? Yeah, it plays a role, but that is not the cause of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is by and large a manifestation of metabolic issues like elevated blood sugar, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, body fat, and dyslipidemia. So what does that mean? It means we need to do everything we can, most importantly in my opinion, to control our blood sugar, and that means don't eat sugar. We hear about natural sugar, oh, it's made with coconut sugar, it's made with cane sugar, it doesn't matter. Sugar is sugar and threatens metabolism and paves the way for Alzheimer's disease and stroke for that matter, even fruit juice consumption. Has been linked to a significantly increased risk for developing dementia. So sugar is the enemy, it's not necessarily beta amyloid.