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Cognitive Decline Expert: The Disease That Starts in Your 30s but Kills You in Your 70s

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Feb 5, 2026

Guest

Louisa Nicola

Louisa Nicola, neurophysiologist and performance coach studying Alzheimer’s prevention, walks through why midlife matters for brain health. She covers creatine for brain energy, how resistance training and leg strength protect cognition, why deep sleep clears toxic proteins, and practical hacks to counter sitting and menopause-related declines.

02:05:23

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INSIGHT

Alzheimer’s Starts In Midlife

Alzheimer's disease begins decades before symptoms and is largely driven by lifestyle rather than genetics.
Louisa Nicola says midlife choices compound to determine brain health in later decades.

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INSIGHT

Cognitive Reserve Explains Divergent Aging

Cognitive reserve explains why some people stay sharp despite amyloid buildup while others decline with little amyloid.
Building many neural connections via novelty, reading, handwriting and exercise increases reserve.

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ADVICE

Lift Heavy To Protect Your Brain

Do regular resistance training, ideally heavy (≈80% 1RM), to build brain-protective myokine signaling and hippocampal growth.
Louisa Nicola recommends 2–3 resistance sessions weekly to preserve cognitive function.

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Louisa's Mission to Prevent Alzheimer's

02:49 • 4min

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When Alzheimer's Really Begins

06:36 • 2min

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Brain Structure, Atrophy and Cognitive Reserve

08:54 • 4min

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Building Cognitive Reserve: Exercise and Reading

13:03 • 44sec

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Why Short-Form Scrolling Harms Focus

13:47 • 1min

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Resistance Training Protects the Brain

15:00 • 1min

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Genetics: APOE Variants and Risk

16:01 • 2min

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Leg Strength and Twin Study Findings

17:45 • 49sec

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How Heavy Lifting Benefits Brain Biology

18:34 • 6min

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The Deadlift as Whole-Body Neural Stimulus

24:12 • 27sec

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Sedentary Life and Simple Hourly Movement

24:40 • 2min

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Aerobic Zones, VO2 Max and Brain Benefits

26:55 • 5min

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Levine Study: Remodelling the Heart by 20 Years

32:07 • 5min

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Capillary Health, Blood Pressure and Leaky Brain

37:21 • 3min

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Managing Hypertension Without Drugs

40:33 • 3min

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After a Diagnosis: Ketogenic Diet and Interventions

43:20 • 3min

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Menopause, Estrogen and a 30% Glucose Drop

46:18 • 2min

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Hormone Replacement Therapy: Risks and Benefits

47:59 • 6min

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Amyloid, Tau and the Role of Sleep

54:05 • 7min

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Practical Sleep Hacks and Supplements

Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss

01:03:14 • 2min

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Targeted Sleep Strategies by Problem Type

01:05:11 • 6min

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Omega-3s: Quality, Storage and Brain Benefits

01:11:03 • 4min

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Vitamin D and Cognitive Longevity

01:15:16 • 1min

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Creatine: Brain Energy and Neuroprotection

01:16:16 • 8min

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Creatine Timing, Testing and Manufacturing Tips

01:23:53 • 5min

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Recommended Health Tests and Biomarkers

01:28:37 • 3min

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Five-Minute Visual and Coordination Drill

Doing Hard Things Grows the Willpower Muscle

01:37:34 • 7min

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Chatbots, Brain Rot and Cognitive Decline

01:44:56 • 2min

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Why Louisa Is Obsessed: Personal Motivation

01:46:31 • 10min

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Success Defined: Controlling Brain States

01:56:33 • 4min

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The Human Cost of Alzheimer's

02:00:41 • 52sec

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What Is God? Louisa's Answer

• Mentioned in 145 episodes

Flow

The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

In this classic work, Csikszentmihalyi investigates 'optimal experience' and reveals that true happiness and satisfaction can be achieved through a state of consciousness called 'flow. ' During flow, individuals experience complete concentration on the task, clarity of goals, and immediate feedback. The book demonstrates how this positive state can be controlled and how it can improve the quality of life by unlocking meaning, creativity, and peak performance.

Alzheimer’s expert LOUISA NICOLA explains early Alzheimer’s risk, why creatine fuels brain energy and memory, deep sleep hacks, and why sitting is a silent killer!

Louisa Nicola is a leading neurophysiologist and human performance coach who studies the brain and nervous system. She is the founder of Neuro Athletics, a consulting firm that provides scientific strategies for cognitive performance, and is also currently finishing her PhD at the University of Washington.

She explains:

▪️Why 70% of Alzheimer's patients are women

▪️The "leaky brain" warning signs you are ignoring

▪️Why menopause triggers a 30% drop in brain energy

▪️How 20 minutes of Zone 5 training reverses heart aging

▪️Why your "willpower muscle" shrinks without hard challenges

(0:00) Intro
(2:31) Why I’m on a Mission to Prevent Alzheimer’s for Millions
(2:58) Alzheimer’s Might Be More Preventable Than You Think
(4:34) How Lifestyle Habits Quietly Lead to Dementia
(8:43) Why Some Older Adults Stay Mentally Sharper Than the Young
(12:35) What Short-Form Content Is Doing to Your Brain
(13:47) The Hidden Cognitive Power of Exercise
(16:31) Why Strong Legs Might Be a Key to Brain Health
(17:23) How Resistance Training Rewires Your Brain
(21:08) Can Exercise Actually Help Suppress Cancer?
(22:58) The One Exercise That Shields Your Brain Over Time
(25:42) Can Aerobic Training Help Prevent Alzheimer’s?
(28:47) What Cardiovascular Health Really Means for Your Brain
(32:15) Why VO2 Max Could Predict How Long You’ll Live
(34:45) The Best Exercises for Long-Term Brain and Mental Health
(41:45) What to Do Right After an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
(45:05) Why the Ketogenic Diet Could Benefit Perimenopausal Women
(50:12) What You Should Know About Hormone Replacement Therapy
(52:31) How to Find the Best HRT for Your Body and Brain
(1:00:24) Ads
(1:01:56) The Overlooked Link Between Sleep Loss and Alzheimer’s
(1:03:42) Why You Need to Rethink Your Sleep Habits Now
(1:07:01) Can Ashwagandha and Rhodiola Really Reduce Stress?
(1:10:02) The Most Potent Brain Supplement You’ve Never Tried
(1:14:04) How Vitamin D Supports Longevity and Brain Health
(1:15:03) The Most Affordable Way to Boost Brain and Body Function
(1:34:34) Ads
(1:36:27) Why Doing Hard Things Literally Grows Your Brain
(1:43:28) Are Chatbots Causing Brain Rot? Here’s What We Know
(1:49:03) The Truth Women Deserve to Hear About Their Health
(1:57:39) What Happens When You’re Obsessed With Your Mission

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