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🖊️ Dear Alzheimer's: Why women?
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Why Women?
A reader named Dean (Hello!) sent me an article this week about a new Alzheimer's study out of Northwestern University. You can read it for yourself here: neurosciencenews.com/estrogen-loss-extracellular-matrix-alzheimers-30762/
The researchers were trying to better understand a question that has puzzled scientists for years: Why are women more likely than men to develop Alzheimer's disease?
Let's talk about it.
🖊️ What's Special About Women?
So much, but...
Women account for roughly two-thirds of Alzheimer's cases, and researchers have long suspected that hormones may be part of the story.
The Northwestern team looked at something I had never heard of before: the extracellular matrix.
I learned that the extracellular matrix is part of the brain's support structure. It helps organize and support the cells that do the work of thinking, remembering, and communicating.
In aging female mice, loss of estrogen produced within the brain was associated with deterioration of this support structure, along with memory-related problems.
Now, this was a mouse study, not a human study. It does not prove that estrogen loss causes Alzheimer's disease.
Still, I found the findings fascinating because they point to yet another aspect of the Alzheimer's puzzle.
🖊️ Not One Blessed Thing. Many.
Every few years, researchers seem to uncover another system the brain depends on.
For a while, much of the attention was on sleep and the brain's remarkable ability to clean and repair itself overnight.
Then came growing interest in brain energy. Blood sugar regulation. Ketones. The question of how the brain fuels itself.
More recently, researchers have turned their attention to inflammation, immune function, and the blood-brain barrier.
Now they are looking at the extracellular matrix.
My take on this study is not that we have found the answer to Alzheimer's disease.
My take is that a healthy brain depends on many systems working together.
It is not just a collection of neurons.
It is a complex structure that must be properly fueled, protected, repaired, and maintained.
🖊️ So Now What?
One thing this study does make clear is that hormones are part of the brain-health equation.
For women, estrogen appears to be one of those hormones.
Naturally, findings like these raise questions about hormone replacement therapy. Researchers have been studying that question for years, and the results have been mixed. Some women may decide that hormone replacement therapy is the right choice for them, working with their healthcare providers.
But that isn't the question I found myself asking.
The question I found myself asking was:
If healthy hormones are part of a healthy brain, what can I do right now to support my hormones? What can I do today to support hormone health?
For me, the answer begins with nutrition.
I spent years gobbling up dry carbohydrates and avoiding natural fats.
Today I choose food that supports my body and brain. I focus on Nutrition First: protein and natural fats. Protein rebuilds and repairs. Brains and hormones need natural fat.
Am I saying that butter protects the extracellular matrix and cures the Alzheimer’s? I wish I could. This study does not say that. What this study does suggest is that hormone health may play a larger role in brain health than we once understood.
That's a line of research I'll be watching closely.
“This study tells us that females — but not males — may be uniquely sensitive to loss of brain estrogen at old age, potentially contributing to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”
— Dr Hong Zhao, May 26, 2026, neurosciencenews.com/estrogen-loss-extracellular-matrix-alzheimers-30762/
🖊️ And as for Women? & as for Me?
We still don't know why women account for nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer's cases. But studies like this suggest hormones may be one piece of the puzzle.
When I realized I could no longer trust my brain, I adopted healthy habits such as better sleep, daily movement, and morning sunlight.
But the dial did not move until after I began eating for Nutrition First.
☀️ Hormones & Brain Health
I'd like to say that butter heals brains. Pretty sure I cannot prove that. And yet, eating Nutrition First, which includes plenty of natural fat for hormone support, made a world of difference for me.
I eat like my brain matters.
And I hope you do, too.
I'm Glad You're Here
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Until next time, stay strong, wise, kind, and good.
Choose real food for real health.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, scientist, or nutritionist. I do not provide medical advice. I share personal experience and ongoing learning about health through real food.
Good morning!
I am a late boomer spreading the gospel of good health through good food.
My bona fides?
Beating back Alzheimer's by eating clean low-carb.
And dropping a little weight effortlessly as a bonus.
Real food for real health.
Join me?
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