The first step is to determine what your current state of cognitive health is. Take the free Cq (cognitive quotient) assessment here. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete, just make sure you won’t be disrupted by anything during the assessment so that you get accurate results. The assessment will recommend either the PreCODE program, for those without current dementia symptoms, or the ReCODE program if your result indicates you have a decline in memory for someone your age.
The Cq assessment is just the first step. Further assessments and investigations will be necessary to identify your current health issues/risks and how they impact your dementia risk. The PreCODE and ReCODE programs take you through that process and provide a treatment program designed just for you.
These programs require a high level of commitment and participation to achieve the desired outcomes. If you are already experiencing dementia symptoms you will most likely need a family member to support you in implementing the program. It won’t be a case of simply taking some pills. To get a taste of what’s required, a summary of the strategies used, I highly recommend you watch the 45 minute video Watch Now: How to Prevent & Reverse Symptoms of Dementia in the News section on the Apollo Health website. Another video to view is Impact Theory with Tim Bilyeu.
Please note that Apollo Health is based in the USA and the enrolment process for non-US residents is different to that described on the website. You should first find a practitioner, they will order the lab work and then generate the PreCODE or ReCODE reports (rather than having the lab work done first, generating the reports and then finding a practitioner). When using the Find a Practitioner tool on apollohealthco.com be sure to enter a distance and address (not postcode) to generate the results.
| Program | Who’s it for | What’s involved | Program length | ReCODE subscription required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing only | No dementia symptoms, wanting to assess risk of developing dementia | Testing, optional assessment | 1 to 2 consultations | No |
| Prevention PreCODE | No dementia symptoms, wanting to assess risk of developing dementia and learn how to prevent it | Assessment, testing and treatment | 6 to 12 months | PreCODE subscription recommended |
| Early Stage Treatment ReCODE | Subjective and Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Stage Alzheimer’s dementia | Assessment, testing and treatment | 12 months | ReCODE subscription highly recommended |
| Dementia Program ReCODE | Middle Stage Alzheimer’s dementia | Assessment, testing and treatment | 12 months | Yes |
If you are comfortable using the books to guide you and only want help to order your testing: 1 or 2 appointments at $100/hr + the cost of testing.
There are a few options for the prevention program:
If you only want to do a risk assessment, that would involve blood tests and 3 appointments with me. Prior to the first appointment you will complete and return several health questionnaires and other paperwork.
If you have an uncomplicated case and you’d like to do a treatment program following the risk assessment, we can formulate a 6 to 12 month program to address your risk factors without accessing the official PreCODE program (but you wouldn’t get all the benefits that go with the PreCODE program).
Or you can enrol in the full PreCODE program, which involves a 12-month commitment with Apollo Health, either a monthly subscription costing $40 US dollars (about $50 to $60 Australian dollars), or you can opt to pay upfront for a year for $450 USD, about $600 to $650 AUD depending on the exchange rate. The costs of appointments, blood tests & supplements are additional to the subscription cost.
With the PreCODE program you get a PreCODE Report from Apollo Health that identifies your Alzheimer’s dementia risk subtypes, which is generated from the information we’ve gathered from the assessments. The PreCODE report is over 40 pages long and includes a personalised treatment program to prevent cognitive decline and enhance your cognition.
With the subscription you also get access to:
After the assessment appointments, you would have a 2 hour appointment to go over how to start implementing your PreCODE program. Then you would have 1 hour appointments each fortnight until you are comfortable with how you are implementing the program. Then we would move to an appointment once a month until we can see improvements in your blood markers.
After 3 to 6 months of following the program we would redo some blood tests to check that you are getting improvements. You should notice health improvements during that timeframe as well, which will tell you that you are on the right path. After 12 months on the program we would redo your blood and other assessments, then yearly follow ups are recommended.
A subscription to the 12 month ReCODE program is highly recommended if you are experiencing any symptoms of cognitive decline. This subscription gives you access to the ReCODE evaluation software to identify your sub-types of dementia (see below), which enables us to commence an effective personalised treatment program immediately. The software takes a lot of the guesswork out of identifying the priority of treatments. The costs of appointments, blood tests & supplements are additional to the subscription cost.
You will likely need a support person to help you implement the program, your spouse, a family member or a close friend. They will need to be at your appointments with you. Family meetings are welcome after the 3rd appointment, to help everyone understand the program requirements.
The treatment schedule is:
A comprehensive range of standard blood tests through your doctor will cover most of the initial testing required. There will be some additional initial tests which you will have to pay for, costs detailed below. All costs are an estimate only and are subject to change.
If you don’t already know your APOE genetics, that test costs $253 for just your APOE status. You can opt for further genetic testing which gives you very useful information about 37 additional genes for $68 extra, $321.
Testing only and Prevention Programs - PreCODE:
If your doctor orders all the standard blood tests, the additional testing = $77
With the genetic testing that totals $330, or $398 if the extra genetic tests are chosen.
If you pay for all the blood tests = $230
With the genetic testing that totals about $483, or $551 if the extra genetic tests are chosen.
Early Stage Treatment and Dementia Program - ReCODE:
If your doctor orders the standard blood tests, the additional testing = $676
With the genetic testing that totals about $929, or $997 if the extra genetic tests are chosen.
If you pay for all the blood tests = $935
With the genetic testing that totals $1188, or $1256 if the extra genetic tests are chosen.
The initial testing may suggest there is a need for further testing, which would be an additional cost. Yes, testing is expensive, but try to consider it as an investment in your future health. The cost of testing is certainly far less expensive than the cost of nursing home care if you do develop dementia!
Blood test results are usually assessed against the ‘normal reference range’. That range is NOT the optimal range for optimal health. You can have a ‘normal’ result but still not be in the optimal range. You want your readings to be in the optimal range to reduce your Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Many of the standard blood tests can be ordered by your doctor as part of a general health check. Your doctor may not have heard of the Bredesen program (as it’s so new) and be unaware of what it entails or the reasons behind the need for measuring particular markers. For these reasons your doctor may not be prepared to order all the necessary testing. As your naturopath I can order any further tests necessary to obtain a fuller picture of your current health. You will need to pay for any tests ordered by a naturopath as they are not covered by Medicare. Always ask for a copy of any tests your doctor runs for you even if the results are all ‘normal’.
Aside from blood tests, some urine, saliva or genetic testing may be required. Genetic tests provide information about processes that may be compromised and need specific support to compensate for reduced function (treatment is based on your symptoms not your genetic test results), and also inform you about your genetic risk of developing dementia. Having a gene that increases your risk of developing dementia does NOT mean you will develop dementia. Your lifestyle (environment) and state of health has the greatest impact on whether those genes are activated or not. The gene is like the bullet in the gun, it doesn’t do anything until the trigger is pulled. Your lifestyle and any active disease processes can pull the trigger and turn on the gene.
