Fight Dementia with Your NOSE?!

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted June 21, 2023

Your basic senses can serve as an early warning system for your brain.

For example, I’ve warned before about the link between hearing loss and worsening brain health many times.

I’ve also explained how touch… or, in this case, grip strength… can be used to identify a rising risk for dementia.

And vision problems, such as judging distances or determining colors, are an often-overlooked early warning sign for brain issues.

But smell has to be the MOST underappreciated sense when it comes to monitoring brain health. And now a group of researchers warns we need to start paying attention.

The Link Between Brain Health and Smell

Earlier research uncovered a link between a fading sense of smell and rising risk for Alzheimer’s disease. And recently, scientists decided to investigate this link between smell and brain health further.

What they uncovered was stunning. I’ll have more on that discovery in a moment. But first, let’s take a quick look at how our nose and brain make a perfect pair.

Your sense of smell isn’t just intimately linked to your brain. It’s essentially PART of it.

When you smell something, that information is conveyed through long strands of wire-like nerve cells called axons. This means smell has a direct connection to your central nervous system and your immune system.

That connection means that what you smell can have a giant impact on your brain.

We see this play out in our everyday lives in various ways. For example, when a specific smell triggers a memory that transports you to an earlier time.

Plus, studies link aromatherapy (using natural plant extracts to promote healing) to better memory and stress reduction.

But the connection between the nose and brain became even MORE obvious with a recent animal experiment.

Menthol May Fight Cognitive Decline

When mice with Alzheimer’s were exposed to menthol for six months, it PREVENTED further cognitive decline. The researchers believe that menthol puts the brakes on brain damage by modulating the immune system.

Here’s how it works.

When you smell certain scents (like menthol), your body downregulates immune system components such as CD3, interleukin-1-beta, interleukin-6, and others. And that downregulation reduces inflammation in the brain.

In fact, after six months, the interleukin-1-beta levels in the impaired mice returned to normal.

But according to the study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, the surprises didn’t end there. Incredibly, when the scientists exposed young healthy mice to a daily dose of menthol, it IMPROVED their cognitive ability.

Why this works isn’t easy to pin down. But we know that our sense of smell has a powerful impact on our brains. And the brain’s sensitivity to any given scent may be deeply rooted in our past.

So, it may be time to bring MORE scents into your life.

In this study, they used menthol, one of the main scent components in peppermint. I suggest trying straight peppermint instead. Finding fresh mint is easy, or you can grow your own. And peppermint essential oils are affordable and widely available.

Other strongly scented herbs, such as rosemary and lavender, have also been studied for their brain function benefits.

P.S. A fading sense of smell doesn’t always mean you’re coming down with a cold or a case of COVID. In fact, it’s linked to another deadly disease you should be on the lookout for as you age. CLICK HERE for the details.

Source:

“Improvement of cognitive function in wild-type and Alzheimer´s disease mouse models by the immunomodulatory properties of menthol inhalation or by depletion of T regulatory cells,” Front. Immunol., 27 April 2023, Sec. Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology, Volume 1 – 2023, doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1130044

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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