David Perlmutter
American board-certified neurologist and author of books including Brain Defenders and Brainwash
David Perlmutter (American board-certified neurologist and author of books including Brain Defenders and Brainwash) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Alzheimer's disease, Amyloid beta, Exercise and brain health.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Alzheimer's disease
Perlmutter cites an Ornish-led lifestyle trial in which 70% of Alzheimer's or MCI patients stabilized or improved.
“But 70% of them either stabilized or improved”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:36:02
Perlmutter describes a study in which children conceived under 1953 UK sugar rationing had a 40% lower Alzheimer's risk.
“developing Alzheimer's was reduced by 40% because mother didn't have access to sugar when she was pregnant”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:16:04
Perlmutter says reassessed data indicate that any alcohol consumption is probably harmful to the brain.
“it turns out that reassessing that indicates that really any alcohol consumption is probably not good for the brain”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:06:51
Perlmutter argues that Alzheimer's is significantly preventable through lifestyle.
“And women have twice the risk of Alzheimer's in comparison to men. But what people may not be aware of is it is significantly preventable”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:16
Amyloid beta
Perlmutter cites a Cochrane analysis concluding amyloid-targeting drugs have no meaningful effect on slowing Alzheimer's progression.
“They found that the drugs basically have no meaningful effect in slowing the progression of much less leading”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:35:11
Perlmutter contends that the mainstream view of beta-amyloid as the central cause of Alzheimer's is wrong.
“the central player in Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of a protein called beta amyloid in the brain. Get rid of the beta amyloid and problem solved. That is not reality”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 7:33
Exercise and brain health
Perlmutter recommends both aerobic and strength training and urges building muscle early in life.
“we want to strengthen our muscles and we want to engage in aerobic activities such that we can gain the metabolic benefits”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 19:32
Perlmutter cites a JAMA study finding about a 45% dementia risk reduction among the most active middle-aged people.
“those who were the most active compared to those who were the least active had about a 45% risk reduction for this disease”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 18:15
Microglia
Perlmutter describes the shift of microglia from supportive M2 to destructive M1 as the fundamental upstream event in Alzheimer's, driven by mitochondrial energetics.
“This shift from M2 to M1 is the fundamental upstream event in Alzheimer's disease. These cells are sensitive to our metabolism”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 25:31
Perlmutter says disruption of the brain's immune system unites the various neurodegenerative diseases.
“they're all united by one common mechanism, and that is disruption of the brain's immune system”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 6:49
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Perlmutter attributes CTE's progression to microglia that fail to revert after head injury.
“Because the microglial cells that appropriately responded don't revert back”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:21:10
Metformin
Perlmutter says he does not recommend everyone take metformin and prefers exercise.
“What you're not hearing from me right now is that we should all jump on board and take metformin. I prefer to exercise”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:26:23
Gamma sensory stimulation
Perlmutter reports that Li-Huei Tsai's 40Hz stimulation trials show better results than amyloid-targeting drugs, which he says should not be used.
“her results are better than any drug that targets beta amyloid. The beta amyloid drugs are the FDA-approved treatment for beta amyloid”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:13:09
Continuous glucose monitor
Perlmutter supports over-the-counter access to CGMs, likening objections to banning bathroom scales.
“if people shouldn't have their data, then we shouldn't allow people to buy a bathroom scale”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 46:10
Glyphosate
Perlmutter claims glyphosate sprayed on US wheat affects gut bacteria and acts as a mitochondrial toxin.
“Glyphosate is a mitochondrial toxin. So that's what we are consuming when we are consuming foods that have been sprayed with this herbicide”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 54:36
Sleep
Perlmutter says a single night of poor sleep impairs insulin function, blood sugar control and decision-making.
“even one night's poor sleep dramatically changes the function of insulin, has a significant effect upon our blood sugar control”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 36:08
Oxytocin
Perlmutter explains that oxytocin released through social connection helps keep microglia in their supportive role.
“this oxytocin stimulates our good brain immune cells, these microglial cells, and helps keep them in their supportive, loving, nurturing role”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 23:02
Apolipoprotein E4
Perlmutter argues that carrying APOE4 is a predisposition, not a destiny, and lifestyle can offset it.
“Your lifestyle issues can offset this issue of a genetic predisposition. It's a genetic predisposition. I won't deny that. It is not a genetic determinant”
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now? (Nov 12, 2026) · Listen from 15:56
Appearances
What Are The Five Lifestyle Habits Destroying Your Brain Right Now?The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett · Nov 12, 2026 · 1 h 56 min
Neurologist David Perlmutter tells Steven Bartlett how exercise, social connection, sleep, diet and metabolism shape Alzheimer's risk through the brain's microglial immune cells.
Often appears with
- Steven Bartlett · 1 shared episode