Parkinson’s vs. Alzheimer’s: The Overlapping Causes & How to Prevent Both

Dr. Ken Sharlin explains how lifestyle medicine, toxin reduction, and early intervention may help prevent or slow Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Ken Sharlin explores the overlapping causes behind Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and how functional medicine can help uncover their root drivers. He explains how mitochondrial dysfunction, gut health changes, environmental toxins, and lifestyle factors contribute to neurodegeneration. Dr. Sharlin also highlights early warning signs that may appear decades before symptoms and shares how proactive lifestyle strategies may help reduce risk and support long-term brain health.

Kenneth Sharlin, MD, MPH, IFMCP, is a board-certified neurologist, consultant, functional medicine practitioner, Assistant Clinical Professor, researcher, author, and speaker. His medical degrees are from Emory University, the University of Virginia, and Vanderbilt University. His functional medicine certification is through The Institute for Functional Medicine. He is the author of the #1 best-seller, The Healthy Brain Toolbox: Neurologist-Proven Strategies to Improve Memory Loss and Protect Your Aging Brain, and co-author of Neurishment: The Brain Tune Up Food Guide. Dr. Sharlin is also a major contributor to Reversal of Cognitive Decline: 100 Patients, which can be found in the peer-reviewed Journal of Alzheimer’s & Parkinsonism, and he has been the primary investigator in several pharma-sponsored clinical trials that have helped bring new therapeutics to market. Dr. Sharlin practices general neurology and directs his functional medicine program, Brain Tune Up!, in Ozark, MO.