The Heart-Brain Axis
While many believe that Alzheimer’s (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are unrelated, researchers have established that they are closely linked, referring to it as the “heart-brain axis”. What’s more, many of the same lifestyle habits — poor diet, high stress, and lack of exercise — overlap. Add in mitochondrial dysfunction in both AD and CVD, and the association is difficult to dismiss. It was also discovered in 2018 that there is an underlying genetic link between Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. In short, maintaining the health of your heart is essential for reducing dementia risk. Let’s take a closer look at the studies, along with best practices to improve cardiovascular and cognitive health.
What are the links between Alzheimer’s and heart disease?
Impaired Vascular and Mitochondrial Function: When heart disease impairs blood flow, it can accelerate Alzheimer’s progression, according to research published in the journal Current Opinion in Physiology.2 The team also established that AD contributes to cardiovascular disease through shared pathology, while mitochondrial dysfunction underpins both AD and CVD.
Common Risk Factors: Evidence from a study in Current Neuropharmacology suggests that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes damage both the heart and blood vessels in the brain, elevating the risk for both diseases.1 The researchers point out that both are also linked to chronic inflammation, periodontitis, microbiome dysbiosis, and oxidative stress — where symptoms improve with positive dietary and lifestyle interventions, such as regular exercise and a Mediterranean diet.
Genetic Association: A large genetic study involving more than 1.5 million people has identified shared genetic markers between AD and CVD, including the APOE gene, which is involved in cholesterol and lipid metabolism.3 This gene is known to double the risk of Alzheimer’s in some patients, while increasing the risk up to 12 times in others.
Rahul S. Desikan, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of neuroradiology at UC San Francisco and co-senior author, concluded, “These results imply that irrespective of what causes what, cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s pathology co-occur because they are linked genetically. That is, if you carry this handful of gene variants, you may be at risk not only for heart disease but also for Alzheimer’s.”
Amyloid plaque — a hallmark of Alzheimer’s — has also been found to build up in the heart. A Frontiers in Medicine study noted that “It has been shown that cardiometabolic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and heart failure (HF) are regarded as possible risk factors for the development of AD and other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia.”5
Impact of Heart Failure: People with heart failure are at a significantly higher risk of dementia. A statement in the American Heart Association publication Stroke underscored the fact that a large percentage of patients develop cognitive impairment within a few years of a heart failure diagnosis.4 The research team stressed that those with heart disease are more likely to have reduced blood flow and tiny, often unnoticed injuries in the brain, which can raise the risk of stroke and cognitive dysfunction.
Action Steps to Support Cardiovascular and Cognitive Health
As we have seen, heart and brain health are closely connected. Research shows that the same lifestyle habits that protect your heart can also lower inflammation, improve blood flow to the brain, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Use the following checklist as a practical guide to support long-term cardiovascular and neurological health.
Adopt a Heart- and Brain-Protective Diet
Build most meals around whole, anti-inflammatory foods that nourish blood vessels and brain cells.
Prioritize:
- Leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula)
- Berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries)
- Beans and lentils
- Walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds
- Extra virgin olive oil and avocados
- Garlic, turmeric, ginger, rosemary
- Green tea and herbal teas
Limit:
- Ultra-processed foods
- Refined sugar and white flour
- Fried foods and trans fats
- Processed meats and excessive alcohol
Balance Blood Sugar and Insulin
Blood sugar instability damages arteries and accelerates cognitive decline.
- Center meals around fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based proteins
- Avoid sugary beverages and frequent snacking
- Walk for 10–15 minutes after each meal
- Start the day with protein- and fiber-rich foods
Move Your Body Daily
Physical activity increases circulation, lowers blood pressure, and supports memory and learning.
Aim for:
- At least 30 minutes of walking most days
- Strength training two to three times per week
- Low-impact movement like yoga, swimming, or cycling
- Brief movement breaks every hour
Address Chronic Inflammation
Long-term inflammation contributes to arterial damage and brain degeneration.
Adopt anti-inflammatory habits:
- Eat omega-3-rich foods (walnuts, flax, chia, wild-caught fatty fish)
- Cook with herbs and spices regularly
- Consume a wide variety of colorful plant foods
- Include fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and coconut yogurt
Make Rejuvenating Sleep Non-Negotiable
Quality sleep supports blood pressure regulation and clears harmful proteins from the brain.
Focus on:
- Getting 7–9 hours of deep sleep nightly
- Going to bed and waking up at consistent times
- Avoiding screens at least one hour before bed
- Sleeping in a dark, cool room
- Including magnesium-rich foods such as pumpkin seeds, whole grains, and leafy greens
- Utilizing calming and relaxing herbs, like those found in Nicole’s Apothecary Sleep Blend Tincture.
Botanical Support for Cardiovascular and Cognitive Health
Heart Health
Our convenient Heart & Blood Sugar Support Bundle is formulated to encourage cardiovascular, metabolic, and brain health using four time-honored botanicals. This bundle includes dual-extracted, fruiting body tinctures of cordyceps, reishi, and turkey tail medicinal mushrooms — each chosen for their ability to support stress resilience, lower cholesterol, cool inflammation, improve heart function, and balance blood sugar levels. Also included is a powerful lemon balm tincture, known for its calming, mood-lifting, and cognitive-supporting properties. These concentrated extracts work synergistically to support heart and metabolic health; promote mental clarity, improve memory, and boost cognitive function; and help to protect the body from stress.
Brain Health
For cognitive health, we believe there is no better option than our Brain Bundle. This collection includes dual-extracted, fruiting body cordyceps, lion’s mane, and reishi medicinal mushrooms, along with lemon balm.
Cordyceps is known for supporting blood sugar balance, cardiovascular health, and cellular protection, while also showing promise for fatigue, inflammation, and neuroprotection. Lion’s mane is widely studied for enhancing memory, learning, and overall cognitive function, encouraging nerve growth, supporting mood and sleep, and showing potential benefits for conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Reishi is a deeply restorative adaptogen that helps to calm the stress response, support healthy blood sugar levels, promote quality sleep, and reduce inflammation. Lemon balm helps to improve sleep quality, support focus and memory, protect against oxidative stress, and balance blood sugar levels.
If you’re ready to support your heart and brain with clinically-informed herbal formulations that deliver real results, visit Nicole’s Apothecary today by tapping the link below.
Heart–Brain Health FAQ
What is the heart–brain axis?
The heart–brain axis refers to the close connection between cardiovascular health and brain health. Poor heart health can reduce blood flow to the brain, increasing the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.
How are heart disease and Alzheimer’s connected?
They share common drivers, including impaired circulation, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and overlapping genetic risk factors such as APOE.
Can heart problems raise dementia risk?
Yes. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart failure significantly increase the risk of dementia and memory loss.
Does improving heart health lower Alzheimer’s risk?
Research suggests that protecting cardiovascular health through diet, exercise, stress management, and metabolic support may reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
What lifestyle habits support both heart and brain health?
Eating an anti-inflammatory whole-food diet, exercising regularly, balancing blood sugar, managing stress, and getting quality sleep.
What foods support heart and cognitive health?
Leafy greens, berries, beans, walnuts, flax and chia seeds, olive oil, avocados, fermented foods, green tea, and medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s mane, reishi, turkey tail, and cordyceps.
Why is blood sugar important for brain health?
Blood sugar imbalance damages blood vessels and increases inflammation, which are strongly linked to both heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
How can herbs support heart and brain health?
Certain herbs and medicinal mushrooms help support circulation, lower blood lipids and cholesterol, improve stress resilience, balance sugar levels, and provide neuroprotection. See Nicole’s Apothecary Brain Bundle and Heart & Blood Sugar Support Bundle for targeted herbal support.
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References
- Leszek, Jerzy et al. “The Links between Cardiovascular Diseases and Alzheimer’s Disease.” Current neuropharmacology vol. 19,2 (2021): 152-169. doi:10.2174/1570159X18666200729093724
- Anupriya Sinha, Natasha Jaiswal, Pooja Jadiya, Dhanendra Tomar, Mitochondrial connection to Alzheimer’s disease and heart failure, Current Opinion in Physiology, Volume 44, 2025. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468867325000185
- “Cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s genetically linked: Managing cholesterol, triglycerides may reduce Alzheimer’s risk, study suggests” by Jim Dryden, WashU Medicine News Release, November 9, 2018. https://medicine.washu.edu/news/cardiovascular-disease-alzheimers-genetically-linked/
- Testai, Fernando D et al. “Cardiac Contributions to Brain Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Stroke vol. 55,12 (2024): e425-e438. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STR.0000000000000476
- Al-Kuraishy, Hayder M et al. “Amyloid-β and heart failure in Alzheimer’s disease: the new vistas.” Frontiers in medicine vol. 12 1494101. 4 Feb. 2025, doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1494101
