Interview Summary…
(To view tHIS INTERVIEW CLICK HERE)
(Transcript summary by ChatGPT edited by Kirk Hamilton PA)
The interview features Kirk Hamilton PA in discussion with John Lewis, PhD, focusing on a novel aloe polymannose-based dietary supplement (APMC) and its potential role in improving cognition in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Lewis outlines his interdisciplinary background in physiology, biostatistics, and clinical research, which positioned him to investigate complex nutritional interventions, and describes how a long-standing collaboration with a pathologist researching aloe-derived polysaccharides led to a human clinical trial funded by a family affected by Alzheimer’s. The supplement—containing aloe polymannose (acemannan), rice bran polysaccharides, N-acetylcysteine, tart cherry, lecithin, and other nutraceutical components—was designed not as a single-agent therapy but as a broad-spectrum nutritional formulation aimed at supporting cellular function, immune modulation, and inflammatory balance. In a 12-month trial of 34 elderly patients with advanced Alzheimer’s (many with multiple comorbidities), participants continued their usual care while adding the supplement, and results demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvements in cognitive performance (ADAS-Cog), alongside favorable immunologic shifts including improved CD4/CD8 ratios, reduced inflammatory markers (TNF-alpha, VEGF), increased stem cell markers (CD14), and better balance of TH1/TH2 immune responses. Additional analyses showed that higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) correlated with better cognitive outcomes, reinforcing mechanistic plausibility. Dr. Lewis emphasizes that these polysaccharides function as bioactive signaling molecules rather than simple “sugars,” challenging conventional negative perceptions of carbohydrates, and notes generally excellent tolerability with minimal adverse effects. While acknowledging limitations such as small sample size and need for replication, he presents the findings as clinically meaningful given the severity of disease studied and lack of alternative treatments, framing the supplement as an adjunct within a broader lifestyle and functional medicine approach rather than a standalone cure.
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The Role of an Aloe Polymannose-Based Dietary Supplement (APMC) in the Management of Neurologic Disorders Such as Alzheimer’s Disease
John Lewis, PhD
Dr. Lewis Nutrition®
5927 SW 70th Street, #431651
South Miami, FL 33143
ph. +1 (305) 506-0806
john@drjohnlewis.com
jelewis@miami.edu
“The Characterization of the Th1/Th2 Ratio in Moderate-Severe Alzheimer’s Disease Patients and Its Response to an Aloe Polymannose-Based Dietary Supplement.
Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2023;96(4):1723-1737 (3/2026)
Kirk Hamilton: Can you please share with me your educational background and current position?
John Lewis: I have BS and MS degrees from the University of Tennessee in business administration and human physiology, respectively, and I have a PhD from the University of Miami in educational and psychological studies. I am the Founder and President of Dr Lewis Nutrition® and past full-time Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and now Voluntary Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. I am also a Diplomate, Faculty Member, and Advisor of the Medical Wellness Association.
KH: What got you interested in creating a product for Alzheimer’s disease? Did it happen by intention or by accident (i.e., you gave something a product and their cognition improved)?
JL: My research in polysaccharides was due entirely to meeting two people: Dr. Reg McDaniel (aloe vera) and Ms. Barbara Kimley (rice bran). Both of them came into my life about 20 years ago and shared with me their incredible stories about their own journeys using these two particular nutrients; neither of whom knew the other. Dr. Reg in particular had been working with the aloe polysaccharides for over 20 years before meeting me, and he had been working on various formulas with these polysaccharides in many different diseases and disorders (health challenges). When he and I met, we had the opportunity to run a clinical trial in Alzheimer’s based on some of his previous work with those patients anecdotally. He gave a lecture at a conference about his work, and a lady in the audience decided to donate money to research to advance the work. I happened to be in the right place at the right time at the University of Miami to conduct the research, as Dr. Reg was not affiliated with a university or research organization. We put the formula together for the study and the rest is history (as they say), so this was totally by accident for me, but it has been career- and life-altering.
KH: How long have you been studying and using an “aloe polymannose multinutrient complex (APMC)” product? Can you explain what an “aloe polymannose multinutrient complex (APMC)” is and the functions of its components with relationship to Alzheimer’s Disease/cognition? I know you have been working on it since at least 2013 when you published The effect of an aloe polymannose multinutrient complex on cognitive and immune functioning in Alzheimer’s disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2013;33(2):393-406?
JL: The APMC formula is now called Daily Brain Care by Dr Lewis Nutrition®. The study began around 2009, so this is now going on almost 20 years of working with this formula. I came up with the original APMC name to be generic for scientific purposes, but also to denote the importance of the aloe polysaccharide component and also that it contains other (hence, multi) nutrients. It was not meant to be a magic bullet or a one-nutrient product that is so typical of the Big Pharma approach, but rather to supply many different nutrients and compounds that are typically missing in the modern diet. So, in addition to the aloe polysaccharides, it contains stabilized rice bran, golden flaxseed, sunflower lecithin, dioscorea, tart cherry, NAC, Ultra Terra clay, IP-6, citric acid, and vanilla; all with unique and powerful contributions to the overall efficacy of the product. The first reference you mentioned above was the first of four papers we have published from this study; all with unparalleled effects in the scientific literature in this patient population.
KH: Why did you want to do this study?
JL: This study represented an opportunity for me to take a step in my journey not only as a scientist, but as an eventual proponent of the power of aloe and rice bran polysaccharides. Based on the entirety of our research at the University of Miami (not even including all of the other research being conducted by others around the world on these polysaccharides), I am confident that these polysaccharides are unlike just about anything else that Mother Nature provides us for a healing effect, with the possible exception of properly formulated curcumin. Otherwise, nothing else comes close in my experience. Running this study on Alzheimer’s also provided me with the opportunity to now say that no other study in this patient population comes close to showing what we have demonstrated with our dietary supplement.
KH: When you created this product did you plan it to be a general health enhancer or did you know this would help the brain specifically in improving cognition? If so for cognition what mechanisms of action did you think this product would enhance?
JL: This formula was going to be about general overall health, particularly for immune function and inflammation based on a lot of previous work. We were optimistic that the cognitive function of Alzheimer’s patients would improve based on some anecdotal evidence, but we were not certain of that till we ran the study. We also did not know what specific mechanisms of action would be affected till we ran the study, and then when we showed the change in brain derived neurotrophic factor, the clinical (cognitive) change made sense. We still have more ideas about mechanisms of action, and we are about to get some of those answers in an upcoming analysis of our samples.
KH: Can you tell us about your study and the basic results?
JL: In a sample of Alzheimer’s patients (average age = 79.9 years) with moderate to severe disease diagnosed for at least 1 year taking the equivalent of 4 scoops per day of Daily Brain Care for 12 months:
a) According to the ADAS-cog cognition scale (the gold standard for assessing cognition in dementia), cognitive function clinically (>4 points) and statistically (p<0.05) significantly improved from baseline to 9 and 12 months follow-up
b) Interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and vascular endothelial growth factor significantly decreased from baseline to 12 months follow-up indicating improved inflammatory status, potentially suggesting mechanistic explanations of reversals of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation that are hallmarks of this disease
c) The CD4+/CD8+ ratio significantly improved from baseline to 12 months follow-up, suggesting overall immune function was enhanced, while simultaneously reversing immune senescence (aging) and systemic inflammation
d) The percentage of CD14+ monocytes (a marker of adult stem cells) significantly improved from baseline to 12 months by just under 300%, suggesting another mechanistic explanation for why the clinical (cognitive) improvements were observed
e) Brain-derived neurotrophic factor modestly improved from baseline to 12 months follow-up, which also helps to add mechanistic support for the clinical improvements that were observed, and its level was also related to improvements in cognitive and immune function and inflammation
f) The Th1/Th2 ratio, according to IL-2/IL-10, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)/IL-10, IL-2/IL-4, IFN-γ/IL-4, IL-2/TNF-α, and IFN-γ/TNF-α, was significantly higher than in healthy controls at baseline, five of the six ratios decreased from baseline to 12 months follow-up (other than IL-2/TNF-α), and several significant relationships were noted between the changes in Th1/Th2 ratios with cognitive assessments
KH: How did you figure out a dosing for this combination product? Were you studying their singular effects on cognition first and then put them together or just put them together from the beginning?
JL: Dosing was based on a combination of what Dr. Reg had used in previous formulations combined with what other studies had shown to be efficacious doses for particular ingredients. The ingredients were combined from the beginning of the study.
KH: Were there any side effects with this APMC supplement?
JL: A couple of subjects noted a slight loose stool at the beginning of the study, which has rarely occurred in other cases outside the study (e.g., customers purchasing the product). This is almost assuredly a detox reaction to the chelators in the formula, i.e., the Ultra Terra clay, NAC, and citric acid. I cannot entirely rule out that these rare cases might have a legitimate allergy or sensitivity to one or more of the ingredients, but these reports have been so exceedingly rare. When this type of reaction occurs, I explain that this means that the product is actually working to detox out things that should not be there, and if the dose is decreased and slowly increased, then the detox will be much gentler to the point of almost not noticing it. Unfortunately, some people are not that patient and would prefer not to deal with it. Otherwise, Daily Brain Care is completely safe for all ages and it is appropriate for anyone who wants to have better health. I have been taking it for over 10 years, Mom has been on it for about 13 years, both my children started taking it when they were 6 months old, and my wife started taking it when she was pregnant with our first child.
KH: How much does it cost a month? Because you are looking at it as a lifetime supplement essentially?
JL: Daily Brain Care in capsules is $40 per bottle (30 servings) and in powder is $64 per bottle (60 servings). The amount it costs per month depends on how much you take, but compared to many other products for the level of efficacy the value is unmatched. Everyone should take this supplement for life because it is an incredibly powerful tool to put in the health toolbox.
KH: How would you like to study this topic in the future? What is your dream study?
JL: We are in the process of conducting more research on our frozen samples from the first study. Next, we hope to run a new clinical trial in Alzheimer’s disease that would include many more biomarkers than what we included in the first study. We will hopefully conduct research in other areas as well, e.g., type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
KH: Do you have any further comments you would like to make?
JL: The polysaccharides in Daily Brain Care are incomparable to any other nutrient to my knowledge. This product also has more research supporting it than arguably any other product on the market. Also, it is appropriate for anyone, not just people concerned about brain health because every cell in the body utilizes these nutrients.
KH: Tell about your optimal lifestyle habits that would go along with this supplement to optimize its effectiveness in improving cognition? Diet, exercise, sleep etc.
JL: I have been eating a whole-food, plant-based diet for 27 years. I work out nearly every day, particularly high-intensity weight training. As a former drug-free, competitive bodybuilder, this is the type of exercise that I prefer. I have never used tobacco, and I do not drink any alcohol (for about the last 15 years). I try to sleep 6-8 hours per night, but that is currently a bit difficult due to our 16-month-old son who sleeps with me. I also drink clean filtered water.
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Kirk Hamilton PA-C
Health Associates Medical Group
3301 Alta Arden, Suite 3
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 489-4400 (w)
krhammer@surewest.net
www.StayingHealthyToday.com
www.HealthyLivingforBusypeople.com
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To Discuss Medical Questions or Make an Appointment Call Kirk Hamilton PA at 916-489-4400