Dr. Dayan Goodenowe — The Man Who Studied Health Instead of Disease
Blog post description.
7/19/20265 min read
Modern medicine is incredibly powerful when it comes to diagnosing and treating disease. But the traditional approach often begins with a different question than you might expect: What’s wrong with this person?
From there, the body is typically divided into specialized systems—cardiology, neurology, endocrinology—and treatments are developed to address the malfunction.
But one scientist asked a very different question.
Instead of studying disease, Dr. Dayan Goodenowe began studying health itself.
What makes a person resilient? What molecules are consistently present in people who live longer, healthier lives?
By focusing on what sustains life, he discovered something remarkable—one class of molecules appears repeatedly as a fundamental requirement for human health.
Those molecules are called Plasmalogens.
A Different Way to Study Medicine
Most biomedical research follows a familiar path:
Identify a disease.
Study what goes wrong.
Try to correct the problem.
This approach has saved countless lives. However, it also tends to focus on pathology rather than vitality.
Dr. Goodenowe approached the problem from the opposite direction.
Instead of studying what fails in disease, he studied what consistently exists in healthy individuals.
He compared people who were:
cognitively healthy
metabolically resilient
living long lives
with those suffering from conditions such as:
Alzheimer’s disease
cardiovascular disease
neurodegeneration
metabolic disorders
Through these comparisons, he began identifying biological early warning signals—molecules whose levels change long before disease appears.
These signals are called prodromes.
What Is a Prodrome?
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A prodrome is an early biological indicator that appears before the symptoms of disease.
In medicine, prodromes are usually discussed in the context of illness—for example, fatigue or fever appearing before an infection becomes obvious.
But in a broader biological sense, prodromes can also represent markers of resilience and health.
They reveal:
whether the body’s systems are functioning optimally
whether the body is moving toward health or toward disease
In other words, prodromes help answer an important question:
Is the body moving toward life—or toward breakdown?
Because health and disease are two sides of the same coin, understanding what sustains health also reveals what leads to illness.
Through this lens, Dr. Goodenowe identified a class of molecules that appears to be one of the most important prodromes of human health.
Those molecules are Plasmalogens.
Before we get into what plasmalogens are, let’s look at some of the published data about plasmalogens, showing their extreme importance to Life and Health
The Evidence: Plasmalogens and Health
Large-scale studies have shown striking differences in plasmalogen levels between healthy individuals and those with disease.
Lifespan and Mortality
Research from the Rush University Memory and Aging Project, which has followed aging individuals for more than two decades, revealed remarkable findings.
Scientists observed:
Up to a 30-year difference in lifespan between individuals with high versus low plasmalogen levels.
A 95-year-old with high plasmalogens had the same probability of living to age 100 as a 65-year-old with low levels had of reaching age 70.
Additional research published by Goodenowe and Senanayake (2019) in Brain Sciences found that low plasmalogen levels are an independent predictor of all-cause mortality.
For example:
An 85-year-old with low plasmalogens has roughly a 70% chance of dying within five years.
An 85-year-old with high plasmalogens has only about a 20% chance.
These findings suggest plasmalogens may serve as a powerful biological marker of resilience and longevity.
Here a woman gives a testimony of regaining vision after 30 years of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) using Dr Dayan Goodenowe’s Plasmalogen formulation.
Brain Health and Dementia
Low plasmalogen levels have also been linked to neurodegenerative disease.
Studies have shown they can predict the onset of dementia years before symptoms appear.
Some research suggests plasmalogens can act as an early biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted by Fujino et al. (2017) and published in EBioMedicine, supplementation with scallop-derived plasmalogens resulted in improvements in memory and increased blood plasmalogen levels in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.
Genetic Risk and APOE4
One of the strongest genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease is the APOE ε4 gene variant.
However, observational studies have found that individuals with high plasmalogen levels may neutralize the elevated dementia risk associated with APOE4.
This suggests plasmalogens may influence how genetic risk manifests in real life.
Early Brain Development
Plasmalogens are also crucial during early life.
A study published in Pediatric Research by Li et al. (2023) analyzed breast milk composition from dozens of mothers and found that lower plasmalogen levels in breast milk predicted neurodevelopmental delay in infants with approximately 75–81% accuracy.
This highlights the importance of plasmalogens in early brain development.
A Fundamental Requirement for Life
Perhaps the strongest evidence for the importance of plasmalogens comes from rare genetic disorders.
Children born with Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata (RCDP) cannot synthesize plasmalogens.
Without these molecules, the body cannot properly form cellular membranes or neural structures.
As a result, affected children often have severe neurological impairment and rarely survive beyond early childhood.
This demonstrates a profound biological truth: plasmalogens are not optional molecules. They are essential for life.
What Are Plasmalogens?
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Plasmalogens are a special class of lipids (fats) found in the membranes of cells.
Unlike ordinary fats, plasmalogens contain a unique chemical structure called a vinyl ether bond, which gives them special biological properties.
They are particularly abundant in organs that require high energy and rapid communication, including:
the brain
the heart
the lungs
the eyes
the kidneys
In fact, plasmalogens can make up 30–50% of certain cellular membranes in these tissues.
This makes them one of the most structurally important molecules in the human body.
Why Plasmalogens Are So Important
1. Membrane Structure and Fluidity
Cell membranes are not just passive barriers. They are dynamic environments where signaling, metabolism, and energy transfer occur.
Plasmalogens help maintain:
membrane flexibility
membrane organization
proper communication between cells
Without them, cellular signaling becomes impaired.
2. Neurotransmitter Release
In the brain, plasmalogens are essential for synaptic function.
They help regulate the process by which neurons release neurotransmitters, including:
acetylcholine
dopamine
glutamate
Research has shown that depletion of plasmalogens disrupts neurotransmission and is strongly associated with neurodegenerative disease.
3. Myelin and Brain Connectivity
Certain plasmalogen species—especially those containing omega-9 fatty acids(Oleic) —are crucial for building the myelin sheath, the protective insulation surrounding nerves.
Healthy myelin is essential for:
cognitive processing
nerve signaling
brain connectivity
Low plasmalogen levels have been associated with conditions such as:
autism spectrum disorders
multiple sclerosis
traumatic brain injury
4. A Sacrificial Antioxidant System
Because of their unique chemical structure, plasmalogens act as powerful protective molecules against oxidative stress.
They function as a sacrificial antioxidant.
When free radicals attack the cell membrane, plasmalogens are the first molecules to react, protecting the rest of the membrane from damage.
This protective role has led some researchers to describe them as the body's “natural fuse box.”
Studying Health to Understand Disease
Dr. Goodenowe’s work highlights a powerful principle:
To understand disease, sometimes the best place to start is health itself.
By studying what allows the body to function optimally, researchers can identify the fundamental molecules that support resilience, longevity, and vitality.
Plasmalogens appear to be one of those molecules.
They serve as a prodrome of health—a biological signal that the body’s systems are functioning as they should.
And when their levels decline, the body becomes more vulnerable to the processes that lead to illness.
In this way, studying health and studying disease ultimately lead to the same destination.
Understanding what sustains life reveals what leads to its breakdown.
Learn More About Plasmalogens
If you would like to explore the science of plasmalogens in greater depth, Dr. Goodenowe and his team have made a large amount of educational material publicly available.
Official Prodrome Website:
The website contains research articles, educational explanations, plasmalogen supplementation , and updates on the latest discoveries related to plasmalogens and their role in human health.
https://prodrome.com/
Dr. Goodenowe’s Educational YouTube Channel:
Dr. Goodenowe also shares lectures, scientific discussions, and educational videos explaining plasmalogens, prodromes, and the biological foundations of health.
https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.Goodenowe
These resources provide a deeper look at the research, clinical findings, and ongoing work exploring how plasmalogens influence aging, brain health, and cellular resilience.
Medical Disclaimer
The information in this article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions related to health, supplements, or medical treatment.
FDA Disclaimer
Statements made regarding dietary supplements or health products have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
*Photo is property of www.prodrome.com
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