Tom Murphy
RedwoodAge.com
Here's another reason to watch your cholesterol levels: it's a warning of a sharply higher risk of dementia later in life.
A large, lengthy study of 9,844 adults four the risk of Alzheimer's rises 66 percent for people who had cholesterol levels over 240 in midlife. Even those with levels from 200-239 had a 52 percent greater risk, according to the analysis by Kaiser Permanente and the University of Kuopio in Finland.
The study measured cholesterol levels among Kaiser's members in Northern California from 1964 to 1973, then tracked them for 40 years, making it the largest, long-term study of the connection of cholesterol and late-life dementia. It also looked at both dementia resulting from Alzheimer's and vascular disease.
Of those in the study, 598 developed dementia between 1994 and 2007, when they were 61-88 years old.
"Our study shows that even moderately high cholesterol levels in your 40s puts people at greater risk for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia decades later," said Rachel Whitmer, an epidemiologist at Kaiser's Division of Research.
"Considering that nearly 100 million Americans have either high or borderline cholesterol levels, this is a disturbing finding," she said. "The good news here is that what is good for the heart is also good for the mind, and this is an early risk factor for dementia that can be modified and managed by lowering cholesterol through healthy lifestyle changes."
Growing Evidence
The study adds to a growing body of work that points to the importance of diagnosing
and lowering dementia risks in midlife, long before the symptoms of
dementia appear. For example, a recent study involving a small number of lab
mice suggested ties between caffeine
and Alzheimer's.
It's long been known that certain foods can reduce levels of "bad" cholesterol. Whole grains, like brown rice and oatmeal, along with some fruits and vegetables, including garlic and apples, have been shown to help.
Regular exercise like walking, biking and jogging also helps. Drugs like statins and polysterols can help with diet and exercise aren't enough. Individuals should see their doctors for tests and suggestions.
Different Types
The study's lead author, Dr. Alina Solomon of the University of Kuopio, said the
study also confirms prior finding of risk factors for the two different types of
dementia. Most dementia in later life stems from Alzheimer's as a protein cloud
surrounds neural cell endings. However, a large number also stems from vascular
problems.
"Dementia and cardiovascular disease are common major health problems, share several risk factors and often occur simultaneously, interacting with one another," she said. "A holistic approach that addresses multiple major health problems simultaneously is needed to effectively manage these disorders."
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, didn't determine the mechanics of how the dementia grew.
