Lower Cholesterol Cuts Risk of Dementia
I’m demented already, so I might not be the best person to talk about this, but new research in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders claims keeping cholesterol levels in check, i.e. low, reduces your likelihood of Alzheimer's disease.
Between 1994 and 2007, a review of their medical records showed that 469 had Alzheimer's disease and 127 had vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, which is caused by clogged blood vessels and other conditions affecting the blood supply to the brain.
Compared to people with "desirable" cholesterol levels below 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) in midlife, the risk of Alzheimer's disease three decades later was 57 percent higher in people with high midlife cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL and above.
"Borderline" high cholesterol (200 to 239 mg/dL) tended to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease as well, but the results were not statistically significant.
Or, you can just avoid problem altogether. A plant-based diet staves of heart disease and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Now, I think eating vegetables is better than going nuts—right?
Via Reuters.
Image credit: helgasms!
I really wonder the effect of anti-hyperlipidemics had on these findings. Studies are starting to show that many commonly prescribed medications (cholesterol and bladder control meds) are causing dementia-like symptoms, and are often simply diagnosed as organic rather than drug related.