Alzheimer's disease affects over 5.1 million Americans, according to the National Institutes on Aging. Symptoms include dementia and loss of daily lifestyle skills. High cholesterol, on the other hand, is generally a symptomless disorder. Recent research, however, has found that vascular disorders such as high cholesterol may have a link to Alzheimer's disease, and reducing the risk for elevated cholesterol may reduce the risk for Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's Basics
Alzheimer's disease can affect younger adults, but most often occurs after age 60. The risk for developing Alzheimer's doubles every five years after age 65, making age the most important risk factor. Family history is also a factor, but most notably for the rarer form of Alzheimer's disease that develops before age 60. There is no known cause for Alzheimer's but scientists have found that the brains of Alzheimer's patients consist of amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and loss of connections between nerve cells. Symptoms vary between individuals, but some signs include memory loss, difficulty with daily tasks, restlessness and agitation. Specialized neurologists and psychiatrists can diagnose Alzheimer's effectively using thorough cognitive and medical tests.
Research
Research suggests that lowering cholesterol may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. A 2010 study in the "Archives of Neurology" found a link between high levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol -- often considered good cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from tissues -- and a lower risk for Alzheimer's. Another 2009 study in the journal "Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders" found that elevated cholesterol during midlife -- during your 40s -- might be associated with a risk for Alzheimer's and other dementia-causing diseases later in life. This may underscore the need for reducing Alzheimer's risk with cholesterol management earlier in life.
Cholesterol and Alzheimer's
High cholesterol can affect your arteries, making them hard and narrowed, and reducing blood flow needed by organs such as the heart and brain. With severely impacted blood flow to the heart, heart attack can occur. Similarly, less than optimal blood flow to the brain may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's. Doctors consider total cholesterol over 200 mg/dL as elevated. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol is bad because it helps deliver cholesterol to the tissues. Optimally, LDL should be below 100 mg/dL. HDL, on the other hand, should be higher, and above 60 mg/dL is best. According to a study cited by the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, higher levels of HDL -- about 55 mg/dL or higher -- link to lowered risk for Alzheimer's.
Cholesterol Management Tips
If you have elevated cholesterol, you should aim to reduce cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg per day. Limit saturated fat, found in animal products such as poultry with the skin on and fatty cuts of red meat, to less than 7 percent of total daily calories. Fiber intake is also important in reducing cholesterol. Consuming fruits and vegetables, especially with the skin on, as well as whole grains such as oatmeal and brown rice, will help with cholesterol management, and possibly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
References
- National Institute on Aging: Alzheimer's Disease; March 2010
- National Institutes of Health: Lowering Cholesterol with TLC
- "Archives of Neurology";Association of Higher Levels of High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Elderly Individuals and Lower Risk of Late-onset Alzheimer Disease; C. Reitz et al.; December 2010
- "Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders"; Midlife Serum Cholesterol and Increased Risk of Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia Three Decades Later; A. Solomon et al.; 2009
- Fisher's Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation: 'Good' Cholesterol May Lower Your Alzheimer's Risk; May 2011
