Midlife Cholesterol Tied to Alzheimers
Reported April 18, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Heart disease is the most well known complication of high cholesterol, motivating many to cut the fat, exercise and take cholesterol-lowering drugs. But results of a new study showing high cholesterol in your 40s is a risk factor for another troubling disease could prompt more people to fight the fat.
Alzheimers disease — the most common cause of dementia, which affects memory, attention, language and problem solving — has been linked to high cholesterol in ones midlife. Researchers say in a recent study, people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimers disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198 milligrams.
High mid-life cholesterol increased the risk of Alzheimers disease regardless of midlife diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke, study author Alina Solomon, M.D., with the University of Kuopio in Finland, was quoted as saying. Our findings show it would be best for both physicians and patients to attack high cholesterol levels in their 40s to reduce the risk of dementia.
To keep cholesterol under control, the American Heart Association recommends eating foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat and free of trans fats. They also say maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active will help control cholesterol levels.
SOURCE: Presented at the American Academy of Neurologys 60th Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12-19, 2008