Recent research has shown that lower levels of the “bad” cholesterol (LDL-C) may be significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
In one large observational study over 12 million patients, individuals with LDL-C below 70 mg/dL (≈ 1.8 mmol/L) exhibited a ~26 % lower risk of all-cause dementia and ~28 % lower risk of Alzheimer’s-related dementia compared with those with LDL-C above 130 mg/dL (≈ 3.4 mmol/L).
What’s more, among statin-users achieving LDL-C <70 mg/dL the dementia-risk was additionally reduced by ~13 %–14%.
These findings underscore the suggestion that managing lipid levels — a cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention — also plays a key role in brain health and dementia prevention.
Practical takeaway:
Since high LDL levels are a known risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and now appear to also influence dementia risk, staying on top of your lipid profile is doubly important. Lifestyle modification (diet, exercise, weight and glucose control) plus lipid-lowering therapy when indicated may offer the dual benefit of protecting both heart and brain.
