Low Cholesterol and Dementia
Ronald Grisanti D.C.,D.A.B.C.O., M.S.
A new study in the May 24 issue of the journal Neurology suggests that high cholesterol levels in old age may reduce dementia risk. Although people think of cholesterol as something that's bad for you, it is essential for many bodily functions, including the maintaining of proper brain functioning. The study included 392 men and women, all 70-year-old residents of Goteborg, Sweden. The participants of the study were followed over an 18-year period. Each had a series of assessments performed, including a physical, an EKG, a chest X-ray, a battery of blood tests and a neuropsychiatric examination. The study found high total cholesterol
levels were associated with a reduced risk of dementia between ages 75 and
79.
It is becoming more and more apparent that we cannot rely on simple answers; for example, that high cholesterol is always bad and low cholesterol is always good," Mielke said. "It may depend on when a person has high cholesterol." Dr. Grisanti's Comments:
Research will continue to prove that lowering cholesterol will have life-altering negative effects. Members Click Here for Special Indepth Report on Preventing Alzheimers
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Reference M. M. Mielke, P. P. Zandi, M. Sjögren, D. Gustafson, S. Östling, B. Steen, and I. Skoog High total cholesterol levels in late life associated with a reduced risk of dementia Neurology 2005 64: 1689-1695
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