Surprising factors related to Alzheimer’s Disease

I recently read an interesting article about Alzheimer’s Disease and factors (such as life choices and health conditions) that seem to be related to having an increased risk of developing it. I’m glad to see a growing awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) prevention, since rates have increased significantly over the past few decades. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering why there are more and more cases every year. Currently, statistics say your chances are 1 in 9 if you are over 65 years old, and if you’re over 85, it’s one in three. We still don’t know what causes AD, and so far, it hasn’t been very clear what we can do to prevent this crippling disease. It concerns me that we know so little about this condition and worse, we have no effective treatment.

AD is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain, causing memory loss and difficulty with processing thoughts and language. Not only is the disease itself troubling, but also how much it impacts close family members and caregivers. It’s a difficult disease to manage at the patient’s home, so it usually requires living in a nursing facility to receive full-time care.

I feel hopeful that the results of this recent study on AD might help scientists better identify preventative measures we can take to reduce the risk of developing AD. The study also helps us understand which health conditions are most predictive and need to be treated. The data that was gathered was particularly strong because it came from over 300 other studies and includes a total of over 5000 AD patients. This type of study is called a meta-analysis, meaning information was collected from multiple past studies instead of just one, therefore it’s more robust. The scientists then evaluate all the collective information to see where there were strong consistencies, in order to determine which risk factors were dominant. These following are the specific conditions that seemed to correlate most strongly with the risk of developing AD:

1. a high body mass index (overweight or obese) in middle-age
2. carotid artery disease (atherosclerosis)
3. high blood pressure
4. depression
5. being frail and unfit
6. having a lower education
7. having high levels of homocysteine
8. being a smoker
9. having Type 2 diabetes

They found a strong protective effect from five dietary factors: coffee intake, light to moderate drinking (alcohol), folic acid, and the antioxidants vitamin E and C. Eating a Mediterranean diet, rich in omega 3 fats, with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables also was protective. These are also appropriate dietary recommendations for general wellbeing.

I’m curious about the list of heath conditions because several are related. Being overweight was one, which is closely tied to two other factors: high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Losing weight typically causes both issues to improve. So I wonder if just focusing on maintaining a healthy weight would significantly reduce the overall chances of developing Alzheimer’s Disease? It’s just a theory, but it sure would be an interesting research study!

Weight loss can be a real challenge for some people, and sometimes it’s for reasons beyond their control. If weight loss happens to be an issue for you, be sure to read this article about the importance of proper thyroid function. Many people who struggle with losing weight have low body temperatures. When they normalize their temperatures, many have noticed their weight has come off and stayed off more easily.

Reference:

Xu W, Tan L, Wang H, et al: Meta-analysis of modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 2015;August 21, 2015.