Midlife high cholesterol levels increase the risk of elderly dementia by up to 40%

PUTNEY, U.K. - Nov. 16, 2023 - PRLog -- There's bad news for those of us planning to eat lots of treats over Christmas. High cholesterol levels in middle age can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia in our later years by up to 40%. Alzheimer's/dementia is the leading cause of death in England.

Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), Clinical Lead at London Medical Laboratory, says: 'The link between high cholesterol levels in middle age and the later onset of dementia now seems to be proven. A wealth of research points to the fact that high – or even moderately elevated – cholesterol in midlife is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia.

'Anyone planning to feast on red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb, this Christmas may want to think again. Traditional treats such as pigs in blankets are particularly problematic, as sausage and bacon are both processed meats high in saturated fats. Sadly, full-fat dairy, including cream, whole milk and butter, should also be reduced this Christmas, as these foods are known to increase the risk of high cholesterol.

'Why exactly does high cholesterol increase the risk of dementia? This year, breakthrough research by the Heart Research Institute UK has found LDL, so-called "bad" cholesterol, aggregates a protein called "tau" between neurons, which cross the blood-brain barrier and can lead to dementia. The Institute claims up to 40% of a person's dementia risk can be attributed to modifiable risk factors such as diet.

'This finding mirrors earlier research, published in the journal Neurology, which found high midlife cholesterol levels increased the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease three decades later. Worryingly, this research also found that even moderately elevated cholesterol in midlife was associated with an increased long-term risk of Alzheimer's. Clearly, there is a need for expanded cholesterol level testing to rapidly identify who is at risk, across all age groups.

'London Medical Laboratory's revolutionary and convenient home finger-prick Cholesterol Profile test measures total cholesterol, LDL "bad cholesterol", HDL "good" cholesterol, non-HDL (a newly adopted, more accurate, measure) and other key markers. It can be taken at home through the post, or at one of the many drop-in clinics that offer these tests across London and nationwide in over 95 selected pharmacies and health stores. For full details, see: https://www.londonmedicallaboratory.com/product/cholesterol-profile