The Link Between High ‘Good Cholesterol’ Levels and Dementia Risk: New Research Findings

2024-03-08 04:46:17

[The Epoch Times, March 08, 2024](Reported by Epoch Times reporter Linda) A new study shows that high levels of “good cholesterol” in the blood may be related to an increased risk of dementia. However, experts are divided on the extent to which these data support a clear link between blood cholesterol and the development of dementia. Still, new research may help develop drugs to treat dementia.

Dementia is an umbrella term for decline in memory, language, problem-solving skills and general cognitive function. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 5.8 million people with dementia in the United States, most of whom are over the age of 65.

Scientists don’t yet have a cure for the disease; however, catching it early may slow its symptoms. Therefore, it is crucial to look for early indicators of dementia.

Researchers from Australia, the United States and Germany have identified a clear link between dementia rates and high levels of “good” cholesterol in the blood by retrospectively analyzing data from nearly 20,000 people over the age of 65.

Cholesterol is a waxy fat molecule that plays an important role in hormone production, digestion, cell membrane integrity, and the production of important vitamins such as vitamin D. Cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins and travels through the body through the blood.

There are two main types of lipoproteins that transport cholesterol: high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The cholesterol carried by HDL is often called “good cholesterol” because it carries excess cholesterol from other parts of the body to the liver, preventing it from accumulating in the arteries.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is commonly known as “bad cholesterol” because it carries cholesterol to arteries and accumulates on the blood vessel walls, which may eventually lead to blood clots or blockages.

Meanwhile, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is associated with lower cardiovascular disease. However, new research links “good” cholesterol to several other age-related diseases, such as macular degeneration, sepsis, bone fractures, and now possibly dementia.

new research results

Andrew Doig, professor of biochemistry at the University of Manchester (UoM), who was not involved in the study, said: “We have long known that ‘good cholesterol’ is beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Risks. And this study shows that maybe it’s not all a good thing, it may also increase the risk of dementia.”

This new study published in the journal “The Lancet Regional Health—Western Pacific” on November 29 found that when the HDL-C content exceeds 80 mg per 100 ml of blood, patients The risk of dementia increases by 27%. People over 75 are most at risk.

“The impact is not huge, but it is real,” Doig said. “Studying a large sample of nearly 20,000 people can draw conclusions regarding the link between HDL-C levels and Alzheimer’s disease.” Conclusions of significance. The authors took into account a number of complex factors that may have affected the results. These included gender, country, frailty, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, education level, other types of cholesterol, intelligence, high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, genetics wait.”

Doig also pointed out that this association does not mean that high levels of HDL-C actually directly cause dementia.

“There may be other factors affecting both events, such as genetic links that we currently don’t know regarding,” he said. “This study only looked at healthy white people from Australia and the United States, so it may not include other ethnic groups.”

Different opinions from various parties

Gordon Wilcock, emeritus professor of gerontology at the University of Oxford, agrees that it’s difficult to draw firm conclusions from these associations. “This is an important study, but there are conflicting reports on the potential role between this type of cholesterol and dementia, and I think it (high levels of HDL-C) may ultimately be found to be something else. indicators of disease, or simply not related[to dementia].” He told Newsweek: “Until the evidence is more conclusive, I would not consider lifestyle changes to adjust ‘good cholesterol’ levels. Even then If this relationship is confirmed, it may only be relevant to a few people.”

David Curtis, a professor at the Institute of Genetics at University College London (UCL), told Newsweek that the observed association may not be statistically significant either.

“It is questionable whether this study shows a real effect. The main idea is that very high ‘good cholesterol’ is associated with an increased risk of dementia, but the confidence interval for the risk ratio almost includes 1, which means that the results may Quite by chance.” “In fact, when accounting for the APOE genotype, a known risk factor for dementia, the confidence interval actually did include 1, so the results were not statistically significant,” Curtis said. “This is a post hoc data analysis, and if people look for correlations, they are bound to stumble across some.”

Even so, the new research opens the door to further research that might ultimately identify concentrations of certain molecules in the blood as markers for early-stage dementia.

“We need to be able to diagnose dementia earlier and more accurately,” Doig said. “Although HDL-C levels by themselves don’t play a role, adding it may improve diagnosis. More research is needed to figure out why HDL-C levels There appears to be a link between -C levels and dementia. Perhaps there are disease pathways between the two that we currently don’t know regarding. If so, this might provide new ways to develop anti-dementia drugs. This is all speculative, but It’s worth studying because we urgently need better ways to treat dementia.” ◇

Editor in charge: Ye Ziwei

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