Dementia
Dementia is a general term that encompasses the impaired ability of a person to think, remember, and make decisions. It can interfere with what a person typically does every day. One of the most common types of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. It is essential to know that while dementia primarily affects older people, it is not a part of the normal aging process. Many older adults do not have dementia. Included in normal aging are the stiffening of vessels and arteries, the weakening of bones and muscles, and some memory changes related to age, such as temporary forgetfulness.
Recent research further proves a relationship exists between blood glucose levels, high triglycerides, and good cholesterol (HDL). Early intervention to maintain healthy levels of HDL, glucose, and triglyceride lowers the risk of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease.
In a French study conducted over four years, researchers found that high triglycerides or hypertriglyceridemia increase a person’s risk of developing dementia two times. They conducted the study among 65-year-old subjects. The most recent study on the connection between high triglycerides and dementia was in 2021, which was the most extensive study to date, involving researchers from London, Madrid, and Japan. The researchers studied the data from more than 950,000 people. The study revealed that people who had high LDL cholesterol recording in their 40s were diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s during the follow-up study after 15 years.
