Can Good Cholesterol Contribute to Dementia? The scientists’ findings are surprising
Not only “bad” cholesterol, but also “good” cholesterol may contribute to the occurrence of dementia. This happens in one, precisely defined case. Australian scientists came to a surprising conclusion.
Dementia is a civilization problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 55 million people around the world suffer from it. There are many factors that increase the risk of developing this disease, including: smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity or unhealthy diet. However, this is not the end of the list. Australian scientists added another surprising point.
High levels of “good” cholesterol and dementia
Specialists from Monash University organized a study involving nearly 19,000 people over 70 years of age. Experts followed the volunteers for over six years. It turned out that not only “bad” but also “good” cholesterol (high density lipoprotein, HDL) may contribute to the occurrence of dementia. This happens in one, precisely defined case – when its level in the body is much too high (exceeds 79 mg/dl). Excess high-density lipoprotein in the blood increases the likelihood of developing dementia by 27 percent (compared to people who have normal HDL cholesterol). In the group of people over 75 years of age, the risk is even higher and amounts to 42 percent.
However, the authors of the study emphasize that further research is needed to understand why high levels of “good” cholesterol affect brain health and the development of dementia. Discovering the relationship between the mentioned variables may in the future help predict the risk of dementia in the elderly population. It is worth paying attention to one more important issue here – the optimal concentration of HDL cholesterol in the blood, according to experts, is in the range of 40-60 mg/dl and 50-60 mg/dl, suitable for men and women.
How does dementia manifest itself?
Dementia develops slowly and does not show any obvious symptoms for a long time. Over time, patients begin to have more and more memory problems. They withdraw from social contacts. They lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. They have frequent mood swings. They forget the meaning of words. They put things in unusual places. They react inadequately to the existing situation. They are quick to anger. The severity of the indicated changes varies and depends on the stage of the disease. So far, no effective method of preventing dementia has been found. The treatment used only slows down the progression of the disease.
