High cholesterol levels in your 40s could increase the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease in later life, says a new study into health ofthe middle aged.
The study involved 9,752 people in northern California and researchers discovered that those with high cholesterol levels between ages 40 and 45 were more likely than those with low cholesterol levels to later develop Alzheimer's disease.
The research team presented the results of the findings earlier this week to the American Academy of Neurology in Chicago.
cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease
"Alzheimer's disease does not happen overnight," Dr. Alina Solomon of the University of Kuopio in Finland, who assisted in the study.
Dr Solomon went on to say that Alzheimer's disease had a very long preclinical phase a phase he descibed as a silent phase, this was when it wasn't apparent and showed no signs but the disease was there. Pathological changes in the brain can sometimes develop over decades."
The study found people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198 milligrams. People with total cholesterol levels of 221 to 248 milligrams were more than one-and-a-quarter times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people, and researchers have been attempting to understand its causes and risk factors.
These result follow closely behind those of another U.S. study that showed that having a big belly in middle age may greatly increase one's risk of later developing Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia.
Critics of the findings say that Dr Solomon's previous research had looked at the issue of high cholesterol levels in middle age as a risk factor for later development of dementia, but did not focus specifically on Alzheimer's disease.
The people in the new study underwent detailed health evaluations between 1964 and 1973 when they were ages 40 to 45, including blood cholesterol measurements. The researchers then looked at the cholesterol measurements of the 504 people in the study who developed Alzheimer's disease decades later.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in the body and it is well documented that high levels in the blood can raise one's risk of heart disease.
Physical inactivity, obesity and a fatty diet can contribute to high cholesterol, exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables can lower cholesterol, and cholesterol-lowering drugs are readily available.