Cholesterol Fluctuations & Dementia Risk

Many of us look at our parents' or our own medical reports, or at our own older ones. Then we look at the cholesterol report and think, "Ah... this time it's a little low" or "Oh my... this time it's high again." But have we ever thought that this cholesterol level, which is not a single amount, but constantly going up and down over time, could have a different effect? ​​That's what we're going to talk about today.

What does this latest study say?

A recent large study has found something very important. That is, if the levels of fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood of people over the age of 60 experience significant changes over several years, they are at increased risk of developing dementia, a disease that causes memory loss, in the future.

Simply put, it's not a good thing to have big fluctuations like that, where your cholesterol levels are very low one time, very high the next time you check them, and then low again. According to this study, people with such big fluctuations may have a 23% higher risk of dementia than others.

Another special point about this is that even if some people take medication to control their cholesterol, if they have such big changes in their cholesterol levels, they are also at risk. That means we can imagine how important it is to keep the fat levels in the blood stable and at the same level, even if they take medication.

What exactly is Dementia?

Many people think that dementia is about forgetting things as you get older. That's not entirely wrong, but dementia is a deeper condition than that.

Dementia is a general term for a number of conditions that severely impair memory, thinking, and decision-making abilities to the point where it is impossible to perform daily activities.

This is when brain cells are damaged and gradually destroyed. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. When this condition occurs, a person may forget their family members, find their way home, or even be unable to do simple calculations. Therefore, this is not a normal part of aging, but a condition that requires treatment.

Let's understand the study's findings simply.

This research was conducted by the Mayo Clinic in the United States. They analyzed the health records of 11,571 people over the age of 60 over a period of 10 years. Let's take a look at the main findings of this study.

Why is this happening?

While this study can't say for sure what causes this, researchers have one idea. That is, when blood fat levels fluctuate, it can damage our arteries. Just like dirt builds up inside a water pipe, this fat builds up and the blood vessels begin to narrow.

Think about it, our brain gets the oxygen and nutrients it needs through these blood vessels. So when these vessels become narrow, the blood supply to the brain decreases . When the brain is deprived of blood for a long time, brain cells are damaged and start to die. That's what they believe can lead to dementia.

So what should we do? Should we be afraid?

No, there's no need to panic when you see this. This doesn't mean that everyone with altered cholesterol levels will develop dementia. It just indicates a risk . In other words, this is like an early warning that we get.

Here's what the lead researcher who led this study said:

"Checking cholesterol and triglyceride levels is part of routine medical care when we usually take medication for an illness. By paying attention to changes in the values ​​of these reports over time, we can help us identify people who are at increased risk of dementia in the future."

Therefore, the most important thing you should do when looking at your or your parents' medical reports is to not just look at the current value, but also look at the reports from the past few years . If you see any significant changes, be sure to talk to your doctor about it.

Your doctor can help you figure out what's causing these changes. It could be your diet, lack of exercise, or a medication you're taking. Whatever the cause, taking steps to address it early can go a long way toward protecting you from serious conditions like heart disease and dementia in the future.