Lipid and Glucose Levels at Age 35 Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease

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Summary: Low HDL and high triglyceride levels in the blood at 35 were associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Additionally, higher glucose levels between 51 and 60 were linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

Source: Boston University

Living your best life at 35, ignoring cholesterol and glucose levels, may impact your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) later in life.

According to researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), lower HDL (high-density cholesterol) and high triglyceride levels measured in blood as early as age 35 are associated with a higher incidence of AD several decades later in life.

They also found that high blood glucose measured between ages 51-60 is associated with risk of AD in the future.

“While our findings confirm other studies that linked cholesterol and glucose levels measured in blood with future risk of Alzheimer’s disease, we have shown for the first time that these associations extend much earlier in life than previously thought,” explains senior author Lindsay A. Farrer, Ph.D., chief of biomedical genetics at BUSM.

The researchers believe that although high LDL has been consistently associated with AD risk in many previous studies, the link between HDL and AD was inconclusive, perhaps because most studies examining these relationships were conducted in persons who were 55 years and older at baseline.

This study was conducted using data obtained from participants of the Framingham Heart Study who were examined in approximately four-year intervals throughout most of their adult lives. Correlations of AD with multiple known risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes (including HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, smoking, and body mass index) were measured at each exam and during three age periods during adulthood (35-50, 51-60, 61-70).

The researchers found that lower HDL (the good cholesterol) is predictive of AD in early (35-50 years) and middle (51-60 years) adulthood and that high glucose in the blood (a precursor of diabetes) during mid-adulthood is also predictive of AD.

They also found that high blood glucose measured between ages 51-60 is associated with risk of AD in the future. Image is in the public domain

“These findings show for the first time that cardiovascular risk factors, including HDL which has not been consistently reported as a strong risk factor for AD, contribute to future risk of AD starting as early as age 35,” says first and corresponding author Xiaoling Zhang, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at BUSM.

According to the researchers, careful management of these factors starting in early adulthood can lower one’s risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as Alzheimer’s.

“Intervention targeting cholesterol and glucose management starting in early adulthood can help maximize cognitive health in later life,” adds Farrer.

Farrer also points out, “the unique design and mission of the Framingham Heart Study, which is a multi-generation, community-based, prospective study of health that began in 1948, allowed us to link Alzheimer’s to risk factors for heart disease and diabetes measured much earlier in life than possible in most other studies of cognitive decline and dementia.”

About this Alzheimer’s disease and aging research news

Author: Press Office
Source: Boston University
Contact: Press Office – Boston University
Image: The image is in the public domain

Original Research: Open access.
“Midlife lipid and glucose levels are associated with Alzheimer’s disease” by Lindsay A. Farrer et al. Alzheimer’s & Dementia

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Abstract

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Midlife lipid and glucose levels are associated with Alzheimer’s disease

Introduction

It is unknown whether vascular and metabolic diseases assessed in early adulthood are associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) later in life.

Methods

Association of AD with lipid fractions, glucose, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and smoking obtained prospectively from 4932 Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants across nine quadrennial examinations was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard and Kaplan-Meier models. Age-, sex-, and education-adjusted models were tested for each factor measured at each exam and within three adult age groups (early = 35-50, middle = 51-60, and late = 61-70).

Results

A 15 mg/dL increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was associated with decreased AD risk during early (15.4%, P = 0.041) and middle (17.9%, P = 0.014) adulthood. A 15 mg/dL increase in glucose measured during middle adulthood was associated with 14.5% increased AD risk (P = 0.00029). These findings remained significant after adjusting for treatment.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that careful management of cholesterol and glucose beginning in early adulthood can lower AD risk.

A diet low in Meat and Dairy and High in Plants Keeps a Brain Healthy

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Think you can’t prevent Alzheimer’s? Think again. You actually have more control over your risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s included, than you might suspect, doctors now tell us. In fact, many experts say that most Alzheimer’s cases, at least 90 percent, can be prevented or at least delayed through a healthy lifestyle. That’s good news, considering that more than five million Americans aged 65 and over have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a population that’s expected to grow to 13.8 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

While healthy lifestyle habits like exercising regularly and getting quality sleep are also key to the prevention of mental decline, a diet focused on plants also plays a significant role, studies now say.  “Evidence suggests that diet can play a decisive role in whether a person gets Alzheimer’s,” says Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and author of Your Body in Balance and Power Foods for the Brain.

Researchers from Loma Linda University in California suggest that eating a whole-food, plant-only diet can lower their risk by 53 percent. “The myth has long been that Alzheimer’s cannot be prevented, treated or even slowed down,”  says Dr. Dean Sherzai, neurologist and co-director of Loma Linda's Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. “The truth is it can be prevented, treated, and slowed over time.”

So even if you have a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s, or someone close to you in your family has suffered from dementia, eating a mostly or fully plant-based diet can lower your risk, these doctors say. Here’s what you need to know to make it happen.

How Animal Products Can Damage the Brain

It’s no secret that the meat-heavy diet most Americans follow is bad for the heart, leading to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary blockages, all part of heart disease. But what’s good for the heart is good for the brain, and the opposite is also true, as the standard American diet has deleterious effects on the brain, as is evidenced by numerous studies.

Take, for instance, just one study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, which found that meat consumption was the highest dietary risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Also detrimental were eggs and high-fat dairy which raised risk of Alzheimer's--though not as much as meat did. Meanwhile, plant-based foods like grains, vegetables and fruits were found to be protective against Alzheimer’s.

Interestingly, the study also found that eating grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish are associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer's, but do not counter the effects of meat, eggs, and high-fat dairy. So it's not enough to add plants; you have to cut out animal products for the full benefit. Higher vitamin D intake is also associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's.

Animal products are linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's but why does it happen?

So what is it about animal foods that seem to drive Alzheimer’s? Numerous factors are undoubtedly at play, but one of the most obvious ones may be saturated fat in animal foods. “Saturated fat raises cholesterol, which affects the brain in the same way it does the heart, and that could be the main mechanism,” Barnard says. And while saturated fat and cholesterol are directly linked with Alzheimer’s, they also increase risk factors for Alzheimer’s like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and greater inflammation in the body.

Here’s the surprise, though: Changes in the brain as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle start early, perhaps even earlier than you might imagine. Dr. Barnard points to one study that tracked cholesterol levels in almost 10,000 participants starting at age 40, and found that the risk of Alzheimer’s increased as cholesterol levels went up, linking the incidents of damaged arteries to more frequent occurrences of brain disease. Other studies have shown a decline in arterial health in kids as young as 12, meaning that changes in your brain could also begin to take hold in teenagers who have unhealthy diets.

Eating for Better Brain Health

If you want to improve your brain health and lower your risk of Alzheimer’s, the message is clear: Eat mostly or all plants, starting now.

By cutting the animal foods from your diet, you’ll eliminate the brain-damaging saturated fat and cholesterol these foods are high in. Not to mention that plants give your brain all the healthy nutrients and phytochemicals it needs. “A whole-food, plant-based diet provides the necessary macro and micronutrients for your brain to grow, thrive and connect,” says Dr. Ayesha Sherzai, neurologist, and co-director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda,  and co-author of The Alzheimer’s Solution.

Of course, you’ll be best protected if you eliminate all animal foods from your diet. “Even when people eliminate some animal foods but keep others in their diet, whether eggs, dairy, fish, chicken or meat, the saturated fat and cholesterol in those foods are more than enough to have noticeable effects on their cholesterol levels, body weight and other physical measures that affect brain health,” Dr. Barnard says.

Yet that’s not to say that even small changes can't make a difference. In one of Dr. Sherzai’s studies, every incremental step, such as eating a salad instead of a deli sandwich for lunch or adding a couple of servings of fruits to your daily menu, made a monumental difference in study subjects’ risk of stroke, which also applies to the risk of developing Alzheimer’s as well.

The Best Foods to Eat to Defend Your Brain

While the plant kingdom is loaded with brain-healthy food, there are stand-outs, such as leafy greens, which top Dr. Sherzai's list of "go-to" brain foods. “Greens have some of the highest nutrient contents, including polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that provide the brick and mortar for creating connection and infrastructure in the brain, while working as a garbage disposal for getting rid of toxic byproduct,” she says.

Second behind greens are beans. They’re not only high in antioxidants, plant protein, and other brain-healthy nutrients, they also have fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, Sherzai says. What’s more, they have a “second meal effect” that helps regulate your body’s glucose for 24 hours, which becomes even more critical if you’ve eaten something sugary. “Sugar is one of the major promoters of inflammation in the body, which damages the brain,” she says. Your body can handle a small amount of sugar but not in the excessive amounts Americans eat, and every time you eat a cookie or cupcake, even if it’s vegan, you’re putting that brain at risk, more so if you eat excess sugar regularly.

Other brain-healthy foods include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts; vitamin E-rich foods like walnuts and sesame and sunflower seeds; and brightly colored fruits like grapes and blueberries, Barnard adds. For more brain-healthy foods, check out the top 20 brain health foods from Team Sherzai.

5 Foods You Can Eat to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease and 3 to Avoid

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There are many things that can help you exercise your brain and keep it healthy, but it’s not so well-known that your diet also plays a crucial role in reducing your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study showed that a specific diet, called the MIND diet, might reduce the risk of these diseases.

At Bright Side, after extensive research, we gathered the main nutritious elements you should include in your diet plan for a strong brain, and others that you need to avoid.

Healthy brain foods

1. Berries are the number one fruit to consume.

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Berries are high in flavonoids, which are very beneficial for our brain. During a 20-year study with thousands of people consuming various fruits, researchers found that those who ate mostly berries had the slowest cognitive decline rates. So add blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries to your snacks; your brain will thank you later on.

2. Eat your greens, as our moms used to say.

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And they were absolutely right. Vegetables are good for our health on so many levels, including our brain health, because of nutrients like folate, flavonoids, vitamin E, and carotenoids. Green leafy veggies like spinach, collards, lettuce, and kale are the best options and have been shown to lower the rate of brain aging. So, don’t forget to include a salad with your meal.

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3. Make nuts your new snack.

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Instead of processed snacks and sweets, choose a handful of raw or roasted nuts, which are high in the vitamin E that helps our brains function. Because of their compounds, healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants, they help our overall health. You can also try to mix nuts and berries and make a brain boost combo.

4. Use olive oil more, raw and in cooking.

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If you know a few things about the Mediterranean diet, then you know that olive oil is the number one ally for a good and healthy meal. Doctors advise limiting any other oils or butter and including olive oil — specifically extra virgin olive oil — to your diet, which acts as a protector for our brains against dementia.

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5. Add fish to your table at least once a week.

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Studies showed that people over 65 who constantly ate fish, scored better on memory tests compared to those who ate less or no fish, and prefer meat. Fish includes healthy fats, B-6, and B-12 which are beneficial for our brains. According to the MIND diet once a week is enough.

Unhealthy Groups

1. Reduce meat, especially red meat, and get your protein from beans, lentils, and soy.

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You’d be surprised by how much protein our body can get from other sources aside from meat. Experts advise lowering the consumption of meat as much as possible and getting the protein our brain needs from beans, lentils, and soybeans, that are rich in protein and also contain plenty of fiber and vitamin B, which are necessary to maintain a healthy mind.

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2. Limit butter, margarine, and cheese (that’s a tough one, we know!).

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That’s a tough one for cheese lovers, but according to the MIND diet, cheese, especially the full-fat kind, should be reduced if we want to lower our risk of dementia. The same applies to butter and stick margarine — it’s best to replace these with olive oil.

3. Sugar and salt are not our brain’s friends.

If we want to improve our brain health, slow down brain aging, and lower the risk of cognitive decline, then we should definitely avoid sugar and sodium as much as possible. On one hand sweets and pastries damage our brains over time, because they may lead to diabetes which raises the risk of Alzheimer’s. On the other hand, salt raises blood pressure, which might lead to a stroke and other brain issues.

Cheese may be delicious, but it’s not very good for our brain. Do you have a nutrition plan in order to keep your body healthy? Share your diet habits with us in the comments.