Reduce Your Risk Of Dementia

A new study is getting attention after suggesting that the vaccine for shingles not only protects against the painful rash but also offers some protection against dementia.

A research team at Stanford University examined data from over 280,000 older adults in Wales and found that individuals who received the original shingles live virus vaccine were 20 percent less likely to develop dementia of any type compared to those who were not vaccinated. The live virus version was replaced in 2020 with the Shingrix shingles vaccine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shingles is a painful rash illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. The virus remains dormant in the body of an individual who had chickenpox and can reactivate later in life as shingles.

The CDC says shingles usually appears as a rash with blisters on one side of the body or face and is often accompanied by pain, itching, or tingling.

Previous studies suggested a link between the Shingrix shingles vaccine and a reduced risk of dementia, particularly in women. However, that association was not seen as strong because the study design could not account for the possible differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, such as the likelihood that people who were vaccinated might have been healthier overall. Shingrix, which targets a tiny bit of viral DNA, had a longer-lasting effect than the original vaccine.

In the new study, published in the journal Nature, researchers were able to take advantage of the vaccine eligibility rules in Wales, United Kingdom (U.K.), which determined eligibility for the zoster vaccine based on an individual’s exact date of birth. In the vaccine rollout on Sept. 1, 2013, in Wales, vaccinations were offered to people who were 79 on that date, but not to those who had turned 80. Researchers said the unique way the vaccine was rolled out provided a “natural experiment” to examine the potential impact of the vaccine on dementia risk.

Dr. Pascal Geldsetzer, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University and the study’s senior author, told NBC News that Wales’ policy enabled researchers to compare two groups of people with similar health characteristics, differing only by one week in age. This made them essentially identical, except that the vaccine was available to the younger population but not to the older group.

Study: Cholesterol Medication Reduces Dementia Risk

A widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug can potentially lower the risk of dementia, according to a new study by researchers in South Korea.

Statins are prescribed to fight low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, also known as “bad” cholesterol. A recent study published in the Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry found that statins also offered protection against dementia, even in individuals with already low LDL levels.

The scientists from Hallym University College of Medicine in South Korea examined data from 11 university hospitals involving over 570,000 adults.
The adults were tracked for 180 days after their cholesterol levels were tested. The scientists wanted to see whether the patients developed dementia during that time.

Researchers identified 192,213 people with LDL levels less than 1.8 mmol/L, which is generally considered “good,” and 379,006 patients with LDL levels more than 3.4 mmol/L, which is usually regarded as high.

After an investigation, the scientists found that patients with LDL levels below 1.8 mmol/L were 26 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia compared with those who had higher cholesterol levels. They were also 28 percent less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease compared to those with LDL levels above 3.4 mmol/L.

Additionally, researchers discovered that statin use increased protection against dementia, even when participants’ LDL levels were already low. For those whose LDL levels were below 1.8 mmol/L, statin use was linked to a 13 percent reduction in all-cause dementia risk and Alzheimer’s disease by 12 percent compared to those who did not take statins. However, when LDL levels were below 0.8 mmol/L, the protective effect against dementia disappeared entirely.

Researchers explained that the study’s observational nature prevented them from drawing firm conclusions about cause and effect.

Want to Reduce Dementia Risk? Limit Sugary Candy

Studies have already shown that age and genetics play a significant role in placing people at greater risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. However, maintaining brain health by eating a healthy diet can go a long way in the fight to prevent dementia.

While no single food causes dementia, one thing that health experts recommend limiting or avoiding altogether is sugary candy.

“Sugary candies are not your brain’s friend,” Maggie Moon, a dietitian and author of The MIND Diet, told Eating Well. Moon mentioned a study that found consuming too much added sugar more than doubled the risk for dementia.

“That includes added sugar from candies, as well as other sweets like pastries, sweetened café drinks and sodas,” she said.

Researchers believe that high blood sugar and insulin levels may increase Alzheimer’s risk because the brain might also develop insulin resistance, which could potentially affect memory.

Laura M. Ali, a dietitian and author of MIND Diet for Two, cited one study that found that for every 10 grams of sugar consumed each day (equivalent to 2½ teaspoons of sugar or eight gummy candies), there was a 1.3 percent to 1.4 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Individuals with the highest daily sugar intake faced a 19 percent higher risk of developing the disease.

This does not mean avoiding sugary foods altogether, but a steady diet of sugar could spell trouble.

“While fine once in a while, research has found that a diet that is consistently high in refined sugar may increase the amyloid plaque buildup in the brain,” Ali told Eating Well. “These plaques disrupt the communication system in our brain, and scientists have found that people with Alzheimer’s disease tend to have more of these plaques.”

Other Ways to Reduce The Risk of Dementia

Along with limiting added sugar, the Alzheimer’s Association offers other ways to reduce the risk of dementia:

• Stay socially engaged

• Quit smoking or do not start

• Manage chronic health conditions, including midlife high blood pressure, diabetes, and midlife obesity

• Limit alcohol consumption

Diet is also essential in preventing cognitive decline. Specific foods, like whole grains, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, vegetables, and leafy greens, which are in the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, may help support brain health.

“The brain-healthy MIND diet limits foods high in saturated fats and added sugars because both are linked to oxidative stress, inflammation and the brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease,” Moon told The Independent. However, she clarified that this diet limits—but does not eliminate—fried foods, pastries and sweets, red meat, whole-fat cheese, and butter.

Source Links:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/vaccine-may-protect-against-dementia-182459693.html?guccounter=1
https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/index.html#
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/cholesterol-medicine-statins-dementia-risk-b2727880.html
https://www.eatingwell.com/food-to-limit-to-reduce-dementia-risk-8637647