A recent study from Korea, published in The BMJ, suggests that certain diabetes drugs, specifically sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, might help reduce the risk of developing dementia.
The research indicates that longer use of these drugs could provide even greater benefits.
Dementia is a growing global concern, with the World Health Organization estimating that the number of people with dementia could reach 78 million by 2030.
Type 2 diabetes is known to increase the risk of developing dementia, which has led researchers to explore whether diabetes medications could also help protect against cognitive decline.
The study compared the effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors with another type of diabetes drug, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, on the risk of dementia.
Researchers analyzed data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service, focusing on 110,885 adults aged 40 to 69 with type 2 diabetes who started taking either an SGLT-2 or DPP-4 inhibitor between 2013 and 2021.
None of the participants had dementia at the beginning of the study.
The participants, who had an average age of 62 and were 56% men, were monitored for an average of 670 days to see who developed dementia.
The study took into account various factors, such as age, sex, cardiovascular risk, income level, and use of other medications.
During the follow-up period, 1,172 participants were newly diagnosed with dementia.
The study found that those using SGLT-2 inhibitors had a 35% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those using DPP-4 inhibitors. Specifically, the risk was reduced by 39% for Alzheimer’s disease and by 52% for vascular dementia.
Moreover, the protective effect of SGLT-2 inhibitors seemed to increase with longer use. Those who took the drug for more than two years had a 48% reduced risk of dementia, compared to a 43% reduction for those who used it for two years or less.
While the study’s findings are promising, it was observational, meaning it can’t definitively prove that SGLT-2 inhibitors cause the reduced risk of dementia. The researchers also noted that some factors, like smoking and alcohol use, weren’t fully accounted for.
However, given the study’s large sample size and consistent results across different groups, the researchers believe that SGLT-2 inhibitors could play a role in preventing dementia. They call for further randomized controlled trials to confirm these findings.
As dementia has no cure and limited treatment options, strategies to prevent its onset are critically important.
Researchers also suggest that health care guidelines and policies should be updated regularly to reflect the latest evidence on the potential benefits of SGLT-2 inhibitors, including their potential to lower the risk of dementia.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about dietary strategies to ward off dementia ,and how omega-3 fatty acids fuel your mind.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Choline deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and what to eat (and avoid) for dementia prevention.
