A new study suggests that older people with higher levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood, may have a lower risk of developing dementia and may experience slower cognitive decline over time. However, while the study found a connection, it does not prove that triglycerides directly prevent dementia.
Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the body and play an essential role in storing and providing energy. They make up the majority of dietary fats and are also a key energy source for the brain. Because of this, researchers have been interested in understanding whether triglyceride levels might affect brain health as people age.
The study, published on October 25, 2023, in the journal Neurology, was conducted by researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The research team, led by Dr. Zhen Zhou, analyzed medical records from a large group of older adults to explore how triglyceride levels might relate to dementia risk.
The Study
The researchers looked at data from 18,294 people with an average age of 75, all of whom had no prior diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or any form of dementia. They followed these individuals for about six years, during which 823 of them developed dementia.
To understand the role of triglycerides, researchers measured participants’ cholesterol levels, including total cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein, often called “bad” cholesterol), HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol), and triglycerides. They then categorized the participants into four groups based on their triglyceride levels.
- The first group had the lowest levels, under 62 mg/dL.
- The second group had levels between 63 and 106 mg/dL.
- The third group had levels between 107 and 186 mg/dL.
- The fourth group had the highest levels, 187 mg/dL or more.
The researchers found that people in the higher triglyceride groups had a lower risk of developing dementia compared to those in the lowest group. Specifically, compared to the lowest group:
- The second group was 15% less likely to develop dementia.
- The third group was 24% less likely.
- The fourth group, with the highest triglyceride levels, was 36% less likely to develop dementia.
These findings remained consistent even after adjusting for factors such as education level and the use of cholesterol-lowering medications. The pattern also appeared in a separate group of 68,200 older adults from the UK, where similar results were observed over a 12-year period.
In this larger dataset, researchers found that for every doubling of triglyceride levels, the risk of dementia decreased by 17%.
Slower Cognitive Decline
Beyond dementia risk, the study also looked at cognitive decline, which refers to the gradual loss of memory, thinking speed, and problem-solving abilities. The researchers found that people with higher triglyceride levels had a slower decline in overall cognitive function.
This included improvements in different mental skills such as language, memory, and the ability to process information quickly.
What Do These Findings Mean?
This study raises interesting questions about the role of triglycerides in brain health. One possible explanation is that triglycerides might reflect better overall health or lifestyle choices that help protect against dementia. For example, people with higher triglycerides may have diets or metabolic conditions that support brain function in ways not yet fully understood.
However, these results do not mean that people should try to increase their triglyceride levels intentionally. High triglycerides are often linked to other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.
More research is needed to determine whether specific components of triglycerides contribute to better brain health and whether they can be used as a tool for dementia prevention.
One limitation of the study is that it focused only on older adults who did not have cognitive problems at the start. This means the findings might not apply to younger people or those who already have memory issues. More research is needed to understand how triglycerides affect different populations.
Dr. Zhou and his team suggest that future studies should look deeper into whether certain types of triglycerides have protective effects on the brain. If so, scientists may be able to develop new strategies to help prevent cognitive decline in aging populations.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and flavonoid-rich foods could help prevent dementia.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that cranberries could help boost memory, and how alcohol, coffee and tea intake influence cognitive decline.
The research findings can be found in Neurology.
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