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Cholesterol is the raw material used to produce your hormones. When your endocrine system is not functioning properly to make the hormones your body needs, it can compromise your immune system and raise the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Research presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008 shows that people with high cholesterol in their early 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those with low cholesterol.

“Our findings show it would be best for both physicians and patients to attack high cholesterol levels in their 40s to reduce the risk of dementia,” said study author Alina Solomon, MD, with the University of Kuopio in Finland. Solomon collaborated with Rachel Whitmer, PhD, senior author of the study and a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA.

The study involved 9,752 men and women in northern California who underwent health evaluations between 1964 and 1973 when they were between the ages of 40 and 45 and remained with the same health plan through 1994. From 1994 to 2007, researchers obtained the participants’ most recent medical records to find 504 people had a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and 162 had vascular dementia.

The study found people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198 milligrams. People with total cholesterol levels of 221 to 248 milligrams were more than one-and-a-quarter times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

“High mid-life cholesterol increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease regardless of midlife diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke,” said Solomon.

Solomon says conclusions regarding high mid-life cholesterol and the risk of vascular dementia were difficult to formulate as there are several types of vascular dementia that may have slightly different risk factors.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

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People with high cholesterol in their early 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those with low cholesterol, according to new research.

“Our findings show it would be best for both physicians and patients to attack high cholesterol levels in their 40s to reduce the risk of dementia,” said study author Alina Solomon, MD, with the University of Kuopio in Finland. Solomon collaborated with Rachel Whitmer, PhD, senior author of the study and a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA.

The study involved 9,752 men and women in northern California who underwent health evaluations between 1964 and 1973 when they were between the ages of 40 and 45 and remained with the same health plan through 1994. From 1994 to 2007, researchers obtained the participants’ most recent medical records to find 504 people had a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and 162 had vascular dementia.

The study found people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198 milligrams. People with total cholesterol levels of 221 to 248 milligrams were more than one-and-a-quarter times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

“High mid-life cholesterol increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease regardless of midlife diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke,” said Solomon.

Solomon says conclusions regarding high mid-life cholesterol and the risk of vascular dementia were difficult to formulate as there are several types of vascular dementia that may have slightly different risk factors.

This research was presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 16, 2008.

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Use of cholesterol drugs questioned.

This is a good reminder to do everything you can with diet and exercise first! We have such a tendency to go straight to medications, without making important lifestyle changes first. Some of the physicians I talk to think that lifestyle changes are too hard – that medications are more of a known quantity. But I think we all can make healthy life choices, it isn’t very hard and it really does make us feel better!

A cholesterol lowering diet generally is the same healthy way of eating that will help you avoid the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, belly fat, and cancer. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Choose whole grains and limit the amount of sugar and refined carbohydrates you eat. Choose lean meats and monounsaturated fats. Get less saturated and trans fats and processed foods.

The main point I want to make here is that instead of just relying on medications, it is good to do everything we can to create a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes medicine is still needed, and in the case of cholesterol lowering meds there are still other choices available. But start with natural approaches.

My own cholesterol was getting a little high a few years ago. I cut out refined carbohydrates (now they are an occasional part of my diet, not a regular part) and that was enough to drop my levels to well within normal ranges. When I did that, I also dropped a few pounds. I already exercised and did stress management techniques like yoga and breath-work.

I have been reading some interesting arguments about the validity of cholesterol levels as an indication of heart risk. Some scientists think that we assume blood level of cholesterol is important but that have not adequately validated this assumption. I suspect that we are going to get more sophisticated about the indicators that we use to identify the risk of heart disease and other diseases.

If you are currently taking Lipitor – don’t make any changes before talking to your physician. But do learn more about food and lifestyle choices. Find the healthy ways of eating that work best for you. Even if you still need medication, you might need less and you’ll feel better.

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A couple of weeks ago Dr. Alicia Fernandez, an associate professor of clinical medicine at UC San Francisco, received a very unusual letter from The International Association of EMTS and Paramedics, an affiliate of The National Association of Government Employees (IAEP/SEIU).

The letter began by noting that Fernandez is part of the union’s approved physician network, and then launched into what can only be described as a shameless sales pitch for Lipitor, Pfizer’s blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug.

First, the alarming statistics presented in the letter:

* 1 in 3 adults has some form of CVD (cardio-vascular disease)
* About every 26 seconds, an American will suffer a coronary event
* Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States
* Every 45 seconds, someone will suffer a stroke.

Then, the endorsement: “Lipitor is available to our members through their prescription plan. IAEP leadership stands behind LIPITOR as the lipid-lowering agent of choice when it is prescribed by a physician. This confidence in LIPITOR is based on its proven efficacy and is supported by its vast clinical experience of more than 15 years…”

The letter went on, at length, to praise Lipitor’s benefits and to downplay the drug’s risks. In clinical trials, the letter states, “the most common adverse events were constipation, flatulence, dyspepsia and abdominal pain.” But while other risks may not be as “common” they are certainly worth mentioning. They include memory loss which can look like Alzheimer’s and severe muscle pain.

A few days ago, Fernandez received a second, identical letter. Never before in her professional experience had she received a drug ad from a union.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve never seen Labor endorse a drug product,” she told me. “This is incredible.” Unfortunately, Fernandez adds, this is not the first time that she has seen a drug company use a progressive organization to promote its product. …

Why would Pfizer need the union’s help in peddling its drug? Lipitor, after all, is the best-selling drug in the world, with sales of almost $13 billion in 2006.

But recently, Lipitor has been attracting some decidedly negative publicity.

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A recent survey found that two out of three African Americans worry about developing heart disease and two out of five are concerned about developing Alzheimer’s disease, yet only one in 20 are aware that heart health is linked to brain health.

February is Black History Month and American Heart Month, and the Alzheimer’s Association and the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, are teaming up to educate African Americans on how to manage heart health to promote brain health.

“What’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” Dr. Jennifer Manly, spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s Association, said in a statement.

“African Americans should be aware that there is building evidence that older adults whose hearts are healthy tend to live longer with healthy brain function,” Manly added in comments to Reuters Health. Manly is with the G.H. Sergievsky Center and the Taub Institute for Research in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease at Columbia University, New York.

Compared to the general public, African Americans have a higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular complications, which could lead to a higher risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

Manly said African Americans can help to improve their heart health and cognitive function by “partnering with their doctor and watching their numbers; keep blood pressure below 120/80 millimeters of mercury, fasting blood sugar less than 100 milligrams per deciliter, cholesterol below 200 milligrams per deciliter, and maintain a body weight in the recommended range.”

Healthy lifestyle choices will also help African Americans improve their heart and brain health. African Americans who are physically and mentally active, maintain their social connections, reduce fat and cholesterol in their diet, and don’t smoke may lower their risk for stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, the researcher emphasized.

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