Dementia Risk Factor Is SHRINKING Your Brain
Alzheimer’s is still a mystery.
We discover new things about the disease regularly. And yet there’s still so much we DON’T know.
But while a CURE for Alzheimer’s may still be out of reach at the moment, our knowledge about risk factors for the disease grows every day.
That means we know a lot about PREVENTING Alzheimer’s and the risk factors that are linked to it.
And now researchers have uncovered a new risk that could be SHRINKING your brain, sending your dementia risk soaring.
For this study, researchers looked at patterns of gray matter atrophy, which represents a loss of brain cells.
They compared these patterns in two groups:
- patients with Alzheimer’s to those without the disease
- obese individuals to folks who were a healthy weight
And they spotted something disturbing…
OBESITY caused gray matter loss similar to what was found in Alzheimer’s patients.
As a result, researchers say weight loss has the potential to slow cognitive decline AND reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this connection. Earlier population-based studies have found that obesity is a risk factor for dementia.
But it’s not the number on the scale that’s the problem.
The issue is what’s happening on the inside of your body. Obesity increases inflammation, oxidative stress, hormone imbalances, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and more.
ALL of these can impact brain function and brain cells.
For example, high blood sugar and high blood pressure reduce oxygen in the brain, contributing to neurodegeneration over time.
But when you work toward a healthy weight, you address many metabolic factors that increase your long-term risk of dementia.
P.S. Researchers report THIS brain-friendly nutrient can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia. CLICK HERE for the whole story.
SOURCE:
‘Obesity-Associated Neurodegeneration Pattern Mimics Alzheimer’s Disease in an Observational Cohort Study’. 1 Jan. 2023: 1059 – 1071.
