Poor Metabolic Health Could Increase Risk of Developing Dementia Later In Life

Dementia is a leading cause of death and disease in Australia. It’s not one condition but rather an umbrella term for symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain (Alzheimer’s is its most common form).

Living with dementia is very challenging. The condition affects your thinking, behaviour and ability to perform everyday tasks, compromising your independence, social life and professional opportunities. When asked which disease they fear most, Australians first say cancer and then dementia.

Researchers at Oxford University recently published the results of a 15-year-long study of over 176,000 people – and they found that those in poor metabolic health had a greater risk of developing dementia. Let’s take a look.

What Did The Study Explore?

The UK Biobank Study was a large population-based prospective cohort study of more than half a million people aged 40-69 conducted from 2006-2010.

The Oxford researchers analysed data from 176,249 individuals in the UK Biobank study then followed them through their health records for 15 years.

All participants were aged 60+ at the start of the Oxford study and had no signs of dementia. Forty-two per cent of them (73,510) had metabolic syndrome at the start of the study. The researchers were trying to find out if those individuals would be more likely to develop dementia in the next 15 years.

What Does Poor Metabolic Health Mean?

Approximately 20-25% of adults live with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that together increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

In the Oxford study, poor metabolic health was defined as having 3 or more of the following 5 conditions:

• High waist circumference
• High triglycerides
• High blood pressure
• High blood glucose
• Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, sometimes known as ‘good’ cholesterol.

We already know that metabolic syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But does it also increase the risk of dementia?

A Study Showed An Association Between Metabolic Syndrome And Dementia Risk

Over the 15 years of the study, participants with metabolic syndrome proved 12% more likely to develop dementia.

And the risk increased with the severity of their metabolic syndrome. People with 4 metabolic conditions showed a 19% increase in risk while people with 5 metabolic conditions experienced a 50% increase in risk.

Why would that be?

How Could Poor Metabolic Health Increase Dementia Risk?

Observing a relationship is one thing; understanding it is another.

As the Oxford researchers note, ‘The mechanisms underlying the association between [metabolic syndrome] and dementia remain unclear.’

The components of metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose etc) can lead to vascular injury and neurodegeneration. This can happen through low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, vascular endothelial damage (damage to the thin layer of cells that line blood vessels) and oxidative stress. Those factors could contribute to cognitive dysfunction and dementia.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself?

The factors that contribute to metabolic syndrome can be prevented or improved with the right steps.

Diet, exercise, medication and a healthy weight can make a significant difference, helping to normalise blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol readings.

So, if your doctor tells you that you have metabolic syndrome, take it seriously. Follow their advice. And do your best to get your readings back within normal range.

How Can We Help?

Some researchers consider obesity the starting point for metabolic syndrome. Reducing weight and improving your activity levels can lead to improved cholesterol levels, blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.

Losing weight isn’t easy though. In fact, it can be incredibly hard. Most people with metabolic syndrome know they need to lose weight but the kilos just don’t seem to shift.

That’s where weight loss surgery could help. Metabolic syndrome often improves after bariatric surgery, with a direct relationship between the amount of weight lost and the improvement shown.

We’ve known for a long time that improving metabolic syndrome can protect your heart. Now, it seems it can protect your mind too.

If you’d like to explore how weight loss surgery could help you, take advantage of our free consultation offer with our SCOPE accredited PNSA, Shirley Lockie.

Disclaimer

All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Dr Phil Lockie can consult with you to confirm if a particular procedure or treatment is right for you. All surgery carries risks.

 

References

• Dementia Australia, What is dementia, https://www.dementia.org.au/, [Accessed 5 December 2023]
• Watson, R., Sanson-Fisher, R., Bryant, J. et al. Dementia is the second most feared condition among Australian health service consumers: results of a cross-sectional survey. BMC Public Health 23, 876 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15772-y, [Accessed 5 December 2023]
• University of Oxford, Poor metabolic health could increase risk of developing dementia later in life, https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2023-09-07-poor-metabolic-health-could-increase-risk-developing-dementia-later-life, [Accessed 5 December 2023]
• Healthdirect, Metabolic syndrome, https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/metabolic-syndrome, [Accessed 5 December 2023]
• Qureshi, D et al, Association between metabolic syndrome and risk of incident dementia in UK Biobank, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13439, [Accessed 5 December 2023]
• Better Health Channel, Metabolic syndrome, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolic-syndrome, [Accessed 5 December 2023]
• Lizbeth Guilbert, Cristian J. Ortiz, Omar Espinosa, Elisa M. Sepúlveda, Tatiana Piña, Paul Joo, Carlos Zerrweck, Metabolic syndrome 2 years after laparoscopic gastric bypass, International Journal of Surgery, Volume 52, 2018, Pages 264-268,

ISSN 1743-9191, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2018.02.056, [Accessed 5 December 2023]