Several works have already associated Excess cholesterol in the blood at an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative pathologies. South Korean researchers have sought to find out if the risk of developing dementia fell back as poor cholesterol levels decrease.
To do this, they analyzed data from more than 570,000 patients followed in 11 university hospitals. By comparing groups of patients with different LDL-C levels, they found that people with a rate of less than 1.8 millimoles per liter of blood (MMOL/L), or 70 mg/dl, presented a reduced risk of 26 % and a risk of Alzheimer’s disease Reduced by 28 %, compared to those with a rate greater than 3.4 mmol/L (130 mg/dl).
Recall that in the absence of a risk factor, a bad cholesterol level is considered normal when it is less than 160mg/dl.
A protective effect to a certain point
The study, whose results have just been published in The Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatryalso revealed that this protective effect gradually decreased with very low LDL-C levels and disappeared completely below 0.8 mmol/L (30 mg/dl). In other words, lower LDL-C to extremely low levels would not provide additional benefit in terms of dementia prevention.
Statins strengthen protection
The study also showed that statins-drugs used to lower cholesterolemia-strengthened the protection offered by a low LDL-C rate. In patients with a rate of less than 1.8 mmol/L, taking statins was associated with an additional risk of dementia of 13 % and Alzheimer’s disease by 12 %.
« These results underline the crucial role of LDL cholesterol management in reducing the risk of dementia », Stress the authors. Which nevertheless admit that this is an observational study and does not establish a cause and effect link.
