You probably already know that an elevated cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease, but did you know it can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease too? According to a new study published in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, ignoring that high cholesterol level could be a bad move for the health of your brain.

High Cholesterol and the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Study

In this study, researchers followed 9,844 participants, both men and women, for a period of forty years. Cholesterol levels were measured at the beginning of the study and then checked periodically for the next four decades. The results? They found that men and women who had a cholesterol level of 240 milligrams per deciliter or higher had a sixty-six percent high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Not good news if you value your memory. Even borderline cholesterol levels increased the risk of dementia, although a different kind type known as vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is a type of brain disease that occurs from reduced blood flow to the brain and leads to symptoms very similar to Alzheimer’s disease. This type of dementia is seen more often in people with heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Does Treating High Cholesterol Lower the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

This finding may actually be good news for those worried about the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. If cholesterol levels can be kept under control through diet, lifestyle changes, and, if necessary medications, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease could be significantly reduced. Whether reducing cholesterol levels with medications is an effective way to low the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is still unclear. One large study that statins given later in life to treat high cholesterol didn’t reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, although it’s unclear whether the effects might have been greater if statins had been used for a longer period of time. There’s also concern about the safety of using statins for long time periods.

At the very least this study gives a person with high cholesterol one more reason to get those numbers under control. Lifestyle changes such as adopting a low fat, high fiber diet and getting regular, aerobic exercise can have favorable effects on lipid profiles. Unfortunately, some people are unable to do it by lifestyle changes alone and end up needing medication. One natural alternative to statin medications is red wine yeast, a natural supplement that has similar properties to statins. Studies have shown it can effectively lower cholesterol levels, but should always be taken under a doctor’s guidance.

Can Reducing Cholesterol Levels Lower the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

It’s unclear whether taking statins to lower cholesterol actually reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, although it does appear that people with lower cholesterol levels have a lower incidence of dementia. Is it possible that higher cholesterol levels are a marker of those already susceptible to Alzheimer’s? Hopefully future studies will clarify this issue. Until then, it’s still important to lower cholesterol levels for the sake of your heart.

Now, you may have one more reason to bring your cholesterol level down. It appears that higher cholesterol levels are associated with a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease.