A recent study suggests that people in their 30s and 40s with high levels of cholesterol and blood sugar are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's later in life.
"We have shown for the first time that the associations between cholesterol and glucose levels and the future risk of Alzheimer's disease extend much earlier in life than previously thought." Lindsay Farrer, chief of biomedical genetics at Boston University, via CNN.
Researchers found that those aged 35 to 50 with heightened triglyceride levels and decreased levels of lipoprotein, or "good cholesterol," had a greater chance of developing Alzheimer's decades later.
"... High triglycerides in early adulthood may trigger a cascade of metabolic events that over time initiate processes that directly lead to Alzheimer's disease." Lindsay Farrer, chief of biomedical genetics at Boston University, via CNN.
"Having high cholesterol may not cause Alzheimer's, but it presses the fast-forward button on the disease pathology and cognitive decline." Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic in the Center for Brain Health at Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine, via CNN.
Experts say if you are in your 30s or 40s, see a cardiologist and neurologist to better understand how you can take preventative steps.
"The take-home message is that people who are in their 30s and early 40s need to have their lipids and blood sugar measured. That's the only way you'll detect any issues." Lindsay Farrer, chief of biomedical genetics at Boston University, via CNN