Factors That Increase Dementia Risk and How to Protect Your Brain Today

Recent research shows that as much as 50% of dementia disorders can be prevented by healthy choices. When you lose the health of your brain, it affects everything about you. Cognitive function, mood, memory, focus, balance and movement, spatial awareness, ability to take care of oneself and others, to participate in life – everything. At all stages of life, you want to protect your brain health and these core functions. So many factors in today’s world stress our health and contribute to a decline in brain health.

Identifying challenges is the first step, followed by making changes in practical, tangible ways. If you have found yourself walking into the room forgetting what you were supposed to do or want to be proactive, now is the time to support and change your brain health. It can change your life!

Factors that Lead to Increased Risk or Likelihood of Dementia

Several factors identified by the medical journal Lancet and other sources stress the brain and increase the risk and likelihood of dementia:

• Age

• Alcohol (excessive for your tolerance)

• Allergies

• Anemia 

• Atherosclerosis

• Autoimmune disorders (poorly managed, underlying)

• Bile acids (low)

• Blood pressure challenges (high, low, erratic)

• Blood sugar dysregulation (high, low, erratic)

• Cholesterol dysregulation 

• Chronic pain

• Coffee, excessive consumption (more than 4 cups/day)

• Concussion(s)/ Traumatic brain injury

• Dental problems/ Periodontal disease

• Diet, processed foods, restrictive diets

• Gluten intolerance

• Gut microbiome and dysbiosis

• Hearing loss

• Heavy metal toxicity

• Migraines/ Chronic headaches

• Mitochondrial aging  

• Mold toxins

• Insomnia/ Chronic sleep deprivation

• Obesity

• Ovary removal before menopause 

• Air Pollution

• Restless Legs Syndrome

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Sleep apnea/ Severe snoring

• Social isolation

• Smoking/ Tobacco use

• Trauma

• Vaping

• Underweight/ low BMI

Medications Linked with Dementia

Several medications are also linked with an increased risk of dementia. Make sure to read your drug-information sheet closely or talk with your pharmacist. More information may be found in the articles:

• Dementia Risk Linked with Common Medications

• Antidepressants Increase the Risk of Diabetes, Heart Attack and Dementia.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) studies show conflicting results regarding cognitive function and aging. Some studies suggest HRT is helpful whereas others show it is problematic. It is not a one size fits all approach.

Dementia can be Prevented

Many of the above factors are modifiable so much so that the medical journal Lancet reported that almost 50 percent of dementia cases in the world can be prevented.

The Lancet provides these Action Guidelines to help reduce dementia risks.

• Maintain a healthy blood pressure

• Protect against hearing loss and use hearing aids if needed

• Reduce exposure to air pollution

• Prevent head injury

• Limit alcohol use

• Avoid smoking

• Keep learning; achieve higher education goals

• Reduce obesity and diabetes

• Address sleep concerns

• Exercise and be active daily

• Treat depression

As you find yourself reflecting on these concerns, here are some questions to ask yourself about your brain health.

• Do you have decreased stress tolerance for mental activities and focus? 

• Do you have difficulty completing things you were once able to do? 

• Do you experience fatigue easily? 

• Do you have to re-read material repeatedly before you understand it? 

• Do you get lost easily? 

• Is your circadian rhythm disrupted or out of sync? 

• Is it difficult to get to sleep and wake up about the same time each day? 

• Do you have daily well-formed bowel movements? 

• Do you skip meals, avoid several food groups, or don’t consume fruits, vegetables, fiber rich foods? 

• Do you lose your balance?

• Have you lost your sense of smell? 

• Do you have a history of “chemo brain” or multiple exposures to anesthesia? 

• If you had a concussion, were you properly treated for it? (You do not have to lose consciousness to experience a concussion.)

• Is your blood pressure and/or blood sugar poorly managed or difficult to control? 

• Do you notice mood swings or personality changes? 

• Have you or your loved ones noticed changes in your overall ability to care for yourself?

Check in with your health care practitioner if you or a family member has noticed any of these changes or other concerns.

Be Proactive!

Be proactive at all stages of your life to protect your brain and vitality. Focus on hydration, quality and quantity of sleep, maintaining healthy circadian rhythms, and sticking to regular schedules. Incorporate regular exercise, manage stress, and follow a Mediterranean diet rich in whole foods while avoiding ultra-processed foods. Support your mitochondria, manage chronic inflammation, and support glial cell health.

Physical Activity Reduces Dementia Risk

One factor to optimize is your physical activity. Across the world, more than one-half of adults 60 years of age and older have sedentary lifestyles. It is known that physically active older adults are 40% less likely to develop dementia compared to other sedentary individuals.

Youth across the globe choose increasingly sedentary lifestyles. What is their brain health going to be like in a few decades? A sedentary lifestyle is defined as less than 5,000 steps per day. Do you get enough steps each day?

Empower yourself to change the factors within your control with diet, lifestyle, and healthy self-care choices. What you do with healthy choices every day for a lifetime affects your brain’s health, resiliency, and tolerance more than your genetics. Dementia related diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease often start 10-20 years before they are diagnosed.

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease is the fifth leading cause of death for individuals 65 and older with its prevalence increasing. By 2060, an estimated 13.8 million individuals will have Alzheimer’s dementia.

If you were a whiz at doing things in the past, but now find yourself slowing down or not as sharp, it is time to support your brain health. Aging well requires a resilient, healthy whole body. It requires dedication and healthy choices. You can improve your brain health!

Additional Resources

The Power of Walking: Unlocking Health Benefits Step by Step

Nutritional Support to Aid Your Daily Steps

Physical Activity Is Crucial for Longevity

Power Up: How Mitochondrial Health Influences Aging and Vitality

Gut Symptoms Precede Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s Disease

Natural Remedies for Restless Legs

Vital Nutrients for Sense of Smell

Hearing Loss – What’s Missing From Your Diet Can Hurt

Social Isolation and Stress Management