It's never too soon to protect yourself from dementia
You may think of Alzheimer's and dementia as something that suddenly appears when you're in your 70s or 80s. Well, think again (while you still can). A study from The Lancet Regional Health-Americas reveals that important risk factors like cardiovascular issues and blood biomarkers (tau protein and amyloid tangles) can start showing up in your 20s and 30s -- paving the way for clinical symptoms and impairments decades later.
This focuses a light on the importance -- as young adults -- of protecting your heart health with good nutritional choices (no red or red processed meats, no added sugars or highly processed foods, and plenty of fruits and vegetables and fatty fish). It also reveals the importance of putting down your screens and getting daily exercise/physical activity.
Two studies drive the point home: One found that exercise may play a more "crucial role" in preserving brain health than we've guessed -- especially for folks with liver conditions or disease (that's about 100 million Americans). The most effective is endurance exercise training -- your moderate-to-intense 10,000 steps a day qualifies. A second clinical trial shows that when older people at risk for Alzheimer's do low or moderate-to-high-intensity exercise three or four times weekly for a year, their cognitive function remains stable -- in sharp contrast to what's expected. For help, check out my book "The RealAge Workout."
Bonus: Consider the new way (at any age) to get rid of brain-damaging old proteins in your blood, Therapeutic Plasma Exchange; see the review on TPE for Alzheimer's and cognitive decline at LifespanEdge.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.longevityplaybook.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@longevityplaybook.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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