Low bone mineral density linked to high risk of Alzheimer's disease
Font size:
David Liu and editing by Denise Reynolds
If you suffer osteoporosis or low bone mineral density, you may also be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study published online Dec 27, 2010 in Journal of Alzheimer's Disease suggests.
The study led by Zhou Rui and colleagues from The Third Military Medical University in ChongQing, China showed men and women who had low bone mineral density at the beginning of the study and an increased loss rate of bone mineral density were at higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.
For the prospective study, the researchers followed 2,019 community residents aged 65 years or older for five years. During the follow-up, 132 Alzheimer's disease cases were identified.
Zhou et al. found baseline bone mineral density, bone loss rate, current cigarette smoking, daily alcohol drinking and lower leptin levels were correlated with elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease.
The missing link between low bone density and high risk of Alzheimer's disease could be vitamin D, which has been associated with both osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease, a health observer suggested.
One study published in the July 2010 issue of Neurology showed people with 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D insufficiency were 2.3 times more likely to have all-cause dementia and 2.5 times more likely to have Alzheimer's disease, compared with those who had sufficient levels.
Alzheimer's disease affects about 5 million American elderly people, according to nih.gov. There is no cure for the disease. Patients with the disease will eventually lose their ability to take care of themselves.
There is evidence suggesting that a plant-based diet is protective against Alzheimer's disease. Studies have shown Mediterranean diet, a diet high in fruit and vegetables, and vitamin E among other things may help reduce the risk of the disease.
Add to:
del.icio.us |
Digg
del.icio.us |
Digg
Email to a friend
Print version
Plain text
Home
Set as homepage
Add to favorites
Mobile site
Rss
Plain text
Archive