Lowering your “bad” cholesterol might be doing more than just protecting your heart, it could also be safeguarding your brain.
A large study found that people with low LDL cholesterol had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The effect was especially strong when LDL levels were kept moderately low, with statins providing an extra layer of protection. However, there appears to be a limit, going too low offered no added benefit. The study emphasizes a sweet spot for LDL levels in preserving long-term brain health.
Low LDL-C Levels Linked to Dementia Protection
People with lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in their blood may have a reduced risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia, according to a new study published today (April 1) in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
The study found that people with LDL-C levels below 1.8 mmol/L (70 mg/dL) had an even lower risk of dementia when they were also taking statins, suggesting an added protective effect from the medication.
However, reducing LDL-C to extremely low levels, below 0.8 mmol/L (30 mg/dL), did not lead to additional reductions in dementia risk.
Unpacking the Link Between Cholesterol and Cognition
While the link between low LDL-C and lower risk of heart disease is well-established, its connection to dementia has been less clear. This is especially true when it comes to identifying how low LDL-C must go to provide cognitive benefits, and whether there’s a point beyond which further lowering offers no advantage.
To investigate this, researchers analyzed data from 11 university hospitals, focusing on adults without a prior diagnosis of dementia. All participants had their LDL-C levels measured and were followed for at least 180 days. The study identified 192,213 individuals with LDL-C below 1.8 mmol/L (70 mg/dL) and 379,006 individuals with LDL-C above 3.4 mmol/L (130 mg/dL). From these groups, researchers created 108,980 matched pairs to compare dementia outcomes.
Moderate Reductions in LDL-C Offer Strong Benefits
Analysis of subsequent diagnoses of dementia showed that LDL-C levels below 1.8 mmol/L (<70mg/dL) were associated with a 26% reduction in the risk of all-cause dementia and a 28% reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia, compared with LDL-C levels above 3.4 mmol/L (>130mg/dL).
The protective effect against cognitive decline lessened at lower LDL-C levels and eventually disappeared entirely. At LDL-C levels below 1.4 mmol/L (<55mg/dL), there was an 18% risk reduction for both all cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia compared with LDL-C levels above 3.4 mmol/L (>130mg/dL), and when LDL-C levels fell below 0.8 mmol/L (<30mg/dL) the risk reductions disappeared.
Statins Enhance the Cognitive Benefits of Low LDL
Statin use conferred additional protection against dementia in the presence of low LDL-C levels. Among people with LDL-C levels below 1.8 mmol/L (<70mg/dL), statin use was associated with a 13% reduction in all cause dementia risk and a 12% decrease in risk of Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia compared with non-users.
This is an observational study, and as such, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. The authors also acknowledge that the study has some limitations including the potential for unmeasured confounding factors because of its retrospective design, possible underreporting of dementia cases due to variations in diagnostic accuracy between hospitals, and the focus on baseline LDL-C levels when lipid profiles could change over time.
Key Takeaways for Brain and Heart Health
Nevertheless, the authors conclude: “Low LDL-C levels (<70 mg/dL (<1.8 mmol/L)) are significantly associated with a reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia, with statin therapy providing additional protective effects.”
They add: “These findings underscore the crucial role of managing LDL-C in lowering dementia risk.”
Reference: “Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and risk of incident dementia: a distributed network analysis using common data models” by Minwoo Lee, Kyung Joo Lee, Jinseob Kim, Dong Yun Lee, Rae Woong Park, Sang Youl Rhee, Jae Myung Cha, Hyeon-Jong Yang, Jae-Won Jang, Seunguk Jung, Jeeun Lee, Sang-Hwa Lee, Chulho Kim, Jong-Seok Bae, Yeo Jin Kim, Ju-Hun Lee, Hyoeun Bae and Yerim Kim, 1 April 2025, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2024-334708
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