![\"Picture](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1_Nurse-consoling-her-elderly-patient-by-holding-her-hands.jpg\")
Scientists have revealed how a commonly prescribed drug could help lower the risk of dementia (stock)(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\nResearchers have discovered that a medication eight million Brits are prescribed, for another condition, could help lower the risk of dementia – a study involving 571,000 people made the bombshell findingScientists have revealed how a commonly prescribed drug could help lower the risk of dementia (stock)(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The UK’s most commonly prescribed drug<\/a> could actually help lower the risk of dementia<\/a>, a new bombshell study has revealed. A pill taken to help lower cholesterol<\/a> levels has been found to have another hugely positive and potentially life-changing result for millions of Brits.<\/p>\n The incredible study – published by the Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry<\/a> – found high cholesterol levels, commonly known to possibly lead to heart disease, could also increase the risk of dementia. Researchers suggested cholesterol-lowering statins – a medication<\/a> taken by a whopping eight million Brits – could help people fight off the heartbreaking memory-stealing disorder.<\/p>\n Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance naturally found in blood. It is an essential part of the body but high levels of cholesterol could lead to a build-up of plaque in arteries, potentially blocking blood flow and causing serious and potentially deadly health issues like heart attacks<\/a>.<\/p>\n Researchers at the Hallym University College of Medicine in South Korea collected data from 571,000 people to make their ground-breaking discovery. Scientists followed people for 180 days after their cholesterol levels were tested, to see whether patients developed dementia during the six-month period.<\/p>\n They had 192,213 people with LDL-C, also known as “bad cholesterol”, levels less than 1.8 mmol\/L and 379,006 patients with LDL-C levels higher than 3.4 mmol\/L. Scientists found people with lower amounts of “bad cholesterol” had a lower risk of developing dementia. Researchers also found patients with low LDL-C levels were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n The study found taking statins could provide “additional protective effect” against the brain condition for people with low-levels of bad cholesterol. The risk of dementia dropped by around 13% for people with LDL-C levels below 1.8 mmol\/L who also used statins.<\/p>\n This research was observational, meaning no hard conclusions can be drawn from the results. Despite this, these scientists said: “Low LDL-C levels \u2026 are significantly associated with a reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer\u2019s disease-related dementia, with statin therapy providing additional protective effects.”<\/p>\n The head of research at Alzheimer\u2019s Research UK, Dr Julia Dudley, said: “The use of statins seemed to offer a protective effect \u2013 even in those who already had cholesterol levels within a lower range.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, dementia risk is complex and influenced by many factors. Without a detailed picture of what\u2019s going on in the brain, we do not know if there is a direct link between lower cholesterol and reduced dementia risk. Clinical trials will be key to understand what effects statins might be having on disease processes in the brain.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1_United-Kingdom-High-Wycombe-Alzheimers-and-Dementia-Research-Scientist-holding-a-blood-sample-du.j.webp\")
Statins could help lower your risk of dementia (stock)(Image: Getty Images\/Image Source)<\/p>\n![\"Picture](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1_Relative-holding-trembling-hand-of-senior-woman-with-Parkinsons-disease-lying-in-hospital-bed-at-m.webp\")
The study involved 571,000 people (stock)(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n