Most people have heard that high cholesterol is bad for their health, but there is growing recognition that one type of cholesterol, called HDL cholesterol, has benefits for the heart. Now a team of neurologists has determine that higher levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, can also help the brain. They studied more than 1,000 New Yorkers over the age of 65 who had no memory or other cognitive problems at the start of the study.
Those with the highest levels of HDL, over 55, were 60 percent less likely to develop signs of Alzheimer’s disease than those with the lowest levels, under 38. The study lasted four years. The investigators suggested that diet and exercise can help raise HDL levels. So can niacin, prescribed as cholesterol-lowering medication.
