{"id":8153,"date":"2026-04-21T23:22:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T23:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8153"},"modified":"2026-04-22T03:52:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T03:52:06","slug":"after-landmark-research-that-new-alzheimers-drugs-make-no-meaningful-difference-to-patients-we-reveal-the-simple-daily-tweaks-proven-to-lower-your-risk-of-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8153","title":{"rendered":"After landmark research that new Alzheimer’s drugs make ‘no meaningful difference’ to patients, we reveal the simple daily tweaks PROVEN to lower your risk of dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Momentous \u2013 that\u2019s how one leading UK dementia charity described the approval of the Alzheimer\u2019s drug lecanemab back in August 2024.<\/p>\n

A few months later, similar plaudits greeted the arrival of donanemab \u2013 the second in a new class of medications that bind to clumps of harmful deposits of proteins called amyloid and tau, and flush them out of the brain.<\/p>\n

Yet just over 18 months on, hopes that these \u2018revolutionary\u2019 drugs would turn the tide on Britain\u2019s dementia epidemic appear to have been dashed.<\/p>\n

First, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) ruled last year that neither drug should be available on the NHS<\/a>, as the benefits were marginal and the costs too high (up to \u00a380,000 per patient per year).<\/p>\n

Then, last week, the influential Cochrane Collaboration \u2013 a body of independent experts which vets evidence on medical treatments \u2013 ruled that the two drugs show \u2018no clinically meaningful effect\u2019.<\/p>\n

The experts crunched data from 17 different trials, involving more than 20,000 patients, and concluded that while the new drugs do slow the progression of Alzheimer\u2019s, the improvements are negligible and they can have worrying side-effects that include swelling and bleeding in the brain.<\/p>\n

The ruling was welcomed by some UK experts, who argued that the drugs\u2019 potential had been over-hyped \u2013 but criticised by others (some described it as \u2018throwing the baby out with the bath water\u2019) because it did not differentiate between the two newer Alzheimer\u2019s drugs and some older ones already known to have limited benefits.<\/p>\n

(Several of those who questioned the Cochrane verdict have previously acted as paid consultants to pharmaceutical firms that produce them.)<\/p>\n

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There are an estimated one million people in the UK living with dementia \u2013 and by 2040 that figure is expected to climb to 1.4 million<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There are also questions over whether the proteins are in fact the real culprit: for instance, it has been suggested that a virus \u2013 such as herpes, which can remain dormant in nerve cells in the brain \u2013 might cause an overgrowth of amyloid which then leads to the toxic clumps seen in Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Doubts over the extent to which these protein deposits are involved were increased in 2024, when it emerged that images in a major study published in the journal Nature in 2006 that supported the theory that amyloid caused memory loss had been altered. The paper was later retracted.<\/p>\n

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Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

There are an estimated one million people in the UK living with dementia \u2013 and by 2040 that figure is expected to climb to 1.4 million.<\/p>\n

But while the search for a cure continues, there is mounting evidence that prevention may be the best form of defence for now.<\/p>\n

A major report in 2024 by The Lancet Commission on Dementia concluded that almost half of all cases globally could be prevented, or at least delayed for several years, if action was taken to address 14 risk factors \u2013 ranging from smoking and excess alcohol consumption, to loneliness and a sedentary lifestyle \u2013 that are driving up rates of illness.<\/p>\n

Here, Good Health looks at the lifestyle changes you can make now that have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia.<\/p>\n

Check your blood pressure<\/h2>\n

We all know untreated high blood pressure (a healthy reading is usually between 90\/60 and 120\/80) is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.<\/p>\n

But less well known is that it is also one of the driving forces behind dementia \u2013 damaging the tiny blood vessels that supply the brain, linked not only to vascular dementia (where blocked vessels deprive the brain of oxygen-rich blood; a form that affects around 180,000 people in the UK), but to all forms of the disease, says Professor Paul Morgan, director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University.<\/p>\n

A 2025 study by the University of Texas in the US, involving almost 34,000 people over 40 with previously undiagnosed high blood pressure, found that treating it with medication reduced dementia risk by 15 per cent, reported the journal Nature Medicine.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a similar story with \u2018bad\u2019 LDL cholesterol \u2013 which can also restrict blood flow to the brain. A healthy reading of LDL (below 1.8mmol\/L) reduced the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s by 28 per cent, according to a 2025 study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.<\/p>\n

Get in the sauna regularly<\/h2>\n
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Saunas have been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease and easing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis \u2013 but they might also cut the risk of dementia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Saunas have been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease (the heat dilates blood vessels, reducing blood pressure) and easing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (the heat is thought to dampen down inflammation) \u2013 but they might also cut the risk of dementia, according to a landmark 2017 study from Finland, published in the journal Age and Ageing.<\/p>\n

It tracked healthy middle-aged men over a 20-year period and found that those having saunas two to three times a week were 22 per cent less likely to develop any form of dementia, than those who had them less than once a week; having saunas between four and seven times a week lowered the risk by 65 per cent.<\/p>\n

The effects on blood pressure are likely to be a key. But Professor Edward Avezov, from the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, says temperatures of 70-90C (158-194F) in saunas also appear to stress the body\u2019s cells to the point where they release protective proteins.<\/p>\n

\u2018These heat shock proteins appear to \u201cuntangle\u201d the plaques [in the brain linked to dementia],\u2019 he told Good Health. \u2018But it\u2019s important to note these findings are from Finland where people spend many hours in the sauna.\u2019<\/p>\n

Yes, do some voluntary work<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s well recognised that social interaction is a vital weapon against dementia. It reduces feelings of loneliness and depression \u2013 both risk factors for the disease \u2013 and studies show it strengthens neural circuits in the brain, making them more resilient to the build-up of harmful plaque deposits as we age.<\/p>\n

Even if it doesn\u2019t prevent the condition, it can delay its onset. A study in 2025, published in the journal Alzheimer\u2019s & Dementia, which followed 1,923 dementia-free adults in their 70s and 80s found that regular social interaction (about an hour a day) \u2013 in the form of playing bingo, going to restaurants with friends or day trips \u2013 reduced the risk of dementia by an average of 38 per cent.<\/p>\n

Bryan James, an associate professor of internal medicine at Rush University Chicago in the US who led the study, said the results revealed that \u2018the least socially active older adults developed dementia an average of five years before the most socially active\u2019.<\/p>\n

Get stuck into a good book<\/h2>\n

Reading regularly can reduce the chances of dementia by 40 per cent, according to a Rush University study. The same goes for writing diaries, learning a foreign language or visiting museums.<\/p>\n

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Reading regularly can reduce the chances of dementia by 40 per cent; and the same goes for writing diaries, learning a foreign language or visiting museums<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

All these activities are likely to stimulate the brain and ward off the kind of shrinkage that allows dementia to gain a foothold.<\/p>\n

The study, involving almost 2,000 people in their 80s, found that just 21 per cent of those who did the most of these kinds of activities had developed Alzheimer\u2019s \u2013 compared with 34 per cent of those with the lowest levels.<\/p>\n

Try to be more upbeat in life<\/h2>\n

Even just being a bit more optimistic about life appears to shield you against dementia, according to recent research by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the US. In a 14-year study involving 9,000 retirees, having a cheery outlook on life was associated with a reduction of at least 15 per cent in dementia rates.<\/p>\n

Writing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers said one explanation may be that optimistic people tended to live healthier lifestyles, manage stress well and have strong social connections.<\/p>\n

But they stressed that people can learn to be positive by keeping a \u2018gratitude list\u2019 \u2013 a daily record of three things to be thankful for.<\/p>\n

Catch up on lost sleep at weekends<\/h2>\n

Sleep deprivation isn\u2019t listed as a recognised risk factor for dementia, but a growing number of studies suggest that regularly getting less than six hours\u2019 sleep may put you at risk.<\/p>\n

A 2021 study of more than 10,000 UK civil servants \u2013 published in the journal Nature Communications \u2013 found those sleeping less than this amount between the ages of 60 and 70 were up to 30 per cent more likely to later develop dementia.<\/p>\n

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Sleep deprivation isn\u2019t listed as a recognised risk factor for dementia, but a growing number of studies suggest that regularly getting less than six hours\u2019 sleep may put you at risk<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Other research has linked lack of sleep with higher levels of inflammatory proteins in parts of the brain associated with memory and learning. Another theory is that it reduces the effectiveness of the glymphatic system, which clears the brain of waste at night \u2013 including harmful proteins linked to dementia.<\/p>\n

But if your hectic work schedule makes it hard to get enough rest during the week, try making up for it at weekends.<\/p>\n

Scientists at the National Taiwan University Hospital found that getting a couple of extra hours\u2019 sleep on a Saturday or Sunday reduced the risk of dementia by up to 70 per cent, compared to those who didn\u2019t have a lie-in to make up for lost weekday rest, reported the journal Sleep and Breathing in 2024.<\/p>\n

Catching up on lost sleep is thought to reduce inflammation in the brain\u2019s blood vessels.<\/p>\n

Watch out for gum disease<\/h2>\n

Mounting evidence suggests that good dental hygiene can make a real difference to brain health in later years. \u2018This is an important risk factor because if you have gum disease it also leads to inflammation in the brain,\u2019 warns Professor Morgan.<\/p>\n

In a study at the University of Minnesota in the US, involving more than 4,500 people aged 45 to 64, researchers found that 14 per cent of those with healthy teeth and gums had developed the brain disease, compared with 23 per cent among those with dental problems \u2013 including just moderate gum disease (e.g. swollen, red gums that bleed when brushed).<\/p>\n

Studies suggest that bacteria that cause inflamed gums may cross the blood-brain barrier and trigger inflammation that accelerates dementia development.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss out on your flu jab<\/h2>\n

Annual flu jabs don\u2019t just reduce your risk of viral infection \u2013 they might also protect you against dementia.<\/p>\n

A 2021 study by St Louis University School of Medicine in the US, involving 70,000 people in their 60s and 70s, found that after having the flu jab every year for at least six years in a row, their risk of dementia dropped by around 14 per cent.<\/p>\n

One theory is that regular vaccinations \u2013 of any kind, not just flu \u2013 strengthen the ageing immune system just enough so it can prevent, or even repair, the damage that leads to dementia.<\/p>\n

Similarly, scientists at the University of Oxford last year found that the shingles vaccine Shingrix (offered to everyone over 65 on the NHS) cuts the risk of dementia by about 17 per cent thanks to an ingredient, called an adjuvant, added to boost the jab\u2019s effectiveness.<\/p>\n

Ensure you have a hearing test<\/h2>\n

Worrying evidence suggests being unable to hear properly heightens the risk of dementia. A 2024 study, published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology \u2013 Head & Neck Surgery, with more than 573,000 people found those with hearin loss were, on average, 7 per cent more likely to also develop dementia.<\/p>\n

Some other studies put the risk as high as 22 per cent. When we struggle to hear, the brain isn\u2019t \u2018worked\u2019 as hard, leading to a loss of neural connections and cognitive decline, says Professor Morgan.<\/p>\n

…and get your eyes checked, too<\/h2>\n

Research shows that people with uncorrected vision loss are 50 per cent more likely to develop dementia than those with good vision, or who wear glasses or contact lenses to correct their sight, according to the Alzheimer\u2019s Society.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, surgery for cataracts (where the clear lens in the eye becomes cloudy because of ageing) can reduce the risk by up to 30 per cent.<\/p>\n

When our vision starts to deteriorate, the brain receives less sensory input, which may accelerate cognitive decline because of reduced mental stimulation.<\/p>\n

It may also stop many older people from venturing out to see family or friends \u2013 adding to social isolation.<\/p>\n

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Pumping iron can boost memory<\/h3>\n
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Aerobic exercise \u2013 anything that gets the heart rate up and blood pumping to the brain \u2013 is known to protect against dementia, possibly by reducing inflammation and stimulating the production of growth factors essential for healthy brain cells.<\/p>\n

But could regular weight training also be crucial?<\/p>\n

A 2025 study of older people with mild cognitive impairment (often a precursor to dementia) found those who added strength training \u2013 boosting the hamstrings, the quadricep muscles in the thighs, chest muscles and biceps \u2013 twice a week to their exercise routine had better memory and recall after six months than those who didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The researchers from the State University of Campinas in Brazil said scans showed strength training reduced shrinkage in areas of the brain associated with Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Momentous \u2013 that\u2019s how one leading UK dementia charity described the approval of the Alzheimer\u2019s drug lecanemab back in August 2024. A few months later, similar plaudits greeted the arrival of donanemab \u2013 the second in a new class of medications that bind to clumps of harmful deposits of proteins called amyloid and tau,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8154,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[987],"tags":[1452,2792,2666,2790,2793,1981,2791,2795,2796,2794],"class_list":{"0":"post-8153","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-living","8":"tag-alzheimers-prevention","9":"tag-brain-biohacking","10":"tag-cognitive-reserve","11":"tag-dementia-2026","12":"tag-glymphatic-system","13":"tag-insulin-resistance","14":"tag-lecanemab-controversy","15":"tag-microbiome-brain-axis","16":"tag-preventative-neurology","17":"tag-sauna-therapy"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8153"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8170,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8153\/revisions\/8170"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}