At 40 I’m terrified of dementia — here’s what the experts say will save me from it
Longevity is the buzzword of the health world right now. Personally, I’m not that bothered about living until I’m 100. What I am terrified of, though, is living any final years with dementia. So, although I’m just 40 — hopefully not that near the end — I’ve already started doing as much as I can to prevent it.
In the UK, nearly a million people are estimated to be living with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (the most common form of dementia), a figure that’s projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, according to the Alzheimer’s Society. Alarmingly, around 70,800 people in the UK have young-onset dementia, where symptoms develop before the age of 65.
A friend’s mother, despite only being in her sixties, is currently going through the early stages, and it’s robbed her daughters of years they thought they still had to have fun with her.
Artem Kovalev
It turns out, I’m peak age to be thinking about this. “Dementia risk is lower in people who have healthy behaviours in mid-life, so aged 40–65,” agrees Tim Beanland, head of knowledge and learning at Alzheimer’s Society. “There is a lot of evidence that lifestyle choices can affect our risk of developing dementia.” Read on to find out what I’m doing.
Supplementing with magnesium
Recent research shows that 50-year-olds sleeping for fewer than seven hours each night were at 30% increased risk of dementia. It’s something studies have been showing for a while, which as an insomniac used to haunt my thoughts in the early hours as I was lying awake.
Deficiency in magnesium can prevent solid sleep
BetterYou
After trying every sleep hack I’d read about, the thing that fixed my sleep was a simple blood test with HUM2N, a longevity clinic in London. It revealed that I was chronically deficient in magnesium (despite taking a supplement). My doctor prescribed me a high dose (300mg) and almost overnight I was sleeping for the first time in years.
Dr Sophie Boswell, founder of TheSleepScientist.com, agrees that magnesium deficiency “is more likely as we get older, are under significant stress, rely on a processed diet, or are living with diabetes or kidney disease.” But she warns, it’s not a “magic bullet” for everyone.
Eat 30 different plants a week
Yes, we’re talking about brain health, but our guts seem to control everything. There’s growing evidence that the gut microbiome can influence sleep quality, according to 2024 study published in the journal Nutrients. Its authors recommend regular consumption of dietary fibre, such as beans, seeds, and a variety of vegetables.
One of the meals from the Zoe app
Jonathan Cape
Prof. Tim Spector recommends that you try to eat 30 different plants a week, based on research he helped lead, involving more than 10,000 “citizen scientists” from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Those who ate 30 or more different plants per week were more likely to have certain “good” gut bugs than those who ate just 10.
While it sounds like a lot, the good news is that beans, herbs and spices all count – even dark chocolate. I’ve also been trying Ki Kefir, a kefir which contains between 30 and 50 varieties of bacteria, and is recommended by Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE.
The same 2024 study found that earlier mealtimes can help with sleep patterns. It leads into further research into chronobiology that suggests that eating breakfast within an hour of waking, and then finishing an evening meal around 6pm can hugely influence our circadian systems.
Artah’s Chrono-Reset programme helped me reset my own meal times at the start of the year. “The science of chrononutrition encourages us to align our eating patterns with our body’s biological day, when the body is more metabolically efficient,” Rhian Stephenson, Nutritionist, Naturopath and Founder of ARTAH, explains.
“Food intake in a non-natural circadian phase alters the rhythm of hormone release and can delay night phase activities,” she adds.
An example is carbohydrates late at night can decrease melatonin production, the hormone the body needs for sleep. While you’re fixing your diet, cut down on sugar: high levels of blood sugar can lead to dementia, according to an American study.
I was pleased to find at a recent Neko health scan that I had low blood sugar levels: a huge win given I have a voracious sweet tooth that I battle to keep at bay.
We’re awash with what supplements to take, but one that seems fairly unanimously recommended is fish oil. “Mega-3 fatty acids are one of the most well researched supplements for cognitive health,” Dr Mohammed Enayat, GP and founder of HUM2N, says.
“These long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential for maintaining neuronal structure and function, and they exhibit anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties,” he adds.
Plus he explains: “Omega-3s seem to be more effective as a preventative measure rather than a treatment for late-stage dementia.”
The Framingham Offspring Study, a long-term observational study, found that those with higher blood levels of DHA had a 47% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those with lower levels.
A new study suggests lifting weights could help beat insomnia in older adults
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I lift weights with my personal trainer twice a week (along with running outside the gym) both because I want to be strong now — and for future health, including my brain.
“Weightlifting and resistance training have been increasingly recognised as powerful tools for brain health, including in the prevention and management of dementia,” Dr Enayat says.
Studies have shown that even those with mild cognitive impairment who started resistance training twice a week for six months showed significant improvements in cognitive function.
Dr Enayat says that weight training helps the brain in three key ways. “Firstly, it stimulates neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, meaning it helps grow new brain cells and improve connections between them. Secondly, it increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for cognitive function and neuroprotection. Thirdly, strength training improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation, both of which are critical factors in the development of neurodegenerative diseases.”
Drink less — but not no — alcohol
I barely drink these days. Mostly so that I get a good night’s sleep, but it helps that it has brain-benefits, too. Several major reviews, included in in the World Alzheimer’s Report 2014, found that heavy and binge drinkers were more likely to develop dementia compared with those who drank moderately. Interestingly, some studies show the odd glass of something can reduces dementia risk compared to being tee total.
For those concerned about dementia, visit alzheimers.org.uk or call the Dementia Support Line number, 0333 150 3456
