Anemia May Increase Dementia Risk

A study published in Neurology verified that anemia elevates the risk for dementia, as do high hemoglobin concentrations, reports the New York Times . The researchers examined 12,305 people without dementia, measuring their hemoglobin levels and tracking them for 12 years, on average. Over the study period, 1,520 subjects developed dementia, including 1,194 with Alzheimer's. Individuals in the highest fifth in terms of hemoglobin levels exhibited a 20 percent greater risk for any dementia type, and a 22 percent higher risk for Alzheimer's. Those in the lowest fifth had a 29 percent increased risk for dementia and a 36 percent higher risk for Alzheimer's. "We don't have the intervention studies that would show that modifying hemoglobin could prevent dementia, and we can't recommend interventions based on this study," noted Erasmus University Medical Center's Frank J. Wolters. "In the meantime, given the other beneficial effects of treating anemia, this study provides an extra incentive."