Dementia Risk: Your Body's Inside Age Matters More!
Link Between Dementia Risk and Biological Age Confirmed in Recent Research
Growing older on the inside, even if you're young on the outside, could mean a higher risk of dementia, a recent study from China reveals.
The researchers, from Zhengzhou University, discovered that biological age, a measure of how well the body is functioning, can be a stronger predictor of dementia risk compared to actual age.
Their findings, published in Neurology, used data from the UK Biobank over a 14-year period and found that faster biological aging was linked to a higher risk of developing dementia by 14% to 15%.
"Given the growing impact of dementia worldwide, pinpointing risk factors and developing preventive measures is essential," said lead researcher Dr. Yacong Bo. "Though we can't change our age, we can influence our biological age through lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise."
To assess biological aging, the Chinese researchers used two methods: the Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age (KDM-BA), which uses blood test results, and PhenoAge, which relies on clinical data related to aging and mortality. As the rate of biological aging increased, so did the risk of dementia.
While more than 6 million Americans are currently living with dementia (NIH, 2025), and dementia causes around 100,000 deaths per year, researchers found that changes in gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area may help explain the link between faster biological aging and dementia.
These results suggest that biological age reflects a true picture of our health and, in the future, could guide personalized treatment plans and wellness recommendations to combat dementia.
Let's Talk Biomarkers
Various biomarkers are used to measure what we call biological age:
- Lung Function: Measured through tests like forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC).
- Blood Pressure: Both systolic and diastolic levels are considered.
- Cholesterol Levels: Total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL levels are analyzed.
- Average Cell Volume: Measurements like mean corpuscular volume (MCV) for red blood cells are taken.
- White Blood Cell Count: This can signify inflammation or immune system stress.
These biomarkers are combined to calculate an individual's biological age, which may be higher or lower than their chronological age. A higher biological age indicates advanced physiological aging, possibly due to lifestyle choices or underlying health conditions.
Looking Forward
Scientists are exploring novel approaches for dementia treatment, including gene therapies, advanced drugs, and artificial intelligence for early detection through brain imaging and biological age tracking.
According to a previous report by Dr. Sadiya Khan, these drugs have multi-system benefits, targeting not just diabetes, heart health, or brain health, but all simultaneously.
Focusing on biological age could lead to personalized medical treatments and wellness recommendations, tailoring to an individual's unique health needs.
- The study published in Neurology highlighted that biological age, ascertained through methods like the Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age (KDM-BA) and PhenoAge, could be a stronger predictor of dementia risk than actual age.
- Faster biological aging, as indicated by changes in biomarkers such as lung function, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, average cell volume, and white blood cell count, could lead to an increased risk of developing dementia by 14% to 15%.
- In the future, biological age tracking may guide personalized treatment plans and health and wellness recommendations to combat not only dementia but also other health conditions like mental health, aging, and neurological disorders.
- The advancement in dementia treatment research includes gene therapies, advanced drugs, and artificial intelligence for early detection through brain imaging and biological age tracking, which could help target multiple health systems simultaneously and provide personalized healthcare solutions.
