Cheese linked to lower Alzheimer’s risk in 25-year study

Researchers tracked 27,670 adults from middle age into older life and recorded 3,208 cases of dementia over the study period. The analysis showed that people who regularly ate more full-fat cheese and cream were less likely to develop dementia, though the effect was not seen in everyone.

Among participants without a known genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, those who consumed more than 50 grams of full-fat cheese a day had a 13% to 17% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared with people who ate very little cheese. This link was not found in individuals who carried the APOE e4 gene variant, which is known to increase Alzheimer’s risk.

Higher intake of full-fat cream was also linked to a reduced risk of dementia overall. People who consumed more than 20 grams a day showed a 16% to 24% lower risk. In contrast, no clear links were found for low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk, yogurt, or other fermented milk products.

The findings challenge long-standing dietary advice that has encouraged low-fat dairy choices, largely because of concerns about heart health. Since heart disease and dementia share many risk factors, including high blood pressure and diabetes, researchers have often assumed that low-fat options would also benefit brain health.

However, the authors stress that the results do not mean cheese or cream directly protect the brain. People who consumed more full-fat dairy in the study also tended to be better educated, less likely to be overweight, and had lower rates of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These factors on their own are linked to a lower dementia risk.

To reduce the risk that early, undiagnosed dementia influenced eating habits, the researchers excluded people who developed dementia within the first 10 years of follow-up and repeated their analysis. The results remained broadly similar, suggesting the link was not simply due to changes in diet caused by early memory problems.

The study also suggests that what foods dairy replaces may matter. The apparent benefits could partly reflect substituting cheese or cream for processed or red meat, rather than an effect of dairy itself.

Experts say the findings support a broader message seen in many previous studies. Overall diet and lifestyle matter far more than any single food. Diets consistently linked to better brain health, such as the Mediterranean diet, include cheese in moderation alongside vegetables, fish, fruit, and whole grains.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a simple finger prick could change how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed.