How to prevent Alzheimer's: what we know and what you can do

A risk factor is something that makes a disease more likely. It doesn't mean you will get the disease. Alzheimer's has several, and some you can change while others you can't.

Risk factors you can't change

• Age. Getting older is the biggest risk factor. The chance of developing Alzheimer's roughly doubles every five years after age 65. Age matters because the brain changes over time, and the changes linked to Alzheimer's build up slowly over many years.
• Genes. Some genes raise the risk. One called APOE e4 is the best known. Having it raises the odds, but many people who have it never get Alzheimer's, and many people without it do.
• Family history. Having a parent, brother or sister with Alzheimer's raises your risk somewhat.

Risk factors you may be able to change

• High blood pressure, especially in midlife
• Type 2 diabetes
• High cholesterol and obesity in midlife
• Smoking
• Not getting much physical activity
• Being socially isolated or not doing much that challenges the mind
• Untreated depression
• Untreated hearing loss and head injuries, which newer research has also linked to dementia

Brain changes from Alzheimer's can start years, even decades, before memory problems show up. That's why the habits you build in your 40s, 50s and 60s may matter as much as the ones you keep later.

Brain exercises can sharpen the skills you practice, but there's no proof yet that any brain game prevents Alzheimer's.

In one large study of healthy adults 65 and older, a handful of training sessions on memory, reasoning or speed improved those specific skills, and the gains lasted for years. People who keep up mentally stimulating activities, like reading, puzzles, writing letters and visiting museums, also tend to have a lower risk of Alzheimer's.

Researchers think an active brain may build a kind of backup, sometimes called "cognitive reserve," that helps it keep working even when disease starts to cause damage.

You don't need an expensive app. Try something new and a little hard: a language, a recipe you've never made, a dance class, or a different route home. Doing it with other people adds social time, which seems to help too.

You'll see many supplements that promise to protect your memory. So far, none has been proven to prevent or slow Alzheimer's.

Vitamin E, vitamin C, B vitamins, ginkgo biloba and coenzyme Q have all been tested in clinical trials, and none prevented or slowed the disease. Other compounds, like the omega-3 fat found in fish and resveratrol from red grapes, are still being studied.

Be careful with products sold as Alzheimer's "cures." They can be a waste of money, and some can interfere with medicines you already take. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start a supplement. If a doctor finds you're low in a vitamin, such as B12 or vitamin D, they'll tell you how to correct it.

If you're a caregiver, your own health often slips to the bottom of the list. Missed doctor visits, skipped meals, no time to exercise and very little sleep are things caregivers tell us about all the time. Researchers are even studying whether long-term caregiver stress affects the caregiver's own memory risk.

Looking after yourself is not selfish. It's part of looking after them. The Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center (ADRC) in Winter Park can help:

• Caregiver support groups, free, in person and online, where you can talk with people who understand.
• Care Navigation, free one-on-one sessions to make a plan that leaves room for you.
• Education services, workshops on brain health and caregiving, open to the public.

Worried about your own memory, or your person's? Read our guides to cognitive assessment and how dementia is diagnosed. For treatment questions, see medications and Alzheimer's.

Need someone to talk to right now, day or night? Call the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900. In an emergency, call 911.