May is the month where the spotlight shines on women’s health. Did you know nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women?
, out of the nearly 7 million people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s dementia in the U.S., 4.2 million are women, while only 2.7 million are men.
, a neurology and clinical trial researcher from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, told WTOP there’s a variety of reasons women are more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“There seems to be some genetic basis for that, that’s not fully understood, but it may have to do with the role of estrogen,” Sharma said. “There’s also the fact that women tend to live longer.”
Sharma pointed out the longer you live, the more likely you are to develop Alzheimer’s.
“So women, in that regard, are just more likely to get Alzheimer’s,” Sharma said.
Another factor may be, according to Sharma, that women tend to be more concerned with their health than men.
“Women may be more likely to seek care, or maybe more likely to talk about concerns about memory with their provider,” Sharma said.
If you think you or a loved one is having issues with memory Sharma said talk to your doctor, don’t wait until it’s too late.
“The earlier you identify a problem, if you can attribute it to potential Alzheimer’s pathology, then we can intervene with treatments that may not be available at later stages,” Sharma said.
Many people have heard older family members say they read brain games or crossword puzzles to keep their mind sharp, but it may not help as much as picking up a dumbbell.
“The benefits of the brain seem to be related to more cardiovascular and strength training,” said Sharma. “Things like exercise, absolutely, and eating a heart-healthy diet. We do know that these play a really significant role in protecting or reducing the risk of dementia or even delaying it, so it really comes down to those basics.”
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