Low Bone Density May Increase Dementia Risk by 42%, According to New Research—Here's What To Know

Your bones and brain seem like two fairly separate systems, right? The brain tells the muscles how to move the bones, true. But otherwise, when you look at neurons vs. osteoblasts, smarts vs. structure; these body parts don't seem to have a whole lot in common.

But just as gut health can help (or hurt) mood, there are some surprisingly systemic relationships within our fascinating, complex bodies.

This week, we're learning more about a potential association between brain health and bone health, and anyone who's getting older (ahem, all of us!), might want to listen up. According to a new study published March 22, 2023 in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), people who have low density may be at 42% higher risk for developing dementia later in life (compared to their stronger-boned peers).

Ahead, learn more about how they came to this conclusion, then discover how to start bolstering your bone strength today to benefit your sharpness and skeleton all at once.

What This Bone Density Study Found

Study author Mohammad Arfan Ikram, MD, Ph.D., professor and head of neuro-epidemiologic research at the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands and his team of researchers tapped into data from the Rotterdam Study, a large bank of residents in the Netherlands who have signed on to take part in research.

The 3,651 participants they analyzed were 72 years old, on average, and did not have a dementia diagnosis at the outset of the study. Every 4 to 5 years, each person received a physical exam, which included X-rays to track bone density, an interview and a cognition test.

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