The good news, though, is that the condition is mostly treatable.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/125845361.jpg\")
A significant percentage of adults over 65 are anemic, potentially increasing their risk of dementia by more than half. EricMiguel \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Researchers in Sweden studying the association between cognitive decline and anemia \u2014 a disease that impacts a person\u2019s red blood cells and hemoglobin \u2014 found that anemic study participants had a 66% higher chance of developing dementia compared to the those with normal hemoglobin levels.<\/p>\n
There were other red flags too: Anemia was linked with key blood biomarkers related to Alzheimer\u2019s disease, including phosphorylated tau 217, or p-tau217, which suggests a possible tie between low hemoglobin and the building blocks of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n
Of all the combinations observed in the study, the highest dementia risk belonged to those with both anemia and higher Alzheimer\u2019s disease biomarkers, further emphasizing a possible connection between anemia and neurodegeneration.<\/p>\n
Dr. Liron Sinvani<\/a>,director of research and innovation for the Northwell Institute of Healthy Aging, explains that an anemia diagnosis means a person has a low red blood cell count.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhy is this important? Because red blood cells carry oxygen,\u201d Sinvani tells The Post. \u201cIf you have less red blood cells swimming around, then you could potentially have less oxygen.\u201d<\/p>\n That spells trouble for the brain.<\/p>\n When the brain doesn\u2019t get enough oxygen, it enters a state of oxidative stress. It loses neurons, and potentially becomes more susceptible to inflammation, with a lowered ability to remove toxins. All of these things could theoretically make a person more vulnerable to cognitive decline.<\/p>\n Yet it\u2019s not all doom and gloom.<\/p>\n There\u2019s reason to be inspired by this new study\u2019s findings, Sinvani says, because \u201cunlike some of the other dementia risk factors that we know, anemia may be modifiable. We can treat anemia.\u201d<\/p>\n Because anemia is such a common condition, doctors are well-equipped to intervene with known strategies like dietary changes and increased iron intake, as well as testing for ongoing blood loss.<\/p>\n![\"Hands](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/man-hands-holding-dietary-iron-125845385.jpg\")
At the wrong dose, iron supplements can lead to severe constipation. Unless directed by your doctor, Dr. Liron Sinvani recommends eating an iron-rich diet instead, plus plenty of fiber. Creative Cat Studio \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n