Three groups of newer type 2 diabetes drugs were linked to a lower risk of developing dementia, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Dementia (advanced cognitive impairment) is a widespread health risk for older adults, particularly those with diabetes. This is especially true if you have less than optimal blood glucose control, and less so if your blood glucose levels are close to normal. A number of lifestyle factors are also linked to the risk for cognitive decline and dementia. A higher daily step count and brisk walking are linked to a lower dementia risk, and poor oral health may raise the risk for dementia. A diet that’s high in antioxidants may help prevent dementia, while consuming ultra-processed foods may raise the risk for cognitive decline. And taking the type 2 diabetes drug metformin as prescribed is linked to a lower dementia risk, while certain other diabetes drugs are linked to a higher dementia risk.
To get cutting-edge diabetes news, strategies for blood glucose management, nutrition tips, healthy recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter!
For the latest analysis, researchers looked at previous studies that examined the relationship between dementia risk and three different groups of newer type 2 diabetes drugs — SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and DPP-4 inhibitors. They were interested in three different outcomes — dementia from all causes, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia. All participants in the included studies took at least one of the drugs for type 2 diabetes, and a total of 10 studies involving 819,511 participants were included in the analysis.
Three groups of newer type 2 drugs preliminarily linked to lower dementia risk
Overall, three studies found that people who took SGLT2 inhibitors had a 38% lower risk of developing dementia than people who didn’t take these drugs. Five studies found that people who took GLP-1 agonists had a combined 28% lower risk for dementia compared with those who didn’t take them. But since only one study looked at Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia as separate outcomes for each of these drug groups, it wasn’t possible to calculate these risks separately. When it came to DPP-4 inhibitors, seven studies combined found that people who took these drugs were 16% less likely to develop dementia than those who didn’t take them. The risk for vascular dementia was 41% lower, while the risk for Alzheimer’s disease was not significantly lower.
The researchers concluded that these three groups of newer type 2 diabetes drugs are linked to a lower dementia risk, but that these results “should be interpreted with caution” because of the differences in how studies include in the analysis were conducted. More research is needed, they wrote, to confirm that these drugs are actually linked to a lower risk for dementia.
Want to learn more about maintaining cognitive health with diabetes? Read “Seven Ways to Ward Off Dementia,” “Nine Tips to Keep Your Memory With Diabetes,” “Keeping Your Brain Strong With Diabetes” and “Memory Fitness: How to Get It, How to Keep It.”
Living with type 2 diabetes? Check out our free type 2 e-course!
