Inflammation might cause Alzheimer’s – here’s how to reduce it

There is growing evidence that ongoing inflammation in various parts of the body could trigger Alzheimer’s disease. It will take many years for the science to be established, but what is clear is that persistent inflammation has many negative effects, and there are many other benefits to the steps you can take to reduce it.

Inflammation occurs when immune activity is higher than normal – for example when a scratch becomes infected and becomes swollen and painful. Short-term inflammation is generally a good thing, but when it persists unnecessarily for months or years, it can cause or contribute to many conditions, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety.

Doing what you can to reduce inflammation in the long term will definitely benefit your physical and mental health. Here’s how to do it:

1. Get vaccinated

Several vaccines – including those for shingles, tuberculosis and influenza – have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. For example, people who received a shingles vaccine called Shingrix were 17 percent less likely to develop dementia over the next six years than those who received an older shingles vaccine called Zostavax, which itself already reduces the risk of dementia. The exact reason is not certain, but one explanation is that these vaccines reduce inflammation.

2. Brush and floss

Gum disease, a form of inflammation, also increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. This may be because when gums bleed, bacteria can enter the bloodstream. Maintaining good dental hygiene helps prevent gum disease and keeps your breath from smelling bad.

3. Adopt a Mediterranean diet

Some foods reduce the levels of inflammatory immune signals in the blood, while others increase them, likely due to their effects on our gut microbiome. Anti-inflammatory foods include fruits, beans, nuts, whole grains, fish and olive oil, while inflammatory foods include red or processed meat. In other words, the Mediterranean diet is anti-inflammatory and has of course long been associated with other benefits, like longer life.

4. Exercise regularly

One of the detrimental effects of spending too much time sitting at a desk or slumped on a couch is higher levels of inflammation, but numerous studies have shown that exercise reduces many signs of this. A 2021 study found that exercise intensity doesn’t seem to matter. Yoga also works, according to a 2024 meta-analysis, although it notes that the quality of most studies was poor. Considering all the other benefits of exercise, this stands to reason.

5. Maintain a healthy weight

Many studies have shown that obesity leads to persistent inflammation, although the precise mechanisms are unclear. So, if inflammation is, in turn, linked to dementia, will taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs such as semaglutide (commonly sold as Ozempic) reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease? We don’t have a complete answer yet.

People taking GLP-1s to treat type 2 diabetes do have a lower risk of developing dementia, but it is not yet clear whether this is also true for people who do not have type 2 diabetes. What is clear is that GLP-1s do not help treat Alzheimer’s disease in people already diagnosed with the disease.

6. Be happy

A little stress every now and then helps, but the downsides of being constantly stressed include inflammation. If you’re happy, at least most of the time, you’ve probably found the right balance.