Kenneth Glad
Getting older often means collecting a growing pile of daily pills. One pill usually treats one specific problem, from blood pressure to brittle bones. Now, researchers have found that a very common prescription might be doing double duty inside the body.
A massive study out of Hong Kong points to an unexpected link. According to ScienceDaily, a common class of osteoporosis drugs could cut the risk of dementia by up to 24 percent.
Normally, doctors prescribe them to stop bone loss and prevent fractures in older adults. They are known as nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates, or NBPs.
The research team at the University of Hong Kong looked at the medical records of more than 120,000 patients. They tracked people aged 60 and older over a 15-year period.
When checking the data, patients taking these bone drugs developed Alzheimer’s disease at a significantly lower rate. They fared better than those who took no medication, and they also beat out people on entirely different osteoporosis treatments.
Searching for answers
Dementia currently affects more than 55 million people worldwide. That number will likely soar past 130 million by 2050. It is a growing crisis.
While new treatments for Alzheimer’s do exist, they carry a high price tag. They also do not work for every patient, leaving a desperate need for other, and more affordable, options.
By repurposing an existing medication, researchers can save years of lab testing. Since bone decay and memory loss often strike the very same older adults, scientists wanted to look closer.
Both conditions share major risk factors like advanced age and low physical activity. People already living with cognitive decline also face a much higher chance of falling.
Two benefits at once
The connection looks especially strong for women and patients recovering from hip fractures. In fact, treating 48 people with NBPs for five years could stop one new case of dementia.
“Our study provides evidence that NBPs may offer dual benefits in strengthening bones and reducing fracture risk, as well as potentially preventing ADRD,” Professor Cheung Ching-lung told ScienceDaily.
He noted this gives scientists a solid reason to test the drugs further. Because this was an observational study, it does not strictly prove that the medication stops cognitive decline on its own. Still, the potential is huge.
“These findings are significant as they demonstrate a potential approach for reducing dementia risk in a vulnerable population using safe and widely available NBPs,” Professor Cheung explained.
