4 Shocking Hormonal Health Factors That Increase Dementia Risk In Women

Women are two times more likely1 to develop Alzheimer's disease (the most common form of dementia) as men, according to a 2018 SAGE Journals review.

Historically, it was believed that this correlation between dementia prevalence and sex was due to women's longer life span—the theory was that a longer life left room for a brain-aging disease to manifest. 

In 2022, a UK cohort study published by PLOS Medicine took a look at which reproductive and hormonal health factors2 put women at a higher risk of developing dementia, and their results were quite illuminating. 

As explained by neuroscientist, nutritionist, and associate director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D., in a mindbodygreen podcast episode, reproductive hormones play a massive role in protecting our brains from damage (such as the amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease). 

"The interactions between the brain and the reproductive organs are really crucial for brain health and brain aging—especially in women," she says. "We tend to think of testosterone [and] estrogens as involved in reproduction, having kids. But in reality, these hormones have a lot of effects inside our brains." 

"In particular, they literally push our neurons to bring glucose to make energy. So if your hormones are high, your brain energy is high. But then what happens to testosterone is that it doesn't quite decline that much over time, whereas for women, estrogens pretty much plummet when women go through menopause," Mosconi shares. 

It's this plummet in estrogen that leaves women's brains especially vulnerable when they hit menopause in their 40s or 50s. "If you think of these hormones as having some kind of superpowers for the brain, women lose the superpower around the time that menopause hits, right? And the brain is left a little more vulnerable," Mosconi says.

Many of the brain-healthy habits you already know (e.g., getting good sleep, physical activity) can help women support their brains. When it comes to nutrition, Mosconi recommends the Mediterranean diet to women who are looking to promote optimal cognitive function.

Women who have a genetic predisposition to dementia, are showing early signs of cognitive decline, or have one of the hormonal risk factors listed above should consider working with an endocrinologist to support healthy hormone levels and/or a neurologist to get their brain assessed. 

In addition to working with a health care provider and implementing brain-healthy lifestyle habits, women can also consider a targeted nootropic supplement with ingredients that target cognitive health.