High Levels of Cholesterol Linked to Increased Risk of ALS

The clinical site coordinator at NAPA Research, Naval Parikh, MD, leverages past experience as a principal investigator, research assistant, and presenter to lead research activities that improve community health. Alongside this role, Naval Parikh, MD, practices medicine with SortinoMD and assists patients with managing such conditions as high cholesterol.

It is well known that high cholesterol levels negatively impact cardiovascular health. However, a recent study also linked high cholesterol to the fatal neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This incurable condition is most common in people over the age of 50. Patients with ALS typically pass away within two to five years of presenting with symptoms, which include slurred speech and muscle weakness. The ALS-cholesterol-link study was published in Annals of Neurology.

To gather data for the study, researchers looked at about 21,000 ALS cases and 59,000 control cases from around the world. They compared these cases and searched for any genetic markers that connected or overlapped among patients. Together, they identified roughly 700 habits and traits that increased a person’s risk of developing ALS, including high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). According to the results, having lower levels of education and smoking also correlated with an increased risk of the disease. Similarly, intense exercise was linked to increased risk, while light exercise was associated with lower risk of the disease.