May 2025 Newsletter
- Dennis Lipton, MD
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Welcome to the May 2025 Newsletter!
I hope everyone had a relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!
Office Schedule
I’ll be attending several conferences between now and end of June so I will out of office a few days here and there. If I’ll be virtual-only for more than two weekdays, you’ll get an email update. I remain available for messages, calls, and urgent telehealth visits during that time.
Practice Updates
The recent news of President Biden’s late-stage prostate cancer shocked me. This should not have happened. It’s a reminder that standard, age-based screening guidelines often fail. Prostate screening is discouraged after age 70, assuming life expectancy under 10 years. That logic doesn’t apply to many of my patients--men who are thriving well into their 70s and beyond.
I’ve seen too many cases like Biden’s in my 25-year career. This is why I offer advanced cancer and cardiovascular screening—including Galleri testing, full body MRI, and coronary CTA with plaque analysis—to reduce risks of sudden, late-stage diagnoses. We can and should do better.
But this newsletter is really supposed to be about the most feared disease of aging: cognitive decline. I’m excited to now offer a powerful early detection tool: ViewMind, a 20-minute VR-based cognitive evaluation that analyzes multiple brain domains via eye tracking. It can be included in your annual exam by request, then we’ll review how to improve your brain health and score.Here are key factors—rooted in recent science—to protect and strengthen cognitive health:
Head Trauma: Even one concussion can raise dementia risk decades later. Activities like skiing and cycling carry risk—take precautions.
Sleep Apnea: Untreated, it increases dementia risk by up to 50%. If you snore, have daytime fatigue, or sleep restlessly, get evaluated.
Hearing Loss: Often overlooked, but significant. Severe cases increase dementia risk by 2–5x. Get tested and treated.
High Blood Pressure: Mid-life hypertension raises Alzheimer’s risk by 36–42%. Controlling it can normalize your risk.
Alcohol: Even small amounts can impair long-term cognitive function. The safest intake is none.
Low Testosterone: Men with low T have up to 48% higher Alzheimer’s risk. Hormone optimization matters.
High LDL: Elevated cholesterol increases dementia risk. Statins significantly reduce that risk for many.
Poor Body Composition: High visceral fat and low muscle mass worsen brain aging—especially in men. Annual body comp assessments are crucial.
Diet: Processed foods, excess sugar, salt, and alcohol increase dementia risk. No surprise there.
The Good News
Diet Quality: High intake of greens, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains is protective. Aim for at least five servings of vegetables daily. (I use “Salad Power” smoothies to help—link here).
Exercise: Arguably the most potent intervention. Just 25 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity weekly cuts dementia risk by up to 41%. More is better. Strength training, cardio, and even yoga or tai chi all help. Build gradually.
Social Connection: Strong social ties reduce dementia risk by 38% and delay diagnosis by up to five years. Isolation, on the other hand, raises risk. Stay engaged.
Key Nutrients: Omega-3s, polyphenols, vitamin D, B vitamins, choline, olive oil, and C15 all support brain health. Nutritional strategy matters.
Vaccines: The Shingrix vaccine lowers dementia risk by 20%—and also prevents shingles and its complications.
These findings come from large population studies, mostly published in the past few years. We all have room to improve—including me!
If you’re ready to take your cognitive health to the next level, I now offer a premium tier of care that uses AI to analyze your genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics, and other biomarkers to deliver a precision plan for your brain health and longevity. It’s the same science used in elite global longevity clinics, now brought to you—spots are limited. Read more about it here.
In health,
Dennis Lipton, MD
References:
Head traumas: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2018/05/410361/dementia-risk-doubles-following-concussion-ucsf-study-shows; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9422954/, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2679879
Sleep apnea study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35366021/
Hearing loss: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/new-study-links-hearing-loss-with-dementia-in-older-adults; https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext
Blood pressure studies: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03616-8, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/treating-high-blood-pressure-reduces-dementia-risk/
Alcohol studies: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409173113.htm; https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dementia-risk-rises-with-any-amount-of-alcohol-use#Why-does-alcohol-affect-dementia-risk
LDL and statin studies: https://bmjgroup.com/low-ldl-cholesterol-levels-linked-to-reduced-risk-of-dementia/, https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2024/05/22/16/20/LDL-Cholesterol-Lowering
Testosterone: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26154489/, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.586909/full
EXERCISE: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/small-amounts-of-moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity-are-associated-with-big-reductions-in-dementia-risk, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1127065/full
Social activity: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8786616/, https://magazine.scienceconnected.org/2025/03/social-activity-is-key-to-brain-health/
Nutrients: Omega-3s https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37028557/, https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000755, https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/healthy-aging/the-best-foods-for-reducing-dementia-risk/, C15 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10649853/,
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/03/shingles-vaccination-dementia.html
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