Cholesterol impacts on Brain Health

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the overlap between heart health and brain health—especially when it comes to cholesterol.

We often hear about LDL, ApoB, or Lp(a) in the context of heart disease, but not enough people are talking about their impact on cognitive decline, memory loss, or dementia risk.

What’s interesting is that elevated ApoB and Lp(a) can damage small blood vessels in the brain—long before any heart symptoms show up. And in people with genetic risk factors like APOE4 (which many don’t even know they carry), this may matter even more.

Some lipid-lowering strategies like statins and Zetia are known for heart protection, but we’re now seeing early evidence they might help preserve brain health too—especially when used wisely and paired with nutrients like DHA, CoQ10, and a diet that supports both vascular and cognitive resilience.

So if you’ve been told “your cholesterol is a little high but otherwise you’re fine,” it might be worth asking:
Is this number just a heart risk—or could it be a brain risk too?