Two Things Cut Your Dementia Risk in Half

Up to half of dementia cases are preventable. That number comes from a major review of the science, and it has nothing to do with your genes.

On a recent episode of the Medspa Confidential podcast, I sat down with Dr. Stephanie Rogers, a geriatrician and professor of medicine at UCSF, to find out what actually protects your brain. I spend my days focused on how people age on the outside.

This conversation will remind you that most of it starts on the inside. A lot of what she told me connects straight back to what my patients are already doing, whether that's starting a GLP-1, going back on hormone therapy, or just trying to feel like themselves again at 50.

Hearing And Cholesterol Top The List

"The two biggest factors that are associated with a reduced dementia risk are the correction of hearing loss and a normal LDL cholesterol." — Dr. Stephanie Rogers, Med Spa Confidential

Dr. Rogers pointed me to the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, a major review of the research that identified 14 factors tied to dementia risk. Midlife, meaning your 30s through 60s, is where you have the most control.

Most people ignore hearing loss until a spouse or a kid points it out. Dr. Rogers wants everyone screened at age 50, then rechecked every three to five years. And that LDL number on your bloodwork isn't just about your heart. It's about your brain too.

If you already get your labs checked every year and you already ask your doctor about hormone therapy, you're already doing half the work of protecting your brain.

Where GLP-1s Really Stand

"The GLP-1's decreasing dementia risk is actually mixed, so that's not a solid thing right now." — Dr. Stephanie Rogers, Med Spa Confidential

I've shared my own Tirzepatide story on the show before. So I asked Dr. Rogers point blank: do GLP-1s lower dementia risk?

The early observational studies look good. The stronger controlled trials haven't backed that up yet. What she does trust: two older diabetes drugs, metformin and a class called SGLT2s, including Jardiance. Those have a real, tracked link to lower dementia risk. If you or your mom is managing blood sugar right now, that's a conversation worth having with her doctor.

Vaccines Nobody Talks About

"The flu vaccine is associated with a 40% reduction in dementia risk, and the shingles vaccine is a 20% reduction." — Dr. Stephanie Rogers, Med Spa Confidential

I don't think most people connect vaccines to brain health at all. Infections trigger inflammation. Inflammation wears down the brain over time, the same way it wears down joints or skin. Dr. Rogers also flagged social connection as the strongest late-life factor on the list. Not a brain game, not a supplement, but a phone call to your best friend once a week.

Before Your Next Checkup

If you're already thinking about booking a hearing check or asking your doctor for a shingles vaccine, good. Protecting your brain isn't about the newest trend, but the boring stuff. The stuff that actually works.

We got into a lot more in the full conversation — the sleep habit that matters more than your total hours, and the one supplement Dr. Rogers actually takes herself.

Press play and hear the full breakdown with Dr. Stephanie Rogers.