Researchers in The Netherlands showed that statins, normally taken to lower bad cholesterol, can also protect nerve cells from becoming damaged, as occurs in the brain of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

That nerve cell protection is believed to lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. According to Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 5.3 million people in the US live with the disease.

In animal experiments conducted in the lab at University of Groningen, the statin Lovastatin prevented nerve cells from dying and thereby prevented the loss of memory capacity.

The research was published in the June issue of Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Statins Might Protect Against Alzheimer’s