According to statistics, if you live to be over 85 years old, you have about a 50/50 chance of getting Alzheimer's.
This "old folks disease" seldom affects those under 65, so 90% of all Alzheimer's patients are senior citizens. As a matter of fact, the number of cases of Alzheimer's is doubled for every five years in people over 65.
By the numbers, 1% of the population has AD before 60 years old, 3% between 65 and 75 and a whopping 40% plus at 85 years old.
What are the other factors that may raise your chances of getting Alzheimer's?
Family history
If someone else in your family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, your chances creep upward. The condition is thought to be passed along genetically. It's not definite that you will develop Alzheimer's, even if your grandmother, your mother and your mother in law have it, but that puts you at high risk statistically.
Gender
More women than men have Alzheimer's, by about 1.2 to 1.5 times - at least according to some studies.
Less formal education
Some studies show this as a factor - however, since most people who have Alzheimer's are elderly, most of them grew up during a time when "higher education" was only available and deemed necessary for the smaller upper class.
Low levels of B Vitamins
It seems that especially B12 and folate levels make a difference in your chances. Since B vitamins are necessary for good nerve function, and our bodies easily secrete any overload of them, taking extra B Vitamin supplement is a sensible hedge against this risk factor.
High levels of homocysteine
This a sulfur-containing amino acid that's found in the blood. If you have too much, you increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Again, B12 and folate supplements seem to be in order.
Head injury
If you've had a head injury at any time in your life, your chances of getting Alzheimer's disease is higher.
Environment
But no one's quite sure yet. One study of Japanese who emigrated to America showed an increased risk. That's not definitive, but other studies have seemed to point to the same result.
Nationality
But maybe only in America. Hispanics and African Americans seem to have a higher risk that Caucasian Americans.
High blood pressure
At least systolic pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading). This is another "maybe," although high blood pressure is thought to be a factor in memory problems.
High cholesterol
Some studies seem to indicate that high cholesterol raises risks of Alzheimer's.
Down's Syndrome
If you give birth to a baby with Down's Syndrome and you're under 35, your risk of having Alzheimer's is much higher than even women who have babies with Down's Syndrome at a later age. Almost all of those who have Down's Syndrome have similar changes in their brains that AD patients have.
All of that said, there are only two well established factors that put you at risk of Alzheimer's: Age and family history. There have to be many more reasons, or combinations of reasons, but research so far hasn't been able to identify them conclusively.
That leaves a big portion of the population at high risk for this heart breaking condition, but, even though there is no cure yet, there are treatments that will slow the progress and prolong a good quality of life.
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