Alzheimer's makes people forget - in the final stage, an independent life is no longer possible.
Former soccer player Gerd Müller also suffered from Alzheimer's.
"The German record champions and his entire fan base mourn Gerd Müller, who died early Sunday morning at the age of 75," tweeted FC Bayern Munich on August 15, 2021. Although no cause of death was reported, it was Gerd Müller since Years of bad health was no secret.
On Müller's 70th birthday it became public that the former professional soccer player suffered from the most common form of dementia: Alzheimer's
. Since then, the former soccer star has lost a lot of physically and mentally. Gerd Müller, the record scorer in the Bundesliga, scored 365 goals in 427 games and was a role model for countless amateur and professional soccer players.
Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is a typical disease of old age.
The progressive memory loss scares many, mainly because there is no therapy.
Detected and treated at an early stage, the course of dementias such as Alzheimer's can be delayed,
but a cure is not yet possible.
However, researchers found risk factors that promote the development of dementia - and which can be avoided.
Lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease: You can influence these factors yourself
Sleep disorders are said to increase the risk of dementia immensely *, according to a publication by the American Academy of Neurology.
According to the study, people with difficulty falling asleep and shortened REM sleep phases developed dementia more often.
But there are also risk factors that everyone can influence.
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More than normal forgetfulness: The brains of dementia sufferers degrade enormously.
In the final stage, independent life is no longer possible.
© picture alliance / dpa / Karl-Josef Hildenbrand
Observational studies suggest that the following factors in particular favor Alzheimer's disease:
Mental stress
: Those who are under immense pressure, especially in middle age, run the risk of developing dementia.
Financial and professional worries or existential fears are among the negative factors that promote chronic stress.
In addition to sports, doctors recommend relaxation exercises such as meditation to lower the stress level.
Loneliness in old age
: According to the Alzheimer Research Initiative, anyone who is alone a lot and feels lonely has twice the risk of Alzheimer's disease than someone with many social contacts.
These challenge the brain and help to stay mentally fit.
Also read
:
Amazing: This factor really affects whether you stay healthy in old age
.
Sugared drinks
: New York scientists found a link between the consumption of sweetened drinks and Alzheimer's disease.
In a large-scale study, the data of almost 2,300 older test subjects were evaluated over a period of more than seven years.
In the study participants who consumed up to 20 grams of sugar daily through drinks, the study leaders observed an Alzheimer's rate that was 50 percent higher than in people who had drunk far less sugary drinks.
Too much sugar may damage the insulin metabolism in the brain, as the medical newspaper reported.
Read more
: Do you like to drink your coffee with sugar?
You are not yet familiar with this unexpected episode.
More on the topic
: These two diets reduce the risk of dementia enormously - the study says.
In the video: Daily housework should prevent dementia
(jg)
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Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network
.
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