Dementia risk linked to nitrate in drinking water, study finds
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– A major long-term study of more than 54,000 adults found that where nitrate comes from may matter far more than how much you consume. People who got more nitrate from vegetablesâroughly the amount in a cup of baby spinach a dayâhad a lower risk of developing dementia, while higher nitrate and nitrite intake from red meat, processed meat, and even drinking water was linked to a greater risk.
New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and the Danish Cancer Research Institute (DCRI) suggests that the source of nitrate in a person’s diet may play an important role in dementia risk.
In a large study that followed more than 54,000 Danish adults for up to 27 years, researchers examined how nitrate and nitrite intake from different sources related to the development of dementia, including early-onset dementia. Their findings revealed a striking contrast. Higher nitrate intake from vegetables was associated with a lower risk of dementia, while greater exposure to nitrate and nitrite from animal products, processed meats, and drinking water was linked to a higher risk.
Dementia is influenced by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors, but researchers say diet may be another important piece of the puzzle.
Vegetable Nitrate Linked to Lower Dementia Risk
According to ECU Associate Professor Catherine Bondonno, the protective effect associated with nitrate-rich vegetables may be related to how the body processes nitrate.
– Catherine P. Bondonno, Pratik Pokharel, Dorit Wielandt Erichsen, Liezhou Zhong, Jörg Schullehner, Cecilie Kyrø, Kirsten Frederiksen, Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen, Frederik Dalgaard, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Stephanie R. RaineyâSmith, Samantha L. Gardener, Torben Sigsgaard, Ole RaaschouâNielsen, Anne Tjønneland, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Christina C. Dahm, Anja Olsen, Nicola P. Bondonno. Sourceâspecific nitrate intake and incident dementia in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study. Alzheimer’s, 2025; 21 (12) DOI: 10.1002/alz.70995
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