A study points to a new benefit of eating cheese regularly

A large-scale study out of Japan has identified a surprising potential benefit of eating cheese regularly: it may help lower the risk of developing dementia in older adults. While it’s not a cure — and certainly not a guarantee — the findings suggest that this simple dietary habit could play a meaningful role in protecting cognitive health as we age.

The research, published in Nutrients in October 2025, was conducted by the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology along with Niimi University and Chiba University. The team analyzed data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), covering the years 2019 to 2022 and including a representative sample of 7,914 adults aged 65 and older.

Participants were split into two groups: those who ate cheese at least once a week and those who never consumed it. Researchers also accounted for factors such as age, gender, income, education level, overall health, and functional abilities.

Over the three-year follow-up period, 134 people in the cheese‑eating group developed dementia (3.4%), compared with 176 in the non‑cheese group (4.5%). That difference translates to a 24% lower relative risk among those who ate cheese.

Nutrients linked to brain health

The authors highlight several possible explanations for this association. Cheese contains vitamin K2, which plays a role in vascular health and calcium metabolism — both connected to cognitive function. It also provides proteins and essential amino acids that support neuronal activity. And during fermentation, cheese releases bioactive peptides that may have anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Interestingly, most participants reported eating processed cheese, which contains fewer probiotics than aged varieties. That suggests the benefits may come from broader dietary effects or from dairy components that researchers haven’t fully identified yet.

Even after adjusting for overall eating patterns, the reduced dementia risk remained at 21%, pointing to a potential cheese‑specific effect beyond a generally balanced diet.

The study does have limitations — including measuring cheese consumption only once and relying on administrative records to confirm dementia diagnoses — but its findings offer a promising foundation for future research. They may also help shape nutritional recommendations aimed at supporting cognitive health later in life.

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