A new study has revealed that residents in areas with 'soft water', which contains low levels of calcium and magnesium, face a significantly higher risk of vascular dementia compared to those in 'hard water' regions.

Water softeners, commonly used in hard water regions, can strip beneficial minerals from water, potentially impacting its quality.

Soft water is prevalent in regions like Devon, Cornwall, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, and western Wales, primarily due to rainwater lacking mineral content from limestone.

The study, conducted by scientists from Imperial College London and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, analyzed data from nearly 400,000 UK residents, highlighting the vulnerability of populations in soft water areas to neurodegenerative diseases.

Approximately 40% of the UK population may be at risk of dementia due to the low mineral content in their drinking water, according to the research.

The urgency of understanding dementia risk is underscored by NHS data revealing a record number of dementia diagnoses in England, with dementia being the leading cause of death in the UK in 2023.

Findings indicate that individuals living in soft water regions, such as Scotland, Yorkshire, Cornwall, and parts of Wales, exhibited structural brain differences in 20 areas, potentially increasing their risk for conditions like dementia and multiple sclerosis.

Specifically, low calcium levels are associated with a 63% higher risk of dementia and a 53% increased risk of multiple sclerosis, while low magnesium levels correlate with a 25% higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Experts, including Dr. Emma Anderson and Professor Awad Hesh Jha, have labeled the study as speculative, emphasizing the need to consider multiple factors in disease development.

Dr. Tom Russ from the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre stressed the necessity for further research, noting that the study does not definitively prove a causal relationship between water type and dementia.

While the study suggests potential links between water quality and neurodegenerative diseases, researchers caution that other risk factors, such as smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, are more significant.

Experts continue to emphasize the need for more research to fully understand the environmental factors affecting dementia risk.