Omega 3 Could Help Protect Against Brain Shrinkage And Alzheimers

A recent trial is claiming the benefits of fish oil for a healthy brain . nearly all studies looking at diet and its effect on the brain rely on questionnaires or food diaries to obtain statistics but this research did more than that .

Researchers in the US from the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland looked at blood samples of 104 elderly people who had an average age of around 87 and found that those who the greatest concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids including other vitamins had better results on memory and other cognitive tests than those who had lower concentrations of Omega 3 fatty acids in their blood samples.

They also used MRI brain scans on 42 of the elderly subjects and found that those who had more Omega 3 and other vitamins had a larger brain volume than those with a lower level of Omega 3 fatty acids. On the opposite end of the scale, those who had consumed a lot of unhealthy fats in their diets and who ate very little or no Omega 3 did not perform on the cognitive tests and they also had less brain volume. Trans fats are present in fried foods , fast foods and in cakes and biscuits. This would indicate that a diet with enough Omega 3 fatty acids and low in Trans fats can help maintain the brain in good working order. The implication of this is that it will reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease as brain shrinkage is linked with Alzheimer's.

It was scientists at this same university that in the past found that Omega 3 supplements did not help to halt brain decline in people who already had Alzheimer's disease. There are numerous previous studies that have indicated that a diet with plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids can help to ward off brain decline and dementia, however, there are mixed results about whether Omega 3 fatty acids can be effective for individuals who have already developed Alzheimer's disease. In the prior study by Oregon Health and Science University people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's were given DHA supplements but it was found that this did not make any difference to the progression of brain decline. DHA is just one of the Omega 3 fatty acids present in fish oil.

This latest study seems to indicate that a diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and other vitamins can keep the brain healthy for longer and consequently reduce the risk of dementia. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and herring or in fish oil.

"These results need to be confirmed, but obviously it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet" Said study author Dr Gene Bowman, researcher in Neurology at Oregon Health and Science University

Alzheimer's currently affects approximately 36 million people worldwide. The disease is characterised by progressive brain decline and finally death.

The Daily Mail said that Dr Simon Ridley head of research at Alzheimer's UK welcomed the study although he noted the sample was small and the research did not follow up to see whether any of those taking part went on to develop Alzheimer's.

"Although there is no sure-fire way of preventing Alzheimer's yet" said Dr Ridley "we know that risk factors for heart disease and stroke can also increase the risk of dementia,"

"The best advice at the moment is to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and keep healthy by not smoking, taking regular exercise and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol in check," he added.

"There is a clear need for conclusive evidence about the effect of diet on our risk of Alzheimer's, which can only come from large-scale, long-term studies.

"Currently 820,000 people are affected by dementia in the UK and with a rapidly ageing population, those numbers are expected to soar.

"We urgently need to find ways to prevent dementia if we are to head off a future crisis, and that means it's vital to invest in research."

The research has been published in the December 28th issue of the online Journal Neurology.