Eating Fish may Reduce Risk of Dementia

By: Loren Kalm for Body1

Genetics have long been regarded as the primary cause of dementia, which currently affects almost 5 million Americans. New research suggests, however, that low levels of essential fatty acids found in fish may play a role in the onset of dementia and specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Accordingly, a diet with lots of fatty fish may be an effective way to prevent the onset of dementia and improve general cognition as you age.

Dementia is the decline in cognitive function in the brain that is not related to the normal aging process, such as occurs with disease or brain damage. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is presently regarded as both incurable and fatal.

A recent nine year longitudinal study by Ernst Schaefer, M.D., has shown that patients who develop dementia generally have lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, than those patients who show normal ranges of cognition. The top quarter of subjects, with the highest levels of DHA in their blood plasma, had a 53% lower chance of developing dementia and a 61% less chance of developing Alzheimer’s than the rest of the subjects.

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Other possibilities to reduce the risk of dementia Regularly stimulating the brain with puzzles and other cognitive training Eating fewer sugars and saturated fats Following a diet rich in vitamin B12 and folate Reducing alcohol intake Keeping blood pressure down

As one ages, the levels of DHA present in the brain decline, leading to increased oxidative stress on neurons in the brain and damage to their lipid membranes. This study, thus, proposes that dietary supplementation of DHA can help restore diminished DHA levels in the brain and thereby slow neural degeneration.

Furthermore, a research team at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has shown that DHA may have benefits specific to Alzheimer’s-related dementia. Patients with Alzheimer’s have a build up of toxic plaques in their brain related to low levels of the protein LR11. Dietary supplements of DHA stimulate the production of this protein, which could potentially destroy the plaques and thus lessen the effects of Alzheimer’s or even prevent the plaques from forming in the first place.

DHA is known as an essential fatty acid because it can only be obtained through food, as opposed to other fatty acids which can be made endogenously (through the body’s natural processes). How much fish should you eat to decrease their risk of dementia? While the researchers don’t give an exact answer to this question, the quartile of patients in Schaefer’s study with the fewest signs of dementia, ate on average 0.18 grams of DHA per day. That translates to roughly three servings of fish per week. For those concerned with mercury contamination in fish or other dietary issues, fish oil supplements offer an alternative way to increase your DHA levels and help defend against dementia.

In the future, DHA will not only be looked at as a preventative measure but might be considered as a pharmaceutical remedy to slow the progression of dementia in Alzheimer’s patients. For now, incorporating fish in your diet might be the best way to keep your brain healthy.

Last updated: 17-Sep-08