Diet and dementia

Citation

(2008), "Diet and dementia", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 38 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2008.01738fab.002

Diet and dementia

Article Type: Food facts June 2008 From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 38, Issue 6.

Everyone knows too much cholesterol is bad for your health. But, as doctors and dieticians realise, it is much more complicated than that. Too much LDL cholesterol low-density lipoproteins, or “bad” cholesterol may indeed increase your risk for heart problems, since LDL cholesterol builds up in the arteries and causes potential blockages or clots. But not enough HDL cholesterol high-density lipoproteins, or “good” cholesterol can be similarly damaging, since HDL carries some of the excess LDL in your bloodstream to your liver. In fact, studies show low levels of HDL cholesterol also increase your risk for coronary heart disease.

Now, however, scientists have discovered that if your levels of HDL cholesterol are too low in middle age, it could lead to memory loss and the onset of dementia by the time you reach the age of 60.

“Memory problems are key in the diagnosis of dementia”, says Dr Archana Singh-Manoux, lead author of the study and Senior Research Fellow with the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research and University College London. “We found that a low level of HDL may be a risk factor for memory loss in late midlife. This suggests that low HDL cholesterol might also be a risk factor for dementia”.

The study, published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association found that participants at the age of 55 with low HDL cholesterol levels were 27 per cent more likely to suffer from memory loss than those with high HDL cholesterol levels while 60-year-olds with low HDL were 53 per cent more likely to have memory problems.

Lifestyle prevention

The American Heart Association recommends a number of lifestyle measures to raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol, including regular exercise, avoiding trans fats and reducing saturated (or animal) fats while eating more monounsaturated fats such as olive oil. Therefore, what you eat could affect whether or not you develop dementia in later life. This fact, however, is nothing new to dementia experts for instance, the Alzheimer's Society here in the UK recommends eating a portion of oily fish at least once a week to help prevent the changes in the brain that are associated with dementia.

Indeed, a growing body of evidence suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish may help lower your risk of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and even reduce the severity of dementia symptoms in people who already suffer from the disease.

French scientists, for instance, have discovered that eating a diet rich in fish, fruits, vegetables and omega-3-rich oils such as flaxseed and walnut oil could significantly reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer's and dementia. Their study, backed by France's National Agency for Research, is published in the November 13, 2007 issue of Neurology, the Journal of the American Academy of Neurology (www.aan.com).

Swedish scientists also found that some Alzheimer's patients become less agitated or less depressed after taking omega-3 supplements. They also discovered that omega-3 fatty acids help slow mental decline in people with very mild Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, another pair of studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition back the idea that omega-3 fatty acids could slow the development of Alzheimer's by postponing the age-related mental decline that preceeds it.

Oily fish such as salmon, trout, fresh tuna, sardines, herring and mackerel contain two main types of omega-3 fatty acids, one of which is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are crucial for maintaining the correct structure of every cell membrane in the body, and are crucial for efficient cell messaging in the brain. Without enough of them, communications between our cells stop working correctly. Indeed, the degeneration of cell messaging is a primary symptom of dementia.

VegEPA (www.vegepa.com) is a patented and highly concentrated formulation of ultra-pure EPA from marine fish oil and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid) from organic virgin evening primrose oil. This unique combination of natural fatty acids in an ideal 2.8:1 ratio (omega3:omega-6) provides cell membranes with the nutrients required for efficient chemical signalling, which is integral to healthy brain function.

Just two capsules daily provide 560mg EPA and 200mg organic EPO, which can help reverse fatty acid deficiencies by nourishing the brain phospholipids. As a result, messaging between neurons improves, which boosts cognitive function.