Omega-3 supplements may benefit preclinical Alzheimer's disease

Last month I shared a study just published consisting of older adults at risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease that found omega-3 fatty acids showed potential in preventing dysfunction of the aging brain.

Here is more evidence that fish oil supplementation and antioxidants may be beneficial for Alzheimer’s disease: A new study just published in the July 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal describes the results of study in which people with mild clinical impairment saw clearance of amyloid-beta protein and reduced inflammation in the neurological tissues. These participants were in the very early stages of the disease.

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is expected to increase in the US from 5.1 to 13.2 million people by 2050 with health care costs exceeding 1 trillion dollars. Therefore, a preventive strategy to promote and support healthy brain aging is critical.

Doctors recommend physical and mental exercises, however, this study confirms that nutrition is equally important especially essential fatty acids.

Researchers studied the effects of 4 to 17 months of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. They measured the following:

phagocytosis of amyloid-beta 1-42
the transcription of inflammatory genes
the production of resolvin D1
the cognitive status by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

In patients that had mild clinical impairment and pre-mild clinical impairment, the phagocytosis of amyloid-beta increased from 530 to 1306 mean fluorescence intensity units. The lipidic mediator resolvin D1 (activates amyloid-beta phagocytosis) increased in macrophages in 80% of patients with mild clinical impairment and pre-mild clinical impairment.

Research has consistently demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for a wide range of health issues. This is another study showing its powerful effects on brain health and neurological disease particularly, Alzheimer’s disease.

Source: M. Fiala, R. C. Halder, B. Sagong, O. Ross, J. Sayre, V. Porter, D. E. Bredesen. -3 Supplementation increases amyloid- phagocytosis and resolvin D1 in patients with minor cognitive impairment. The FASEB Journal, 2015; DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-264218

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