Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, that includes fish, chicken, salad dressing and nuts, may result in lowering blood levels of a protein linked to Alzheimer's disease and memory problems, says a new study.
Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, MS, with Columbia University Medical Center in New York, a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the author of the study said "While it's not easy to measure the level of beta-amyloid deposits in the brain in this type of study, it is relatively easy to measure the levels of beta-amyloid in the blood, which, to a certain degree, relates to the level in the brain,"
The study was conducted on, 1,219 people aged 65 and above, free of dementia. The information regarding their diet was collected for an average of 1.2 years n and then their blood was examined for the beta-amyloid.
During the study researchers took into account 10 nutrients that includes saturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D.
The team of researchers observed that the increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids lowers the blood beta-amyloid levels.
Intake of one gram of omega-3 per day (equal to approximately half a fillet of salmon per week) more than the average omega-3 consumed by people in the study is linked with 20 to 30 percent fall of blood beta-amyloid levels.
Other nutrients were not found linked with plasma beta-amyloid levels. The results did not change after adjusting for age, education, gender, ethnicity, amount of calories consumed and presence of the APOE gene, a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
"Determining through further research whether omega-3 fatty acids or other nutrients relate to spinal fluid or brain beta-amyloid levels or levels of other Alzheimer's disease related proteins can strengthen our confidence on beneficial effects of parts of our diet in preventing dementia," said Scarmeas.
An online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology has published this study.
--with inputs from ANI
|
|
Comments:
