Fish Oil and Alzheimer's:Exciting Development!

This is the press release from  American Academy of Neurology...

MINNEAPOLIS – People with higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may also have larger brain volumes in old age equivalent to preserving one to two years of brain health, according to a study published in the January 22, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Shrinking brain volume is a sign of Alzheimer’s disease as well as normal aging. For the study, the levels of omega-3 fatty acids EPA+DHA in red blood cells were tested in 1,111 women who were part of the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study. Eight years later, when the women were an average age of 78, MRI scans were taken to measure their brain volume. Those with higher levels of omega-3s had larger total brain volumes eight years later. Those with twice as high levels of fatty acids (7.5 vs. 3.4 percent) had a 0.7 percent larger brain volume.

“These higher levels of fatty acids can be achieved through diet and the use of supplements, and the results suggest that the effect on brain volume is the equivalent of delaying the normal loss of brain cells that comes with aging by one to two years,” said study author James V. Pottala, PhD, of the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls and Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., in Richmond, Va.

Those with higher levels of omega-3s also had a 2.7 percent larger volume in the hippocampus area of the brain, which plays an important role in memory. In Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus begins to atrophy even before symptoms appear. The study was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

My take....

We recommend Omega-3 oils to our patients for the sole purpose of helping your nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Because of the American Diet is so high in Omega-6 which actually  BLOCKS omega-3. We recommend supplements and food that are rich in omega-3; tuna, salmon, flounder, flax,chia and walnuts to name a few. Now, I can't ask folks to always buy $18 pound wild caught Alaskan salmon, but I do think it is a wise investment to protect your brain by taking a quality supplement that we recommend to our patients. And we also recommend that you cut down on foods that are high in omega-6; processed foods, corn oils, etc.

Quality of oils...

Oils are like diamonds, two diamonds can look exactly alike and yet one is a better quality when you look closely. Important to note is where the oils are from, what type of fish do they use, is it molecularity distilled (eliminates toxins), the quantity of EPA/DHA (most are at levels below any therapeutic benefit), and quality of the oil (they should not repeat on you). Also, to have a trusted adviser to point you in the correct direction is always helpful. This is what we provide(being a trusted adviser) for our patients along with our care.

Great study and another reason to start or continue taking your oils.

Have a GREAT Day

Dr. Chris