- Omega-3 fatty acids have many benefits and play a role in heart health and cognitive functioning.
- A new study shows that there may be a connection between omega-3 intake and increased brain function in middle-aged people.
- The cross-sectional study looked at the omega-3 blood levels of middle-aged people and tested their MRIs and thinking skills to see if there was a difference in people with higher or lower omega-3 levels.
According to a new study published in Neurologythe medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, people who have higher omega-3 levels in midlife may have an advantage over people who consume lower omega-3 levels.
The study was led by researchers at the University of Texas Health in San Antonio, TX, who were concerned about the lack of research on how omega-3s may affect people in midlife.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), omega-3 fatty acids “are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are important for a number of functions in the body.” In addition to playing a role in heart health and cognitive functioning, omega-3 fatty acids are also part of the cell membrane and affect cell function.
As Professor Stuart Phillips pointed out during Live Long and Master Aging podcast, “Some fats that we eat, and particularly omega-3s or long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, are actually what we refer to as essential fats. We need to have them in our diet because we don’t have the ability to make them ourselves.”
Prof. Phillips is the director of the Center for Excellence in Physical Activity at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.
the NIH lists three types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The daily recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA for adults and people who are pregnant or nursing:
- Men 1.6g
- Women 1.1g
- Pregnant women and adolescents 1.4 g
- Adolescents and lactating women 1.3 g
This recommendation is for ALA only as experts have not yet established recommendations for the other two fatty acids.
Although people can take omega-3 supplements, they are also found in various foods. Some good sources of omega-3 they include fish (such as salmon and tuna) and nuts and seeds (chia seeds and flax seeds).
The researchers studied 2,183 men and women with an average age of 46 years. They excluded people who had dementia or a history of stroke from their group of participants.
Using blood samples, the researchers analyzed the fatty acid composition of each participant. The participants also consented to have their brains scanned using MRI technology.
The researchers were interested in the volumes of gray and white matter present in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. the hippocampus plays a role in learning and memory, and a reduction in volume may indicate possible dementia.
The participants also underwent a neurological evaluation. The tests measured participants’ abstract thinking, processing speed, executive function and delayed episodic memory.
The researchers placed about 25% of the participants in the low group, where the participants had blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids below 4%. This group had an average count of 3.4%.
The rest of the participants were placed in the high group; their average omega-3 level was 5.2%.
By comparing blood samples, MRI results, and neurological evaluations, the study authors determined that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids correlate with larger hippocampal volume and better abstract reasoning.
The researchers noted that people in the tall group also had higher gray matter volumes, better reading scores, and slightly higher logical reasoning scores.
In contrast, people in the low group tended to be less likely to have a college degree and more likely to be smokers and have diabetes compared to the high group.
“This exploratory study suggests that a higher [omega-3 blood levels] are associated with larger hippocampal volumes and better abstract reasoning performance, even in cognitively healthy middle-aged adults from the community, suggesting a possible role in enhancing cognitive resilience,” the authors write.
“These results need to be confirmed with further research, but it is exciting that omega-3 levels may play a role in improving cognitive resilience, even in middle-aged people,” said the study author. Prof. Claudia L. Satizabal, Ph.D..
Prof. Satizabal is an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at UT Health San Antonio, TX.
The authors noted that other researchers have conducted similar studies in older populations, but they believe there is a need to see what impacts omega-3 supplementation has on middle-aged people as they begin to experience cognitive decline.
According to the authors, “one of the main challenges for some of these studies may be that dietary interventions may be carried out too late to achieve significant improvements in symptomatic participants, as cognitive changes may be well established over 15 20 years prior”.
“Improving our diet is one way to promote our brain health. If people could improve their cognitive resilience and potentially prevent dementia with a few simple changes to their diet, that could have a big impact on public health.”
– Prof. Satizabal
Dr Natalie Kingneuroscientist and founder of Florae Beauty, who was not involved in the study, spoke with Today’s medical news and discussed the importance of diets on brain health.
“Everything we do and consume affects our brains, and there have been numerous studies, including the shared one, highlighting the effects of food and beverages on overall brain health and function,” said Dr. King..
“Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, have been shown to be beneficial when it comes to improving mental function, as well as supporting an overall wellness plan when considering conditions such as mood disorders and others that affect learning and memory,” continued Dr. King. .
Dr. King noted that while this area needs more research, “moderation of omega-3s is likely to be key, and concurrent careful moderation with other molecules (i.e., saturated fats and highly processed foods) is necessary to achieve the net positive effects sought”. by.”
