Holy Mackerel! Fish Really Is Brain Food – Even if You Only Eat a Small Amount

Could eating salmon, cod, tuna, herring or sardines keep your brain healthy and your thinking sharp in middle age? This study says emphatically, YES.

Eating cold-water fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids may preserve brain health and improve cognition in midlife, according to new evidence from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

In fact, healthy volunteers whose red blood cells contained higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids were found to have better brain structure and cognitive function than others who were between the ages of 40 and 60.

Studies have looked at this association in older adult populations, but this study seems to show that, even at younger ages, if you have a diet that includes some omega-3 fatty acids, you’re already protecting your brain for most indicators of the brain aging that we see in midlife, says Claudia Satizabal, PhD, an assistant professor at the Institute of Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health. Satizabal is the lead author of the study.

The average age of the volunteers was 46 years. The team looked at the relationship of omega-3 fatty acid concentrations in red blood cells with MRI and cognitive markers of brain aging. The researchers also studied the effect of omega-3 red blood cell concentrations in volunteers who carried APOE4, a genetic variation linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

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The study of 2,183 participants without dementia or stroke found that a higher omega-3 index was associated with larger hippocampal volumes. The hippocampus, a structure in the brain, plays an important role in learning and memory.

consuming more Omega 3 it was also associated with better abstract reasoning, or the ability to understand complex concepts using logical thinking.

APOE4 carriers with a higher omega-3 index had less small vessel disease. The APOE4 gene is associated with cardiovascular diseases and vascular dementia.

Researchers, who published their research. in the journal Neurology on October 5, used a technique called gas chromatography to measure docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentrations in red blood cells. The omega-3 index was calculated as DHA plus EPA.

“Omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA are key micronutrients that enhance and protect the brain,” he said. study co-author Debora Melo van Lent, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the Biggs Institute. “Our study is one of the first to observe this effect in a younger population. More studies are needed in this age group.”

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The team divided the participants into those with very little omega-3 red blood cell concentration and those with at least a little and more.

“We saw the worst results in people who had the lowest omega-3 intake,” Satizabal said. “So, that’s kind of interesting. Although the more omega-3, the more benefits for the brain, you only need to eat a little to see the benefits.”

Researchers don’t know how DHA and EPA protect the brain. One theory is that because those fatty acids are needed in the membrane of neurons, when they are replaced with other types of fatty acids, that’s when neurons (nerve cells) become unstable. Another explanation may have to do with the anti-inflammatory properties of DHA and EPA.

“It is complex. We still don’t understand everything, but we show that somehow if you increase your omega-3 intake even a little bit, you’re protecting your brain,” Satizabal said.

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Encouragingly, DHA and EPA also protected brain health in APOE4 carriers. “It’s genetics, so you can’t change it,” said Melo van Lent, referring to the vulnerability of this risk group. “So if there’s a modifiable risk factor that can overcome genetic predisposition, that’s a big win.”

There’s something weird if you don’t share this on social media to improve your friends’ brain health…