Omega 3 May Stave Off Memory Loss: Brain Week 12-18 March

8 March 2012

Omega 3 May Stave Off Memory Loss: Brain Week 12-18 March 2012

Losing your memory? It’s a common complaint from people over 50 years old. But research shows, taking Omega 3 capsules could help stave off this inevitable symptom of an aging brain.

There are hundreds of studies evaluating the role of omega-3 fatty acids - Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in particular, in human health and nutrition. More recent research is beginning to evaluate the possible effect of DHA in reducing the risk of certain neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and improved cognitive function.

Supporting the growing body of data is a clinical study undertaken by bioscience company, Martek, and published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia (The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association USA). The study found that 485 people aged 55 and older with memory complaints who took 900mg of microalgae DHA had almost double the reduction in errors on a test that measures learning and memory performance, versus those who took a placebo. This benefit is roughly equivalent to having the learning and memory skills of someone seven years younger. The study used a vegetarian form of algal DHA that is sourced from algae rather than fish.

The DHA used in this study was developed by international scientist and leading Omega 3 researcher, Dr David Kyle, who was recently in New Zealand to work with an early stage New Zealand company developing new markets and applications for omega-3 products. He says DHA is found throughout the body and is critical for healthy brain and eye development and function and it has been shown to support heart health through adulthood. In 2009, Dr Kyle was inducted into the Space Science Hall of Fame in the US for his pioneering work on the importance of supplemental DHA for brain development in babies and was responsible for the addition of DHA to infant nutrition products around the world.

“DHA is the building block of the brain. Yet our bodies do not manufacture DHA, as it can other nutrients, and it is therefore important for adults to obtain adequate amounts of DHA in their diets.
Around 24% of the brain’s composition is made up of DHA and is especially concentrated in the region responsible for complex thinking skills.

“Low levels of DHA often observed in the elderly may contribute to or accompany the onset of symptoms associated with age-related mental decline,” says Dr Kyle.

Michelle Palmer, Executive Director of Natural Products New Zealand says that a growing number of studies supporting the benefits of Omega 3 on brain function, particularly in later life, will be a relief for many.

“The fear of memory loss and losing brain capacity looms large in the minds of baby boomers and with the 65+ age group projected to make up over one-quarter of New Zealand’s population by the late 2030s, it is exciting to see clinical research supporting a growing body of evidence that Omega 3 can have an important impact on cognitive function in the aging population.”

Using the Dementia group of the Framingham Heart Study, 899 men and women ranging from 55 to 88 years old (with an average age of 76 years old) were studied over a 10 year period and it was found that there was a 50% reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people who consumed more than two servings of fish per week. Fish is a natural source of Omega 3. An increased fish intake was also found to be protective against cognitive decline in other studies.

“In the future it will be important to determine whether combined dietary supplementation with DHA or other Omega 3 fatty acids such as EPA can decrease further mental deterioration in patients with established dementia,” says Dr Kyle.

Michelle Palmer says that while there is promising results from studies suggesting DHA may play a role in reducing the risk of certain neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s, further research is required to determine the exact effects of Omega 3 on the brain and the optimum levels of consumption.

Memory Improvement with DHA Study:
Source: Current Alzheimer Research/Vol 10: 190-196 (2010)
Author: K Yurko-Mauro

The Framingham Heart Study:
Source: Archives of Neurology/Vol 63 : 1545-1550 (2006)
Authors: Ernst J Schaefer,Vanina Bongard, Alexa S Beiser, Stefania Lamon-Fava, Sander J Robins, Rhoda Au, Katherine L Tucker, David J Kyle, Peter W F Wilson, Philip A Wolf

ENDS

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