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Health See other Health Articles Title: Can diet affect your Alzheimer’s risk? Does eating a lot of fish and few processed foods really help protect against Alzheimer’s disease? A new study indicates that nutrition could play nearly as strong a role as other factors like age, number of years of education, and high blood pressure. In the study published online in the journal Neurology, researchers measured the level of nutrients in the blood of nearly 300 seniors and found that those who had high levels of vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids -- both found in salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish -- as well as vitamins C, E, and B -- antioxidants found in fruits, nuts, and green leafy vegetables -- appeared to have somewhat more protection against early symptoms of Alzheimer’s. They were less likely to have cognitive difficulties, memory problems, and brain shrinkage -- an indicator of Alzheimer’s -- than those who had low levels of these nutrients. The researchers also found that those who had blood markers that indicated high levels of artery-damaging trans fats -- margarine and other partially-hydrogenated oils used in doughnuts, cookies, and other processed foods – were more likely to have memory loss and brain shrinkage. For the thinking and memory scores, the nutrient biomarkers accounted for 17 percent of the variation in the scores. Other factors such as age, number of years of education, and high blood pressure accounted for 46 percent of the variation. For brain volume, the nutrient biomarkers accounted for 37 percent of the variation. Previous research has shown that a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, fish, and fruit and skimpy on red meat, high-fat dairy, and trans fats confers benefits in delaying cognitive decline. But most of those findings have been based on dietary recall questionnaires that have “recall errors” especially among those with memory problems, write the authors of an editorial that accompanied the study. This study may have more strength in that it verified dietary patterns through blood measurements. The researchers, though, didn’t distinguish between nutrient levels raised due to foods rather than supplements, so it’s tough to say whether seniors can simply pop supplements to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s or whether they need to rely on a nutrient-rich diet. “These results need to be confirmed, but obviously it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet,” said study author Gene Bowman, a professor of public health at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, in a statement. Try BostonGlobe.com today and get two weeks FREE.Deborah Kotz can be reached at dkotz@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @debkotz2. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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