Fish oil protects against brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease

Aging comes with many changes in a person’s body, among which the shrinking of the brain volume. This could be a worrying sign as it can entail Alzheimers disease. A recent study suggests promising results in people with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acid as they have shown larger brain volumes in old age. This actually translates in better brain health. ...

The research study was conducted in over 1000 postmenopausal women, looking at their levels of two fatty acids found in fish, called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

The study shows that women with significantly higher levels of the two fatty acids in their red blood cells also tended to have larger brains, and larger hippocampuses – an area of the brain that comes under attack in dementia. Those with higher levels of omega-3s had larger total brain volumes. They also had a 2. 7% larger volume in the hippocampus area of the brain, which plays an important role in memory.

Larger brain volumes in old age were equivalent to preserving 1 to 2 years of brain health. ...