A new study reveals that having high levels of omega-3 in the blood is associated with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The study was co-led by the Del Mar Hospital Research Institute and published by Nutrients.. The work analyzes data from 260,000 people From the UK Biobank database, this is the work undertaken with the largest number of participants to date in this field.
Researchers from the US Institute of Fatty Acids Research and CIBER Obesity Physiology and Nutrition (CIBEROBN) participated in the sample. The researchers pointed out that despite the first conclusions, the study does not indicate a direct causal relationship and for this reason It will be necessary to develop further studies that continue to advance this line of work.
The researchers divided the participants into volunteers aged between 40 and 50 years, 50 to 60 years old, and over 60 years old. They were able to relate this information to the onset of Alzheimer's disease or other dementia as distinct entities. A researcher in the Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, MD Alex Sala VillaHe noted that this had helped study whether having high levels of omega-3 at age 50 could help prevent the onset of dementia many years later. The work took into account participants' age, gender, education level and genetic characteristics associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The results indicate this High levels of omega-3 are associated with lower risks in all age groups, in men and women, and for both diseasesBut the strongest associations occur in men, in people over 60 years of age, and in dementias other than Alzheimer's disease. The associations are also particularly beneficial for omega-3s other than docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This omega-3 is provided by foods such as blue fish, so the study reinforces the idea that there are some foods that can be beneficial for brain health.
However, researchers point out that the results They do not prove direct causality Between levels of fatty acids in the blood and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. To do this, it is necessary to develop further studies with volunteers on omega-3 supplements. However, it helps define future studies “more precisely,” according to Sala-Vella. New functionality should be taken into account They are the population that can benefit most from this type of interventionBecause the response to supplements is not the same for everyone.
Future studies should also help determine which type of omega-3 would be best tested, and what dose is most appropriate or duration would be necessary to see a clinically relevant effect.
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