Eating Fish May Help Our Brains

 

A new study reports that people with high blood levels of the “good” fats found in fish had more robust brains than those with low levels of those fats. This adds to a growing body of evidence that eating fish – or taking fish oil supplements may be good for brain health in old age.

For the study, researchers looked at blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, the “good” fats found in fish. Oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel are particularly rich in omega-3s, as are some leafy greens, and flaxseed oil.

The researchers found that the brains of older people who had higher levels of omega-3s were larger than the brains of those with low omega-3 levels. Larger brain volumes are generally associated with preservation of memory and thinking skills. Shrinking brain volumes, on the other hand, can be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings appeared in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

While brains normally shrink as we grow older, having high omega-3 levels seems to slow this process. People with the highest levels of omega-3s had brain volumes that were the equivalent of preserving one to two years of brain health, the researchers found.

“These higher levels of fatty acids can be achieved through diet and the use of supplements,” said study author James V. Pottala, of the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls.
“The results suggest that the effect on brain volume is the equivalent of delaying the normal loss of brain cells that comes with aging by one to two years.” he said.

Earlier research has found that seniors with the highest levels of DHA were up to 50 percent less likely than those with the lowest DHA levels to develop Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. This study showed that high omega-3 levels help fight brain shrinkage which would help in combating dementia and Alzheimer disease.

In addition to preserving brain volume, fish oils may help by reducing inflammation, which is linked to a variety of chronic illnesses, including heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Omega-3s are also thought to preserve the health of blood vessels, including those in the brain.