Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be good for heart health, but did you know that in high doses they may also slow cognitive decline?
According to senior author of the study Dr. Hussein Yassine, associate professor of medicine and neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, there is significant extant research supporting the preventive potential of omega-3 fatty acids, however, there is no data on the specific dosage required to achieve benefits in the fight against cognitive decline.
Brave Volunteers Help Science to Slow Alzheimer’s
Yassine and his team of researchers conducted a small-scale clinical trial in which participants made a brave sacrifice on behalf of scientific advancement.To determine how much omega-3 supplement is absorbed by the central nervous system versus remaining suspended in the bloodstream, in addition to blood draws, study volunteers were required to undergo two lumbar punctures, or spinal taps, in which a hollow needle pierces the lower back.
One procedure was performed at commencement to establish baseline levels, with another performed upon completion of the study period. Researchers gathered these samples of blood plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in order to gauge whether omega-3s had reached the brain, and if so, in what amounts.
Scientists measured levels of two different omega-3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The trial consisted of 33 participants with risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, including a family history of AD, a sedentary lifestyle, and a diet low in fatty fish. At the time of the intervention, none of the participants were cognitively impaired.
Genetics May Affect Omega-3 Absorption
After the six-month intervention period was complete and analysis of biofluid samples were finalized, the treatment group participants who took omega-3 supplements had 200 percent more DHA in their blood compared to the control group.DHA levels in cerebrospinal fluid were 28 percent higher in the treatment group than the control group, indicating a far lower absorption rate of omega-3s in the brain than is detectable in the bloodstream.
Among the individuals in the treatment group without the APOE4 genetic mutation that heightens the risk for Alzheimer’s, there was three times as much anti-inflammatory EPA detected in cerebrospinal fluid than in those with the APOE4 variant. This finding indicates that individuals with risk factors for AD may require higher doses of omega-3 fatty acids in order to achieve therapeutic levels in the brain.
“[APO]E4 carriers, despite having the same dose, had less omega-3s in the brain. This finding suggests that EPA is either getting consumed, getting lost, or not getting absorbed into the brain as efficiently with the E4 gene,” Dr. Yassine stated. The two-gram dose of omega-3s used in this trial doubles the typical one-gram dose used in prior major clinical trials on omega-3s for AD prevention.
Yassine warns that using a one-gram omega-3 supplement correlates to a less than 10 percent increase in omega-3s in the brain, a dose that he says, “may not be considered meaningful” in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease progression.
The research team concluded that even higher doses of omega-3 fatty acids may be required to slow signs of declining brain health in carriers of the APOE4 gene.
The USC research team’s results were published in July in the journal EBioMedicine. Yassine has obtained additional funding for a larger, longer trial on whether high doses of omega-3s can slow cognitive decline in carriers of the APOE4 gene.
Omega-3s Provide 60 Known Health Benefits
Fatty food is a frequent topic of food wars among health-conscious people. The idea of healthy fats versus unhealthy fats is no longer considered controversial, and omega-3 fatty acids are arguably the most well-known of the “good” fats.To learn more about the health benefits of omega-3s and to uncover natural ways to support brain health, consult the GreenMedInfo.com natural health database.
