Summary
Foods such as fish, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to help prevent Alzheimer's in rats and researchers think this benefit may also be found in humans. Working with rats that were specially bred to develop Alzheimer's, researchers found a 70 percent reduction in plaque buildup in the brains of mice that were fed a diet fortified with docosahexenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid. This plaque buildup is the cause of dementia and memory loss in Alzheimer's patients.
Original source:
http://www.health24.com/news/Alzheimers_and_dementia/1-890,31263.asp
Details
Advertisement The study was conducted in mice, but senior author Greg Cole said it probably applies to humans as well.
"Our data show it works in animals," said Cole, associate director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.
"If this works in people, it's clearly going to be one of the ways we protect ourselves from Alzheimer's disease."
They fed one group food fortified with docosahexenoic acid (DHA), the omega-3 fatty acid found in several types of coldwater fish.
They fed the other group a diet low in DHA.
Diets low in DHA have been linked to impaired mental functioning, and DHA levels are lower in the blood and brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, Cole said.
After three to five months, which translates to several years in humans, the group of mice fed the DHA-rich diet had 70 percent less buildup of amyloid protein in the brain.
While the worth of omega-3 fatty acids to prevent plaque buildup in humans is yet to be proven, Cole pointed out that omega-3 fatty acids are known to have protective effects on human hearts.
The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults eat a minimum of two servings of fish a week, especially mackerel, sardines, albacore tuna, salmon, lake trout and herring.
Praise for the study Another Alzheimer's expert praised the study.
"There clearly is less of an accumulation of amyloid in these mice given a DHA-enriched diet," he said.
Protection against synaptic damage In another study by Cole's group, published last year in the journal Neuron, the researchers showed that
DHA protected against damage to the "synaptic" areas where brain cells communicate and enabled mice to perform better on memory tests.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored more than 1,800 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, and he has published numerous courses on preparedness and survival, including financial preparedness, emergency food supplies, urban survival and tactical self-defense. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In mid 2010, Adams produced TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Email this article to a friend
Share
this article on: 
