Just One Serving of Salmon a Week Reduces the Risk of Memory Loss
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Eating fish can help you solve problems better and prevent memory loss.
The study, which involved nearly 2,200 people, mostly in their forties and fifties, measured the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood.
Acids come primarily from fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, although people can also get them from supplements. The higher the omega-3 levels people had, the better they generally did on a test of complex reasoning, which is linked to real-life problem solving. Three-quarters of people with the highest levels of omega-3s also had a larger hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with memory. According to the researchers, these people most likely ate at least one serving of oily fish per week. This larger hippocampus likely prevents dementia, as people have to lose more brain cells as they age before they begin to suffer from memory loss.
Dr. Claudia Satizabal, who led the research at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, said: “Eating fish can help your brain age more slowly and protect you from dementia.”
Omega-3s have been proven to improve abstract thinking. The higher someone’s omega-3 levels, the better they typically did on intelligence tests.
The fatty acids found in fish may help the brain by reducing inflammation. Commenting on the study, Dr Sara Imaricio, head of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “As the saying goes, ‘You are what you eat’ and just like other parts of the body, our brains can be influenced by how we live, including our diet. Research on omega-3s and brain health has produced mixed results, and while this study adds to the evidence base, it is exploratory and not definitive. What we know for sure is that a healthy brain in middle age is important for brain health later in life, and that a healthy diet in general is important for reducing the risk of dementia.”
The National Health Service states that a healthy, balanced diet should include at least two servings of fish per week, including one of oily fish, to help keep the brain and heart healthy.
Christina DENISYUK.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Photo: Shutterstock / Nata Bene
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