They could avoid Alzheimer’s by taking the supplement.
A recent study suggests that fish oil supplements may help older adults at high genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease delay the decline of their brain’s nerve cells. The research, published on August 1 in JAMA Network Open, found that older individuals with the APOE4 gene variant—a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s—showed slower nerve cell degradation when taking fish oil capsules.
The APOE4 gene variant is linked to a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s and an earlier onset of the disease, according to the National Institute on Aging. Gene Bowman, a neurology instructor at the McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, noted the significance of the finding: “The fact that neuronal integrity breakdown was slowed in high-risk individuals who received omega-3 treatment is notable and calls for larger clinical trials with diverse populations.”
Despite these promising results, the benefits of fish oil supplements were not universally observed among all participants. Dr. Lynne Shinto, a professor of neurology at Oregon Health & Science University, pointed out that the overall study showed no statistically significant difference between the fish oil and placebo groups over a three-year period. She added, “While fish oil might not be harmful, it isn’t necessarily essential for dementia prevention.”
The study involved 102 participants aged 75 and older with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids, the key component in fish oil. MRI scans were conducted at the beginning of the study and after three years to assess white matter lesions in the brain. These lesions, which can impede blood flow to brain cells, are associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Participants were divided into two groups: one taking daily fish oil supplements and the other receiving a soybean oil placebo. Although the overall reduction in white matter lesion progression from fish oil was minimal and not statistically significant, APOE4 carriers who took fish oil experienced a significant reduction in brain cell integrity breakdown after just one year.
Bowman emphasized the study’s innovative approach in using modern prevention tools like blood tests and brain scans to identify individuals at high risk for dementia and those who might benefit from specific nutritional interventions.
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