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Study Shows Omega-3s Benefit Those With A Genetic Predisposition To Alzheimer’s Disease
Fish oil is most known for its heart health benefits (we’re talking lower triglycerides and blood pressure). But omega-3s—the main type of fat found in these fish—also boast impressive brain benefits.
A study just published in JAMA Open Network revealed that omega-3 supplements may be especially beneficial in slowing signs of brain damage1 in those with a higher genetic risk of Alzheimer’s. Here’s what the study found and what you need to know about omega-3 intake and brain aging.
Measuring the brain changes of cognitive decline
The goal of this study was to determine if omega-3 supplementation reduced white matter lesion accumulation in older adults. Specifically, those 75 years and older without dementia, with some white matter lesions present, and with low blood levels of omega-3s.
Now, an increase in white matter lesions is believed to play a pretty big role in cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s. These lesions indicate damage to your brain’s white matter2, which is primarily responsible for helping different brain regions communicate with each other.
The presence of these lesions tends to increase with age. The fact that participants of this study had some lesions already confirmed with an MRI with no other signs of cognitive decline, is a good indicator of a “normal” aging population. However, if that damage increases over time, it’s a continued risk for cognitive decline, whereas slowing or reversing lesion development.
Another way researchers assessed brain changes was by measuring neuronal integrity breakdown. Higher levels of breakdown reflect the deterioration of the brain's structural and functional networks necessary for maintaining cognition.
So, over three years, researchers followed 102 people aged 75 and older for three years—half were randomly assigned to take 1.65 grams of omega-3s a day and half took a placebo pill. And 28 participants had a genetic variant for an increased risk of Alzheimer’s: APOE4.
Omega-3s may benefit those with the ApoE4 variation
While omega-3 supplement did improve white matter accumulation, the change was not statistically significant compared to the placebo.
What’s intriguing is that omega-3s significantly reduced (a good thing) the rate of neuronal integrity breakdown specifically for those at a higher risk for Alzhemier’s—those with the APOE4 variant.
What you need to know about APOE4 and Alzheimer’s
Having an APOE4 genetic variation does not mean that you will develop Alzheimer’s; it’s just associated with an increased likelihood of possibly developing it.
While widespread testing for this variation is still debated among healthcare professionals, knowing your genetic predispositions helps you make more informed choices about your health.
For example, it may be especially beneficial for you to take an omega-3 supplement if you do have it.
However, research on this topic is still in its infancy. In a press release about the study, Gene Bowman, N.D., M.P.H., director of clinical trials and instructor of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said, “The fact that neuronal integrity breakdown was slowed in people randomized to omega-3 treatment who are also at high risk for Alzheimer's disease is remarkable, and warrants a larger clinical trial in more diverse populations in the future."
Increasing your omega-3 intake
That said, there’s really no downside to increasing your omega-3 intake—no matter your age.
The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are crucial for managing inflammation3, supporting immunity, and protecting your brain. Although scientists are still parsing out the methods and extent to which omega-3s help the brain, it is well known that omega-3 concentrations in the brain decrease with age, and that DHA in particular can protect your memory and your neurons.
You can always up your omega-3 intake through diet—and eating more fatty fish a week is the most efficient way to do that. Just 3 ounces of salmon provides almost 2,000 milligrams of EPA and DHA and 3 ounces of anchovies gets you around 1,500 milligrams.
You can also take an omega-3 supplement. This is the most efficient way to get the therapeutic dose of omega-3s needed to make a difference in your health—typically considered to be between 1 and 2 grams of EPA and DHA.
There are a lot of iffy fish oil supplements out there, so we did the research for you and narrowed down our top omega-3 supplement picks here (and they've all been expert-vetted).
The takeaway
This was one of the first studies to show how omega-3s specifically benefit those with a higher genetic risk of Alzheimer’s. With these findings, there will be precedence for future ones to further investigate this relationship with even more folks who have this genetic variation.
While upping your omega-3 intake alone won’t prevent Alzheimer’s or dementia, these fats are a crucial part of healthy lifestyle habits that protect your brain and support cognition into life’s latest decades.
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