Study says omega-3 acid blocks Alzheimer's
CP  
2004-09-06 03:39:28  
Source: London Free Press

TORONTO -- A new Canadian study suggests a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon and sardines, and in fish-oil capsules, can help keep Alzheimer's disease at bay. The research, on mice, provides the strongest evidence so far that a deficiency in a specific dietary component can have a direct impact on a person's risk of developing the devastating neurological disease.

"What the public needs to take from this is that diet matters to your brain," Frederic Calon, a molecular endocrinology researcher at the Laval University Medical Centre in Quebec City said.

"If you have a diet that is poor in omega-3s, that will accelerate the process of Alzheimer's, especially if you're genetically predisposed."

A number of studies have suggested a diet rich in fish may inhibit Alzheimer's and heart disease.

The mechanism was unclear, but the hunch was that it was due to omega-3 fatty acids, which manufacturers are adding to eggs and milk.

The new Alzheimer's research, published in the medical journal Neuron, shows that one type of omega-3, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), seems to keep synapses healthy.

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