A new research supporting the theory that fish may be brain food, found that people who eat a lot of fish have a significantly lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, which has more than doubled since 1980.
Apparently the key factor is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that appears to affect dementia risk and is also important for the proper functioning of the central nervous system.
The study found that people with the highest blood levels of DHA had a 47 percent lower risk of developing dementia and a 39 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's, as compared to those with lower DHA levels.
Accordingly, people with the highest blood levels of DHA admitted having a diet rich in fatty fish like mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon that are especially high in DHA. These people reportedly ate an average of two to three servings of fish a week, which is substantially more than people with lower blood levels of DHA.
However, experts still suggest clinical trials are required to see if DHA really protects against dementia and Alzheimer’s because this apparent protection is associated with eating fish. They allege that if it can be clinically proven that it is indeed the omega-3 fatty acid that reduces the risk, then, people can just take fish oil supplements and avoid mercury contamination issues. |
