WASHINGTON: Eating foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, salad dressing and nuts may be associated with lower blood levels of a protein related to Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems, according to a study published in online medical journal Neurology.
A total of 1,219 people aged 65 and older who were without dementia provided information about their diet for an average of 1.2 years before their blood was tested for the beta-amyloid, Xinhua news agency reported.
Researchers looked specifically at 10 nutrients, including saturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D.
The study found that the more omega-3 fatty acids a person took in, the lower their blood beta-amyloid levels.
Consuming one gram of omega-3 per day (or equivalent to approximately half a fillet of salmon per week) more than the average omega-3 consumed by people in the study is associated with 20 to 30 per cent lower blood beta-amyloid levels. — Bernama