- Dementia increases in the United States and ignites urgency in brain health research.
- People with a genetic tendency towards dementia that follow the Mediterranean diet can reduce their risk of dementia.
- Eat more plants, olive oil and seafood for the health of the brain and the prevention of dementia.
Maintaining our brain should have a highest health priority. After all, the brain is the master controller of almost everything in our body. But with increasing age, our brain also increases – and the risk of dementia.
Dementia is a roof term for the loss of memory and other cognitive skills that significantly affect everyday life. The increasing evidence indicates that the risk of dementia by 2060 can double from the currently 514,000 cases per year, which ignites a feeling of urgency, how it finds ways to protect the brain.
There are many studies that indicate that the behavior of the lifestyle plays a major role in the health of the brain. For example, sitting can increase the risk of dementia, while her body can more often alleviate the risk. A high sugar intake and the lack of certain nutrients can increase their risk of dementia. Even her social life can affect her brain health because it has been proven that loneliness increases the risk of dementia.
However, certain aspects of brain health have a strong genetic component, especially if the Alzheimer disease, a form of dementia is affected. Researchers have found over 100 genes that can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. The most common and the one who affects the risk is the apoe -e4 gene. (With a first-time first degree parent or sibling, Alzheimer’s risk for Alzheimer’s considerably, although this does not guarantee that you will get it.)
The Apoe-E4 gene worsens the formation of amyloid beta plaques in the brain that have a connection to Alzheimer’s. It is also strongly associated with poor regulation of lipid metabolism and the impaired glucose metabolism in the brain, and glucose is the preferred energy source of the brain.
Harvard researchers have taken a closer look at people with a genetic disposition for Alzheimer’s and whether the diet can contribute their risk. They published their results in Natural medicine. Let us break your knowledge.
How was this study carried out?
The researchers drew data from the nursing care study (NHS), an American study that used female nurses as participants that lasted from 1989 to 2023. For this current study, researchers followed over 4,200 women from the NHS with an average age of 57 at the beginning of the course. During the follow -up period, 485 women developed dementia. The cognitive function was assessed in a subgroup of over 1,000 of these women using the standard telephone interview for cognitive status.
The researchers also carried out a replication analysis with almost 1,500 men with an average age of 63 from the Follow-up study (HPFS) of the health professions. They followed from 1993 to 2023, in which 121 cases of dementia were identified. A replication analysis repeats the same study to further validate the results.
All participants had blood tests from which researchers created metabolomic data. The metabolomics are the examination of metabolites and molecules.
The participants also filled out questionnaires from the diet, from which the researchers assessed the quality of the diet. In this case, they used the Meddietindex, which are completed by the involvement of the participants based on the inclusion (or absence) of food that is common in the Mediterranean diet, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, olive oil and certain milk products, meat and poultry. You chose the Mediterranean diet because there is indications that it supports the health of the brain.
What did this study find?
After statistical analyzes were carried out, the researchers found that people with a higher long -term compliance with the Mediterranean diet had a significantly lower risk of dementia and better cognitive function. This protection was particularly striking for people with different genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease, the variants of the APOE-E4 gene. The same results were replicated in the group of male health professions.
While the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk as a whole, the researchers passed some components that seem to have the greatest influence. This includes fruits, nuts and monoons unsaturated fats contained in olive oil and avocados.
A restriction of this study is that the participants were mostly well -trained people of European descent. For this reason, it is not known whether these results extend to other populations. Some of the information was also reported itself, including information and diagnoses of nutrition, which advises space for prejudices and incorrectly.
How does that apply to real life?
We know that there is a connection between certain conditions and dementia. For example, we have already reported on a study that indicates that the metabolic syndrome can increase its risk of dementing early. Type -2 diabetes also increases your risk.
While genes play a role in health and illness, researchers have found that lifestyle and environment play a much greater role. And although we cannot change our genes, we can get involved with the behavior of the lifestyle that can have a positive impact on our health. For example, regular movement can reduce the risk of dementia by 41% to 69%. And after the mind diet, which is a version of the Mediterranean diet, this can reduce the risk of dementia by 25%.
We also know that the reduction in viscerals (abdominal) fat and reduction in cholesterol can reduce the risk of dementia. These can be achieved through a balanced and varied diet that regularly run movement, reduce stress and get a lot of high -quality sleep.
If you are new to the Mediterranean diet, read our 7-day meal schedule for beginners in our 7-day diet diet. If you are ready to go deeper, try our 30-day-Mind-diet meal schedule for cognitive health.
Our expert
This study suggests that compliance with the long-term Mediterranean diet can significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s in people with a genetic tendency. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats and lean proteins, from foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, seafood and olive oil. Integrate more of these foods into your eating pattern. If you need more individualized help, take a look at a registered nutritionist who can help you tailor a plan to your preferences and lifestyle.
