In a study from the Fatty Acid Research Institute, scientists found that people with a higher blood DHA level are 49% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease vs. those with lower levels.
The finding suggested that providing extra dietary omega-3 DHA, especially for those carrying the ApoE4 gene (which approximately doubles an individual’s susceptibility to developing AD) might slow the development of the disease.
Such a cost-effective, low-risk dietary intervention like this may save billions in health care costs.
In the study, the team examined 1,490 dementia-free people aged 65 years and older.
They examined the association of red blood cell docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with incident Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), while also testing for interaction with APOE-ε4 carriership.
The risk for incident AD in the highest DHA level was 49% lower compared with the lowest DHA level. An increase in DHA level was predicted to provide an estimated 4.7 additional years of life free of AD.
Further, the researchers found that an increased intake of DHA might lower the risk of developing AD, particularly in higher-risk people such as those carrying the APOE-ε4 allele.
This suggests that they may benefit more from higher DHA levels than non-carriers.
The public health impact of preventing AD with something as simple as a dietary intervention like DHA is also significant.
Given that estimated healthcare payments in 2021 for all patients with AD or other dementias amount to $355 billion in the US (not including caregiving by family members and other unpaid caregivers), any cost-effective strategy for delaying the onset of AD is of utmost public health interest.
Delaying AD by 5 years leads to 2.7 additional years of life, and 4.8 additional AD-free years for an individual who would have acquired AD and is worth over $500,000.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about the root cause of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s, and herb rosemary compound could help fight Alzheimer’s and COVID-19.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about how to sleep to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, and results showing these antioxidants could help reduce the risk of dementia.
The study was conducted by Aleix Sala-Vila et al and published in Nutrients.
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