Many people believe memory loss is simply a normal part of growing older. While some changes in memory can happen with age, dementia is not a normal part of ageing.
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, gradually damages brain cells and slowly affects memory, thinking and daily life. Scientists are trying to find simple ways to delay this process, and one of the strongest candidates may already be on our dinner plates.
Researchers have reported in JAMA Network Open that older adults who consistently ate foods known to reduce inflammation were less likely to develop dementia. The protective effect was even stronger among people whose blood tests already showed early warning signs linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
The investigation was led by researcher Anja Mrhar from the University of Ljubljana. The team used data collected from almost 1,900 Swedish adults aged 60 years and older. Everyone was free of dementia when the study began, and researchers tracked their health for 15 years.
Participants regularly answered detailed questions about what they ate and provided blood samples during follow-up visits. By combining information about diet with laboratory tests, the scientists explored whether healthy eating could help protect people whose brains might already be under stress.
The researchers measured three important blood markers. Tau is associated with the abnormal protein tangles found in Alzheimer’s disease. Neurofilament light chain reflects injury to brain cells. GFAP is produced by support cells in the brain and tends to increase when the brain is responding to damage.
People who ate more anti-inflammatory foods had noticeably lower dementia rates. Those with high tau levels reduced their dementia risk by as much as 29 percent. Similar benefits were seen in people with higher NfL and GFAP levels.
Foods linked with lower inflammation include colourful fruit and vegetables, berries, leafy greens, fish, walnuts, beans, whole grains, olive oil, avocados and other healthy plant foods.
These foods provide antioxidants and healthy fats that may help protect brain cells. They are commonly found in the Mediterranean and DASH diets, both of which have been linked with better heart and brain health.
Scientists think the connection may exist because inflammation affects many organs, including the brain. Chronic inflammation may encourage damage to nerve cells over many years. Eating foods that naturally reduce inflammation could help create a healthier environment for the brain.
It is important to remember that no single food or diet can guarantee protection from dementia. Genetics, age and many other health conditions also play important roles. However, healthy eating is one factor that people can control, along with staying physically active, sleeping well, avoiding smoking and managing blood pressure.
Because this research observed people’s normal eating habits rather than assigning diets, it cannot prove that diet alone caused the lower dementia risk. Even so, the findings agree with many earlier studies showing that healthy dietary patterns support long-term brain health.
This research is important because it suggests that diet may benefit people even after early biological changes linked with Alzheimer’s have begun. That raises the possibility that lifestyle improvements could still make a meaningful difference before memory symptoms appear.
More clinical trials are needed, but choosing an anti-inflammatory eating pattern is already supported by strong evidence for heart health and carries very little risk. It is a practical step that could help many people protect both their bodies and their brains as they age.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about low choline intake linked to higher dementia risk, and how eating nuts can affect your cognitive ability.
For more health information, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
Source: University of Ljubljana.
