We know that Vitamin B supplementation can help cognitive decline in the elderly. But, now it appears that also supplementing with Omega-3 fatty acids can increase the effect of the B vitamins.
Researchers at the Universities of Cape Town, Oslo and the United Arab Emirates looked at the effect of Omega-3 on 250 adults with mild cognitive impairment (or MCI). MCI is when “brain function is below what is normally expected for a person’s age but is not significant enough to interfere with daily life.” If untreated, it could lead to dementia or Alzheimers.
They did baseline cognitive performance tests, and followed the participants over the course of 2 years.
What they found was that the participants with higher Omega-3 levels showed a much slower cognitive decline. This is exciting news for those of us with older parents. The findings suggest that a combination of Omega-3 supplementation and B vitamins may help improve thinking and memory.
Although more study needs to be done – this shows how critical nutrition can be to brain health.
Source: University of Oxford, 1/20/16.
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