Alzheimers: Omega-3 Fish Oil Protects The Brain

There is hope for Alzheimer's patients and those who are at risk. A new study by Louisiana State University scientists shows that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in coldwater fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon, reduces levels of a protein known to cause damaging plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

With a fairly simple type of intervention - a change of diet or just adding some of the fish oil readily available in your local health food store - we now have a valid preventive tool against a disease that has been on the rise, resisting pharmaceutical intervention.

See Scientists Discover How Fish Oil Protects the Brain

As the article mentions, much of the research into omega-3 fatty acids is centered on the prevention of heart disease, one of the major killer diseases in the developed countries. Perhaps a general increase of the proper fatty acids and dietary antioxidants in what we eat could go a long way towards reducing the incidence of not only Alzheimer's but also cardiovascular disease. The damaging rush to control cholesterol levels by the way of lipid-lowering statin drugs (see articles on the inherent dangers of lipitor here and here) could easily come to an early end if these connections were widely recognized by health professionals.

The following somewhat technical overview by Beldeu Singh suggests as much.