This Supplement Habit Can Boost Your Brain Health After 60, New Study Says — Eat This Not That

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By Ghuman

Introduction

As we age, it’s important to take extra care of our brain health. A new study has found that a certain supplement habit can help boost brain health after the age of 60. Eating the right foods can be just as important as taking the right supplements. This article will discuss the study and provide tips on what to eat and what to avoid in order to maximize brain health.

This Supplement Habit Can Boost Your Brain Health After 60, New Study Says

A new study has found that taking a certain supplement can help boost brain health in people over the age of 60. The study, published in the journal Neurology, found that taking omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.

The study looked at over 2,000 adults aged 60 and over who were part of the Framingham Offspring Study. The participants were asked to report their dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids, including fish, fish oil supplements, and other sources. The researchers then followed up with the participants over a period of 10 years to assess their cognitive health.

The results showed that those who had higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet had a lower risk of cognitive decline. The researchers also found that the protective effect was strongest in those who had the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Emily Chew, said that the findings suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for preserving cognitive health in older adults. She added that the findings should be taken into consideration when making dietary recommendations for older adults.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in a variety of foods, including fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, as well as walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. They are also available in supplement form. If you’re looking to boost your brain health after 60, adding more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet is a good place to start.

If you don’t already take omega-3 or fish oil supplements, then it might be time to add them to your regular routine. That’s because two types of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil might give your brain a healthy boost as you get older—especially for those who deal with heart disease, according to new research.

A study that was led by Dr. Abdulaziz Malik, a cardiology fellow at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, took a look at data collected from 291 adults, primarily men, who were an average age of 63 years old. The researchers found that providing the participants with omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA improved the cognitive function of those who had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease (which can prevent full blood flow due to an accumulation of plaque).

“This research is in line with a large body of evidence suggesting omega-3 fatty acids have a beneficial effect on brain health,” Paula Doebrich, RDN, MPH, the owner of a private nutrition practice, tells Eat This, Not That!

Related: 26 Best Omega-3 Foods to Fight Inflammation and Support Heart Health

“Because omega-3s are so beneficial for brain function, they are now thought to also be effective in managing mood disorders and potentially be helpful in patients with mild psychiatric disorders,” adds Doebrich. What’s more, “omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory,” which is ideal due to the fact that “inflammation can be the root cause of many diseases, including autoimmune diseases, degenerative brain disease, allergies, diabetes, heart disease, and more.”

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While that might make you eager to consume the beneficial 3.36 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day, Amy Goodrich MS, RD, and owner of Leading Edge Nutrition LLC, noted that “current recommendations are to include fish in your diet twice per week.” However, “most Americans don’t get that much,” which is why it’s helpful to know that “you can also find omega-3 fatty acids in other foods such as flaxseed and flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, and beef.” Beyond that, “supplementing can help,” says Goodrich.

If you’d rather opt for supplements, Doebrich pointed out that the results of the study “also confirm that it’s important to consult a health care provider and choose specific combinations of high-quality supplements instead of buying any over-the-counter fish oil.”

For some advice on which are the best omega-3 supplements to take, be sure to read The #1 Best Omega-3 Supplement to Take, Says Dietitian. Then, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more of the latest health and food news!

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