Nutrition research in recent decades has found a major link between the foods we eat and the state of our health. Not surprisingly then, some scientists are examining whether certain ingredients in foods may help ward off Alzheimer’s.
Spicing It Up
Fans of Indian cuisine are probably familiar with curry, the yellowish powder that gives Indian food its hue and flavor. Curry comes from turmeric, which is the dried root of the plant Curcuma longa. Its yellow color comes from a plant ingredient called curcumin, a substance that has anti-inflammatory and antioxida-tive properties, which has been found to lower cholesterol. Some studies have shown it may help prevent certain cancers, too.
Animal studies now suggest that curcumin may be able to interfere with the brain damage involved in Alzheimer’s as well. In laboratory studies and research on transgenic mice—mice that have been injected with mutated genes for Alzheimer’s—scientists found that curcumin blocked the formation of beta amyloid oligomers and fibrils. Curcumin was also able bind to the small amounts of beta amyloid and block the formation of the destructive plaques typical of Alzheimer’s.
The research was so intriguing that the National Institute on Aging has launched a small clinical trial to study the effectiveness and safety of curcumin in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s.
Healthy Fish Oils
For years, nutritionists have touted the perks of eating fish: It has less fat than meat and poultry; it can help lower cholesterol; and it may help keep cardiovascular disease at bay. But new research is suggesting that ingredients in fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Of particular interest are the omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Recent research on mice has found that a diet rich in omega-3s may guard against the memory loss involved in Alzheimer’s, even when the disease is already evident in the brain. Researchers compared mice fed diets rich in DHA with those fed a diet low in DHA and those who received ordinary food. Results showed that mice fed diets rich in DHA had the lowest levels of beta amyloid.
To study the effects of fish oil in humans, the National Institute on Aging and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine are in the midst of a clinical trial evaluating the impact of fish oil on cognitive performance in patients with mild Alzheimer’s.