Omega-3s may help prevent the number of people with Alzheimer increasing by three time by 2050

The number of people with Alzheimer's disease dementia will increase dramatically in the next 40 years unless preventive measures are developed, a recent study published in Neurology, the official Journal of the American Academy of Neurology, has predicted.

Based on a census taken in 2010, Rush University Medical Center estimated that in 2010, there were 4.7 million individuals aged 65 years or older with Alzheimer's, with the greatest proportion of these being 75 and 84 years olds.  Given the increase life expectancy of people with on-going medical advances, it is projected that the total number of people with Alzheimer's dementia in 2050 will be 13.8 million, with 7.0 million aged 85 years or older, and with it a massive increase in the huge burden it places on people
with the disease, their caregivers, and society.

As I have discussed previously, an earlier study in the same journal found that there is a close relationship between Omega-3fats, blood saturation levels of amyloid proteins and risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers studied 1,219 people that were over the age of 65 and free of dementia. The participants provided information regarding their diet for an average of 1.2 years before their blood was tested for beta-amyloid. The scientists specifically monitored ten nutrients including saturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin D.

The study determined that higher levels of omega-3 fats consumed by eating fish, chicken, nuts, and seeds directly correlated to lower blood beta-amyloid levels. Researchers found that consuming one gram of omega-3 per day (equal to approximately half a fillet of salmon per week) was associated with 20 to 30 percent lower blood beta-amyloid levels. Researchers found that most people do not eat enough omega-3 enriched foods to adequately raise blood levels of the essential fat.

The lead study author, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas concluded "The more omega-3s one eats, the less the beta amyloid levels are... we were able to relate something that we eat with a very specific mechanism in the body that is very strongly related to Alzheimer's."  This study did not account for intake of the pre-formed omega-3 fats supplied through fish oil supplements, known to dramatically boost blood saturation of the long-chain fats. Nutrition experts suggest several servings of fish, chicken, nuts, and seeds each week (or supplementing with 1,200 to 2,400 mg EPA/DHA daily) to significantly lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.


Nature’s Sunshine’s Quality Assurance team extensively test all raw materials that go into making its supplements, so you can be sure you’re getting the purest source of Omega-3 available.
Nature’s Sunshine will not compromise on the quality of products, which is why Nature’s Sunshine’s Omega 3 EPA supplement is high in essential fatty acids and guaranteed to be pure.


References:

Hebert et al, Alzheimer disease in the United States (2010–2050) estimated using the 2010 census. Neurology. Published ahead of Print, February 6, 2013. http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/02/06/WNL.0b013e31828726f5

Y. Gu, N. Schupf, S.A. Cosentino, J.A. Luchsinger, and N. Scarmeas. Nutrient intake and plasma β-amyloid. Neurology, 2012 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318258f7c2

Omega-3 fats from diet lowers risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, http://swfitness.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/omega-3-fats-from-diet-lowers-risk-of.html