Fish oil may prevent your brain from shrinking

The omega 3 fat DHA, which is a component of fish oil and some types of algae may help to prevent age related declines in brain health.

New research has shown DHA has the ability to turn on the brain’s “growth hormone” called BDNF. Studies conducted at the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research evaluated the level of DHA in red blood cells in more than 1500 men and women with an average age of 67 years. These people did not have dementia at the time. The researchers measured the size of the participants’ brains and took MRI scans to check for damage caused by small strokes. The individuals also underwent a series of cognitive assessments.

The results were quite startling. The people with the lowest levels of DHA had a substantially lower total brain volume as well as significantly higher levels of small strokes in their brains compared to people with higher levels of DHA. Furthermore, those with the lowest levels of DHA performed worse on tests of visual memory and executive function, and on tests used to evaluate abstract thinking.

DHA is so important for a healthy brain, and a healthy brain improves your quality of life, particularly as you get older. If your diet doesn’t include much oily fish, you can take DHA as a supplement either in fish oil, or vegan DHA.

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