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Q: Can the foods I eat affect my chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease? -- Helen, 62, New York

A: Good nutrition is important not only for maintaining overall good physical health but may also help prevent the development and progression of dementia. Studies suggest that eating “brain healthy” foods including fruits, vegetables, and fish may improve cognition and reduce the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other age-related diseases.

 With aging, the body accumulates damage to DNA and proteins due to oxidative stress (damage caused by a form of oxygen) and inflammation. As this damage accumulates in the brain, brain cells die or lose their ability to function properly, which contributes to brain aging and degenerative diseases including dementia. Furthermore, the aging brain becomes more sensitive to oxidative and inflammatory stressors, which accelerates the aging process.

 Research suggests that brain aging, learning, and memory can be modified by diet. Inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin D, calcium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acid, folate, and vitamins B6 and B12 have been associated with DNA damage and cellular aging. On the other hand, diets high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil, such as the Mediterranean diet, has been associated with slower brain degeneration and lower AD risk.

Importance of Low Calorie Diet and Exercise
Another approach for slowing the process of brain aging may be following a low calorie diet. Recent work suggests that exercise and caloric restriction improve cognition and may prevent the development of dementia. Clinical trials of food restriction in healthy adults show improvements in body weight, blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Diets high in calories or certain fats and being overweight are associated with increased risk for dementia, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Based on current research, the best approach for delaying age-related diseases including dementia is to maintain a lean, healthy body weight and to follow a diet low in calories and saturated fat but high in fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, and other sources of antioxidants. (Before restricting caloric intake, a physician should be consulted to see if it is safe for that person.)

As people age, their caloric needs typically decrease but nutritional needs remain high. For older adults, eating nutrient-dense, well-balanced meals containing a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, fish, lean meats, poultry, and low-fat dairy products low in cholesterol and saturated and trans fats promotes overall good health. Healthful snacking is also an important source of nutrition for older adults. Foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt such as processed foods and ice cream should be avoided. Foods with high fiber content such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans are also important for preventing constipation. Because vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common among the elderly, vitamin supplements that include calcium, folic acid, vitamins D, B12, B6, C and E should be considered and discussed with a physician. It is never too late to adopt a healthful lifestyle to improve the quality and quantity of life. Good nutrition can not only add years to life, but also life to those years by slowing age-related degeneration including AD and other dementias.

Possible Dietary Preventers of Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Fruits
    • Particularly blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, black currants, blackberries, concord grapes, plums
  • Vegetables
    • Particularly spinach
  • Nuts
    • Particularly walnuts
  • Fish, fish oils, olive oil, flax oil (rich in omega-3 fatty acid)
  • Whole grain cereals
  • Foods rich in vitamins E, C
  • Vitamin supplements containing folate, vitamins E, C, B complex
  • Curcumin
  • Melatonin
  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Chocolate
  • Red wine (in modest, but not excessive, amounts)

A modified food pyramid for older adults is available at: http://nutrition.tufts.edu/docs/pyramid.pdf Personalize the food pyramid for yourself or your loved ones at: http://www.mypyramid.gov/ 

To learn more about LightBridge products, please visit: http://www.lightbridgehealthcare.com/products/cdroms.xml 

References

  • Ames BN. 2006. Low micronutrient intake may accelerate the degenerative diseases of aging through allocation of scarce micronutrients by triage. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 103:17589-94.
  • Barberger-Gateau P et al. 2007. Dietary patterns and risk of dementia: the Three-City cohort study. Neurology. 69:1921-30.
  • Chandra RK. 2001. Effect of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on cognitive function in elderly subjects. Nutrition. 17: 709–12.
  • Dirks AJ, Leeuwenburgh C. 2006. Caloric restriction in humans: potential pitfalls and health concerns. Mech Ageing Dev. 127:1-7.
  • Engelhart MJ et al. 2002. Dietary intake of AOXs and risk of Alzheimer disease. JAMA. 287: 3223–9.
  • Morris MC et al. 2002. Vitamin E and cognitive decline in older persons. Arch Neurol. 59: 1125–32.
  • Everitt AV et al. 2006. Dietary approaches that delay age-related diseases. Clin Interv Aging. 1:11-31.
  • Fontan-Lozano A et al. 2007. Caloric restriction increases learning consolidation and facilitates synaptic plasticity through mechanisms dependent on NR2B subunits of the NMDA receptor. J Neurosci. 27:10185-95.
  • Head E. 2007. Combining an antioxidant-fortified diet with behavioral enrichment leads to cognitive improvement and reduced brain pathology in aging canines: strategies for healthy aging. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1114:398-406.
  • Ingram DK, Young J, Mattison JA. 2007. Calorie restriction in nonhuman primates: assessing effects on brain and behavioral aging. Neuroscience. 145:1359-64.
  • Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Casadesus G. 2005. Reversing the deleterious effects of aging on neuronal communication and behavior: beneficial properties of fruit polyphenolic compounds. Am J Clin Nutr. 81(1 Suppl):313S-16S.
  • Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Lau FC. 2007. Fruit polyphenols and their effects on neuronal signaling and behavior in senescence. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1100:470-85.
  • Jou MJ et al. 2007. Melatonin protects against common deletion of mitochondrial DNA-augmented mitochondrial oxidative stress and apoptosis. J Pineal Res. 43:389-403.
  • Lau FC, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA. 2007. Nutritional intervention in brain aging: reducing the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Subcell Biochem. 42:299-318.
  • Levenson CV, Rich NJ. 2007. Eat less, live longer? New insights into the role of caloric restriction in the brain. Nutr Rev. 65:412-5.
  • Luchsinger JA, Noble JM, Scarmeas N. 2007. Diet and Alzheimer’s disease. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 7:366-72.
  • Morris MC et al. 2005. Relation of the tocopherol forms to incident Alzheimer disease and to cognitive change. Am J Clin Nutr. 81:508-14.
  • Ringman et al. 2005. A potential role of the curry spice curcumin in Alzheimer’s disease. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2:131-6.
  • Scalbert A, Johnson IT, Saltmarsh M. 2005. Polyphenols: antioxidants and beyond. Am J Clin Nutr. 81(1 Suppl):215S-7S.
  • Schaffer S et al. 2007. Hydroxytyrosol-rich olive mill wastewater extract protects brain cells in vitro and ex vivo. J Agric Food Chem. 55:5043-9.
  • Seniors. Food pyramid remodeled for seniors. Accessed on 11/27/07 at http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/seniors/fgp4seniors.html.
  • Shanley DP, Kirkwood TB. 2006. Caloric restriction does not enhance longevity in all species and is unlikely to do so in humans. Biogerontology. 7:165-8.
  • Shigenaga MK, Hagen TM, Ames BN. 1994. Oxidative damage and mitochondrial decay in aging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 91:10771-8.
  • Shukitt-Hale B et al. 2007. Beneficial effects of fruit extracts on neuronal function and behavior in a rodent model of accelerated aging. Neurobiol Aging. 28:1187-94.
  • Tufts food guide pyramid for older adults. Accessed on 11/27/07 at http://nutrition.tufts.edu/docs/pyramid.pdf.
  • Wellman NS. 2007. Prevention, prevention, prevention: nutrition for successful aging. J Am Diet Assoc. 107:741-3.
  • Willcox DC, Willcox BJ. 2006. Caloric restriction and human longevity: what can we learn from the Okinawans? Biogerontology. 7:173-7.
  • Wu YH, Swaab DF. 2005. The human pineal gland and elatonin in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. J Pineal Res. 38:145-52.
  • Young GS, Conquer LA, Thomas R. 2005. Effect of randomized supplementation with high dose olive, flax, or fish oil on serum phospholipid fiatty acid levels in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Reprod Nutr Dev. 45:549-58.

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