Cheap supplement may protect against Alzheimer's in women

Western Telegraph

8 hours ago

Researchers found that lipids – fat molecules in the body – are different in women with Alzheimer's and those without.
But they stressed that more work was needed to see whether 'shifting the lipid composition can influence the biological trajectory' of the disease.
Scientists from Kings College London and Queen Mary University London, examined blood samples taken from 841 people, including 306 people with Alzheimer's; 165 with mild cognitive impairment and 370 healthy people.
They discovered that there was a noticeable loss of unsaturated fats, including those that contain omega fatty acids, in the blood of women with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy women, according to the study, which has been published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
They also noted a steep increase in lipids with saturation – also known as 'unhealthy lipids' – in women with Alzheimer's compared to women without.
But there was no difference between these fat molecules between men with, and without, a diagnosis of Alzheimer's – which researchers say could help deepen knowledge about why more women than men are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
'Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer's disease and are more often diagnosed with the disease than men after the age of 80,' said senior author of the study Dr Cristina Legido-Quigley, from King's College London.
'One of the most surprising things we saw when looking at the different sexes was that there was no difference in these lipids in healthy and cognitively impaired men, but for women this picture was completely different.
'The study reveals that Alzheimer's lipid biology is different between the sexes, opening new avenues for research.
'Our study suggests that women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet – through fatty fish or via supplements.
'However, we need clinical trials to determine if shifting the lipid composition can influence the biological trajectory of Alzheimer's Disease.'
Dr Asger Wretlind, first author of the study from King's College London, said: 'Although this still warrants further research, we were able to detect biological differences in lipids between the sexes in a large cohort, and show the importance of lipids containing omegas in the blood, which has not been done before.
'The results are very striking and now we are looking at how early in life this change occurs in women.'
Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, which funded the study along with LundbeckFonden, said: 'In the UK, two in three people living with dementia are women.
'This could be linked to living longer, or other risk factors like social isolation, education, or hormonal changes from the menopause being at play.
'While this study shows that women with Alzheimer's had lower levels of some unsaturated fats compared with men, further work is needed.
'This includes understanding the mechanisms behind this difference and finding out if lifestyle changes, including diet could have a role.'
People can consume omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish including salmon, mackerel or sardines, or by taking a supplement.
It comes as a separate study found that children who had a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may have a reduced risk of short sightedness.
The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, examined data on 1,005 Chinese children aged between six and eight years, including their eye sight and regular surveys about their diet.
Overall 28% of children had myopia.
Researchers from Hong Kong found that a higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a lower risk of the condition.