Alzheimer's: Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Protect Women From Disease
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Omega-3 fatty acids could help to protect women against Alzheimer's—with women "disproportionately impacted" by the disease compared to men.
It seems there is a noticeable loss of unsaturated fats, like those that contain omega fatty acids, in the blood of women with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy women.
Scientists from King's College London came to this discovery through analysis of lipids—fat molecules that perform many essential functions in the body.
They found no significant difference in the same lipid molecule composition in men with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy men.
This suggests—for the first time—that those lipids have a different role in the disease dependent on sex, according to the researchers.
Close up of woman holding a plate with avocado and salmon toast.
Close up of woman holding a plate with avocado and salmon toast.Fats perform important roles in maintaining a healthy brain, with Omega-3 fatty acids particularly known for their benefits to brain function and heart health, hence why the study could point to the reason more women are diagnosed with the 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 study author and biochemist Cristina Legido-Quigley in a statement.
"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."
Almost two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease are women, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Women in their 60s are more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's over the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer. Not only are they more affected than men from the disease itself, but more than 60 percent of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers are women.
In the study, the scientists took plasma samples from 841 participants who had Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls. They were measured for brain inflammation and damage.
They used an analytical tool called mass spectrometry to analyze the 700 individual lipids in the blood. Saturated lipids are generally considered 'unhealthy' or 'bad', while unsaturated lipids—of which can contain omega fatty acids—are generally considered 'healthy'.
The scientists reported a steep increase in lipids with saturation in women with Alzheimer's compared to the healthy group. The lipids with attached omega fatty acids were the most decreased in the Alzheimer's group.
There appears to be a statistical indication that there is a "causal link" between Alzheimer's disease and fatty acids, the scientists said, though a clinical trial is needed to confirm this.
"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," Legido-Quigley added.
Behind shot of young female carer walking with the elderly woman in the park.
Behind shot of young female carer walking with the elderly woman in the park.
Obencem/Getty Images
"Women have higher levels of lipids with omega-3 fatty acids than men normally, so when these become depleted—our study shows up to 20 percent decrease in women with Alzheimer's disease—this could be important for the health of their brains. A surprising fact is that a healthy brain is mostly made up of fats," Legido-Quigley told Newsweek.
"The lipid associations with Alzheimer's disease were predominantly driven by female participants with no individual lipid associations detected in men. The observation is that men do not share the same biology but it is difficult to pin where this is happening in the body."
While Legido-Quigley confirmed the study suggests the possibility that Alzheimer's rates in women could be lowered through diet, she added that more research is needed to establish prevention protocols—ideally a clinical trial.
The types of treatment methods it could lead to include "repurposing drugs that target lipid metabolism pathways" and potentially "looking into hormone replacement therapy."
"But we need to study that in detail and see if women at midlife already experience this lipid biology," Legido-Quigley added.
Julia Dudley, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK said in a statement that the rate of women living with dementia 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," Dudley added.
This includes understanding the mechanisms behind this difference and finding out if lifestyle changes, including diet, could have a role. Future research should also be carried out in a more ethnically diverse population to see if the same effect is seen."
"Understanding how the disease works differently in women could help doctors tailor future treatments and health advice."
Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about Alzheimer's? Let us know via health@newsweek.com.
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