Fish oil could ward off Alzheimer's in women
Researchers found that omega fatty acids – often found in fish or available as a supplement – could reduce the risk of developing dementia.
By looking at the fat molecules in the body called lipids, they found that the make-up of these fats differed in women who suffered from Alzheimer's compared with those who did not.
However, 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 looked at blood samples taken from 841 people, including 306 people with Alzheimer's, 165 with mild cognitive impairment and 370 healthy people.
They discovered that in women with Alzheimer's disease, there were significantly more saturated fats – the 'unhealthy' kind – than those without the condition, and they also had fewer of the healthier unsaturated fats, which included omega fatty acids.
There was no difference identified in fat make-up of men with and without the diseases, which the experts said may improve our understanding of why women are more often diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Dr Cristina Legido-Quigley, a senior author of the study from King's College London, said: 'Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer's disease and are more often diagnosed with the disease than men after the age of 80.
'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,' she added.
She said the findings open 'new avenues for research' and also 'suggests that women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet – through fatty fish or via supplements'.
Two thirds living with dementia are women
Dr Asger Wretlind, first author of the study from King's College London, said it was the first study to 'show the importance of lipids containing omegas in the blood' and that the 'results are very striking'.
'Now we are looking at how early in life this change occurs in women.' he said.
Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, which funded the study along with LundbeckFonden, said two thirds of people in the UK living with dementia are women, which '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,' she said.
'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.
The study was published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
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