Alzheimers, Dementia and Fats
Memory Problems and the Standard American Diet
Our brains and other organs demand essential fatty acids for repair and normal functioning. Alzheimer's and dementia are a concern for every aging American.
The human brain is 60% fat—not the stuff that is trimmed off a steak, but special fatty acids that form the structure of the brain and form the membrane around each cell—not only in the brain but in every organ of the body. Each cell of the brain is replaced many times throughout a person’s life so it’s critical that we eat the proper fats so the body has the resources to repair the brain.
Using the Standard American Diet (SAD) a person gets too many bad fats, too much sugar and too much salt—and not enough essential fatty acids. The obvious result is obesity in epidemic proportions. A less obvious result is that our brains are struggling to maintain themselves with few resources.
Dozens of medical studies in the last thirty years have shown that adding essential fatty acids (EFAs) to the diet has a positive effect on many diseases of the nervous system
- Alzheimer’s disease—Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) improved some symptoms in advanced cases; Phosphatidylserine (PS) has been shown to slow the progression of early-onset cases.
- Anxiety reduced by EFA and behavioral changes
- Attention deficit disorders (ADD and ADHD) may be helped by gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA. A few studies, but not all, have shown improvements. This suggests that EFAs are a factor in ADD and ADHD but the deficiency can’t be considered a primary cause.
- Bipolar disorder is improved with EPA
- Chronic fatigue syndrome was significantly improved with GLA, EPA and DHA
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is improved with EPA
- Depression is reduced by alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, and DHA
- Learning disorders are improved by DHA.
- Memory impairment is improved with PS
- Parkinson’s disease has been associated with low levels of PS
- Schizophrenia symptoms reduced by EPA
- Diabetic neuropathy helped by GLA
- Hostility is reduced by DHA
These studies have generally not proved that a deficiency of the essential fatty acids causes these conditions, but there clearly is a relationship. In most cases, science has shown that supplementing EFAs improves the symptoms in a majority of patients.
What should we be eating to get enough EFAs?
Generally eat a Mediterranean Diet with plenty of wild-caught cold water fish like salmon. If on a vegetarian diet, be careful to get a mix of healthy oils like flax and olive oil; supplementing the diet with primrose oil and borage oil.
Where to get EFA supplements?
Even if there are plenty of cold water fish in the diet, most people could benefit from the many essential fatty acid supplements that are available in every health food store. A quick scan of vitaminshoppe.com found 11 pages of EFA supplements, most in the form of large softgels, but some are chewable and designed for children. General Nutrition Center (GNC) has a product called Preventive Nutrition® Omega Complex that has good amounts of LA, ALA, EPA, GLA, and DHA. The cost of a daily dose is about fifty cents.
