The Fountain of Youth – DHA

A review published in the November edition of Alzheimer’s &amp Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association suggests that taking docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) could improve memory and studying in older adults with mild cognitive impairments. This is promising information for a lot of aging Americans who are looking for choices to preserve memory and assistance all round cognitive well being.

The “Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic Acid Study” (MIDAS) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-managed research to evaluate the results of DHA — the principle omega-three fatty acid in the brain — on strengthening cognitive functions in healthier older adults with age-associated cognitive decline. The research located that DHA taken for 6 months enhanced memory and understanding in healthy, older adults with mild memory complaints.

“The results of this review are quite encouraging for people consumers concerned about keeping memory. We know that reduced DHA ranges are linked with cognitive decline in healthful elderly and Alzheimer’s sufferers, and larger DHA amounts aid reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s illness,” explained Duffy MacKay, N.D., vice president, scientific &amp regulatory affairs, for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). “Memory reduction, dementia and the improvement of Alzheimer’s disease are prominent health worries for older people. The much more we learn about the worthwhile function DHA plays in supporting brain perform, the a lot more choices aging Americans have towards managing cognitive decline.”

These findings underscore the significance of early DHA intervention. While the MIDAS review centered on a population of healthful grownups with age-linked memory impairment, a examine recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), carried out in a population that had previously been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, did not indicate DHA provided a statistically substantial advantage to cognitive function. The lead author of the JAMA study also highlighted that their benefits could have been distinct had DHA been administered ahead of the participants’ illness progressed.

“This review reinforces the principle that consumers will reap the most advantage from their DHA dietary supplements — and many dietary supplements — when they are taken in excess of time and just before a wellness concern is imminent,” continued Dr. MacKay. “When incorporated as a portion of a proactive well being regimen that involves a nicely-balanced diet regime, normal bodily exercise and routine visits with a healthcare specialist, dietary supplements offer an crucial tool to support help numerous programs in the physique, like memory and cognitive perform.”

The MIDAS research was conducted in a total of 485 subjects, aged fifty five and older with a subjective memory complaint and who met criteria for age-associated cognitive decline (or “age-associated memory impairment”). Topics were randomly assigned 900 mg/d of algal DHA orally or a placebo for 24 weeks.

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid and is offered as a dietary supplement only located produced in marine phytoplankton.   Many Americans flip to dietary dietary supplements every single yr aid deal with age-associated challenges.  Ideally we propose taking a reside DHA supplement daily from a single Aqua Overall health Labs.  Otherwise, consume lots of fish! In accordance to CRN’s Client Survey on Dietary Dietary supplements, among Americans aged fifty five+ who consider supplements, 13 % report they do so for “memory” and 39 percent for “healthy aging.”

Journal References:

1. Karin Yurko-Mauro, Deanna McCarthy, Dror Rom, Edward B. Nelson, Alan S. Ryan, Andrew Blackwell, Norman Salem Jr., Mary Stedman. Helpful results of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition in age-associated cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 2010 6 (6): 456 DOI: ten.1016/j.jalz.2010.01.013


2. J. F. Quinn, R. Raman, R. G. Thomas, K. Yurko-Mauro, E. B. Nelson, C. Van Dyck, J. E. Galvin, J. Emond, C. R. Jack, M. Weiner, L. Shinto, P. S. Aisen. Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized Trial. JAMA: The Journal of the American Health-related Association, 2010 304 (17): 1903 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2010.1510

The Fountain of Youth – DHA