A new study shows that moderate intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the form of 1-2 servings of fish each week can counteract the potentially harmful brain effects of air pollution.
Among older women living in areas with high levels of air pollution, those with the lowest levels of blood omega-3 fatty acids had more brain contractions than those with the highest levels.
“We found that high blood levels of omega-3s lessened the toxicity of PM2.5 exposure to white matter volume in older US women,” said Dr. Cheng Chen from Colombia. Protection was seen,” said the University Irving Medical Center in New York City. Medscape Medical News..
“These findings provide valuable insights on how a healthy diet can reduce the negative effects of air pollution on cognitive decline and neurodegeneration,” Chen said.
Research Published online July 15 Neurology.
Maintaining brain volume
Previous studies have suggested that long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn3PUFA) reduce brain damage caused by exposure to various environmental neurotoxins such as lead, organic solvents, and methylmercury. I will.
However, to date, no studies have examined whether LCn3PUFA provides similar protection against the neurotoxic effects of PM2.5 exposure.
Chen’s team used data from the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Survey (WHIMS) to investigate whether blood LCn3PUFA levels alter the association between PM2.5 exposure and brain structure.
Participants included 1315 women aged 65 to 80 years who had no dementia at the time of enrollment between 1996 and 1999. Women completed a questionnaire about diet, physical activity, and medical history.
The researchers used a woman’s home address to measure the average PM2.5 exposure for three years before undergoing structural brain MRI between 2005 and 2006.
After adjusting for multiple potential confounders that may affect brain volume, white matter and hippocampal volumes were found to be significantly higher in women with high blood levels of LCn3PUFA.
For each quartile increment (2.02%) of the Omega 3 index, the average volume was 5.03 cmThree (P <.01) Large white matter, 0.08 cmThree (P = .03) Big in Kaiba.
Higher LCn3PUFA levels diminished the inverse correlation between PM2.5 exposure and total brain and multimodal associated areas (frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe; total white matter volume). P Interaction <.05).
“Conventional laboratory studies could help elucidate the underlying mechanism of how omega-3 reduces brain damage caused by PM2.5 exposure,” Chen said. , Clinical trials Fish oil Replenishment as one of the key strategies to prevent PM2.5 induction Neurotoxicity“
Expert considers
Resulting comment Medscape Medical News“This is an original perspective on the potential benefits of fish consumption to environmental risk factors for dementia,” said Dr. Lillig Henson, MD, MD of Neurology at Piedmont Healthcare in Stockbridge, Georgia.
“There is considerable extrapolation and interpretation of the data, as would be expected from mining the data from such a large cohort, but at the macro level, such as dietary and environmental exposures that could affect the brain. It’s a great way to categorize the variables of health.”
In light of the results, Dr Katrina Hartugu, clinical nutrition manager at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York City, gathered data on supplemental use of fish oil, but found no data on frequency of use and dosage. I warned you.
“This is a major limitation. Many studies have shown this as a very effective way to increase omega-3 fatty acid intake,” she said. Medscape Medical News..
“More research is needed on specific topics where high amounts of omega-3 foods or fish oils reduce exposure to environmental particulate matter associated with brain and cognitive health,” Hartog said.
“We know that high consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has a positive effect on both brain and heart health. Nutritionists and the American College of Cardiology are committed to providing healthy amounts to the heart. It is recommended to eat fish twice a week for omega-3 fatty acids,” Hartog said.
Based on these findings, individuals should “consider including more omega-3 fatty acid foods in their diets, and better is to replace them with red or processed meats. Omega The three best sources are herring, mackerel, salmon, flax seeds, and chia seeds.”
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Chen, Jung Henson, and Hartog do not disclose related financial relationships.
Neurology.. Published July 15, 2020 Online. Overview
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