Fish oils reduce your chances of Alzheimer’s
If you want to reduce any chance of developing Alzheimer’s in older age, start eating oily fish and supplementing with omega-3 fish oils. The disease is mainly the result of poor diet and environmental factors, and you can lessen your risk by eating better, new research has revealed this week.
The advice comes from Prof Daniel Michaelson of Tel Aviv University, who has identified the APOE gene as a major cause of Alzheimer’s. One variation of the gene, APOE4, kills brain neurons, and is found in half of all Alzheimer’s patients. Around 15 per cent of healthy individuals also have the bad gene, and they are at far greater risk of developing the disease themselves as they age.
But Michaelson and his team has discovered that omega-3 fish oils counteract the worst effects of APOE4, rendering them harmless.
(Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University, February 15, 2011).