Folate & Alzheimer’s (2007)

This study investigated folate & Alzheimer’s. Folate helps the body to process homocysteine, which is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and may also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers studied the diets of 965 people age 65 and older who did not have dementia when the six-year study began.

Results demonstrated 192 cases of incident AD. The highest quartile of total folate intake was related to a lower risk of AD (hazard ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.3-0.9; P=.02 for trend) after adjustment for age, sex, education, ethnic group, the epsilon4 allele of apolipoprotein E, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, current smoking, heart disease, stroke, and vitamin B6 and B12 levels. Vitamin B6 and B12 levels were not related to the risk of AD.

Conclusions: Higher folate intake may decrease the risk of AD independent of other risk factors and levels of vitamins B6 and B12. These results require confirmation with clinical trials.

Luchsinger et al., ‘Relation of higher folate intake to lower risk of Alzheimer disease in the elderly’, Arch Neurol.;64(1):86-92, 2007

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Homocysteine & Dementia (2011)

This was a meta-analysis* of eight studies, involving almost 9,000 subjects. The results found that at 5 µmol/l increase in homocysteine level was associated with a 35% increase in incidence of dementia.

The researchers could not conclude that raised homocysteine is an actual cause. However, they did estimate that if it was causal, we could expect an approximate 20% reduction in risk of dementia from treatment with folic acid and B12.

Click here for the abstract

Homocysteine and dementia – a clear association. Wald, Kasturiratne, & Simmonds (2011). Alzheimer’s and dementia 7: 412-417

*Meta-analysis: a collation and analysis of a group of studies on the same topic

Homocysteine & The Brain (2011)

A study conducted by UCLA School of Medicine researchers of 732 elderly people given MRI brain scans finds that those with raised homocysteine levels have greater brain shrinkage regardless of age and diagnosis. Among those with cognitive impairment, the greater the homocysteine level the greater was the brain atrophy. The authors state ‘ Vitamin B supplements may help prevent homocysteine-related atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease by possibly reducing homocysteine levels’.

Rajagopalan P, Hua X, Toga AW, Jack CR Jr, Weiner MW, Thompson PM.  Homocysteine effects on brain volumes mapped in 732 elderly individuals. Neuroreport, 22(8):391-5, 2011.

Clich here for abstract.

Nutrients for Autism (2011)

This study investigated nutrients for autism. It involved  giving 141 children and adults with autism, a multi-nutrient formula containing a broad range of vitamins and minerals or a placebo. Their symptoms were assessed before and after the study which ran for three months. Fifty-three of the children in the study also had blood measures taken of nutritional and metabolic status(biomarkers) before and after.

In terms of symptoms, the supplemented group had significantly greater improvements than the placebo group on the following scores: Parental Global Impressions (PGI-R), Hyperactivity, Tantrumming, Overall and Receptive Language. The change in the PGI-R was strongly associated with a number of the biomarkers suggesting that there is a relationship between changes in biomarkers and changes in symptoms.

Levels of many vitamins, minerals, and biomarkers improved including markers of oxidative stress thought to be elevated in autism, as well as markers of key biological processes such as methylation and sulphation.

Click here for the abstract

Adams JB, Audhya T, McDonough-Means S, Rubin RA, Quig D, Geis E, Gehn E, Loresto M, Mitchell J, Atwood S, Barnhouse S, Lee W. (2011) Effect of a vitamin/mineral supplement on children and adults with autism. BMC Pediatr. 11:111.

Low Carbohydrate Diet & Alzheimer’s (2012)

This study investigated low carbohydrate diet & Alzheimer’s. In this study 23 Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment were randomly assigned either a low or high carbohydrate diet.  Body composition, metabolic parameters, and memory and mood measures were obtained before and after the intervention. There was no group difference in demographics, level of memory impairment, or metabolic parameters before the intervention. At the end of the intervention period, there were significant reductions in weight, waist circumference and glucose levels for the low carbohydrate group. Furthermore, verbal memory function was significantly improved for the low carbohydrate subjects. Depressive symptoms were not affected by either diet. These findings indicate that ketosis induced by very low carbohydrate consumption, even in the short-term, can improve cognitive function in older adults with greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease. This study is a first in its field and the findings warrant further investigation.

Click here for the abstract

Krikorian, R., Shidler, M. D., Dangelo, K., Couch, S. C., Benoit, S. C., & Clegg, D. J. (2012). Dietary ketosis enhances memory in mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiology of aging, 33(2), 425.e19–425.e4.25E27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2010.10.006

Nutrition in Children (2006)

This study explored nutrition in children. This study sought to examine the relationship between food poverty (defined as those individuals who go to school or bed hungry because there is not enough food at home) and food consumption, health and life satisfaction among 8424 school children from the Republic of Ireland, aged between 10 and 17 years. Each participant completed a questionnaire, which assessed social class, dietary composition, eating habits and the presence of emotional and physical symptoms including feeling low, nervous, bad tempered, afraid, tired, exhausted and suffering from headache, stomachache, backache, dizziness and neck of shoulder pain. The questionnaire also assessed the children’s feelings about life and life satisfaction.

Children experiencing food poverty reported lower intakes of fruit, vegetables and brown bread and higher intakes of crisps, fried potatoes and hamburgers. They also had increased risk of experiencing somatic and mental symptoms and experienced negative health perceptions and lower life satisfaction.

Molcho, M et al., ‘Food poverty and health among schoolchildren in Ireland: findings from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study’, Public Health Nutrition, 10(4), 364-370, 2006 June

Click here for the abstract

Nutrients & Brain Aging (2011)

This study investigated nutrients & brain aging. In this ground-breaking study, 104 healthy elderly people (with an average age of 87) had blood levels of 30 different nutrients measured. Mean age was 87 ± 10 years and 62% of subjects were female. Results suggested that two NBPs associated with more favourable cognitive and MRI measures: one high in plasma vitamins B (B1, B2, B6, folate, and B12), C, D, and E, and another high in plasma marine ω-3 fatty acids. A third pattern characterized by high trans fat was associated with less favourable cognitive function and less total cerebral brain volume. Depression attenuated the relationship between the marine ω-3 pattern and white matter hyperintensity volume.

Click here for abstract.

Bowman GL, Silbert LC, Howieson D, Dodge HH, Traber MG, Frei B, Kaye JA, Shannon J, Quinn JF (2011) Nutrient biomarker patterns, cognitive function, and MRI measures of brain aging. Neurology Dec 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Omega 3 & Brain Ageing (2007)

This study investigated omega 3 and brain ageing. An Italian study measured the blood levels of essential fats in 935 elderly Italians and compared these with their cognitive function, which ranged from normal cognitive function through to dementia. The researchers found those with the worst cognitive function, had the lowest level of essential fats, especially omega-3.

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Essential fatty acids & mental health (2005)

The study investigated essential fatty acids & mental health. A review finds that there is an association between depression and low dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids and that low levels of the fatty acids in red blood cell membranes are found in both depressive and schizophrenic patients. Five of six double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in schizophrenia, and four of six such trials in depression, have reported therapeutic benefit from omega-3 fatty acids in particularly when EPA is added on to existing psychotropic medication. Individual clinical trials have suggested benefits of EPA treatment in borderline personality disorder and of combined omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The evidence to date supports the use of omega-3 fatty acids in the management of treatment unresponsive depression and schizophrenia alongside medication. As these conditions are associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus, omega-3 fatty acids should also benefit the physical state of these patients.

Peet & Stokes, ‘Omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of psychiatric disorders ‘, Drugs, 65(8):1051-9, 2005

Click here for the abstract