Time-Restricted Eating and the Ageing Brain
by Cath Verner & Research and Communications, Food for the Brain Foundation
Food for the Brain joins Europe’s mission to understand how everyday habits protect cognitive health.
At Food for the Brain, research and education go hand in hand.
Every Cognitive Function test or at home blood test completed, every dataset analysed, brings us closer to one clear goal. That goal is preventing cognitive decline and dementia through a better understanding of nutrition and lifestyle.
After announcing our game changing Innovate UK grant and research project, we have also been working hard as part of a European effort to understand and improve brain health.
A shared European vision for brain health
Earlier this year, Food for the Brain joined NutriBrain, a pan-European research initiative uniting 15 projects across 22 countries. From Norway to Spain, Austria to Italy, scientists are examining how diet, movement, sleep and social connection influence the ageing brain.
The initiative was officially launched in Oslo at a meeting hosted by the Research Council of Norway. Researchers from across Europe gathered to share data and plan the next phase of collaboration. The goal: scientists from nutrition, medicine and technology all working towards a common vision – longer, healthier brain health and function.
Projects include BOOMERANG, exploring the impact of B-vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. PrecisePrevent is studying how physical activity and social engagement influence cognition. ALPHA-FIT is examining exercise in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Together they form a network dedicated to translating science into practical, evidence-based prevention – that we can share with you!
OptimaMind: aligning eating patterns with brain biology
Among these projects is OptimaMind, led by Professor Jędrzej Antosiewicz at the Medical University of Gdańsk, with partners in Italy, Austria, Estonia, and Food for the Brain. The OptimaMind consortium includes the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Università Politecnica delle Marche in Italy, the Medical University of Graz in Austria, and the Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia. It also includes the Polish biomedical company Masdiag and Food for the Brain.
At Food for the Brain, we talk a lot about what to eat to support your brain. But what is interesting about this research with OptimaMind, is that we get to investigate time-restricted eating. It explores how the timing of your foods impacts your brain health. Time restricted eating isn’t fasting; it’s an approach that limits food intake to specific hours of the day. This research is investigating whether aligning meals with the body’s natural circadian rhythms can reduce inflammation, enhance metabolic efficiency, and support cognitive performance.
For the brain, this matters enormously. When blood sugar (glucose) is well regulated, the brain receives a steady, reliable fuel supply. When it isn’t, energy dips can lead to fatigue, forgetfulness and eventually, damage to brain cells. Oxidative stress, the build-up of “wear and tear” from energy production, is another key driver of brain ageing. Time-restricted eating may help reduce this stress, supporting stronger, more resilient neurons over time. In short, the project asks whether when we eat could be as important as what we eat for long-term brain health.
Our contribution: measuring cognition across Europe
Food for the Brain’s validated Cognitive Function Test (which you can complete for yourself right now – if you haven’t already) is being used within OptimaMind to measure changes in cognition before and after intervention. These results will be combined with blood biomarker data to explore how nutrition and lifestyle translate into measurable effects on brain and metabolic function.
The same digital tools used daily by thousands of our supporters are now being applied in university and clinical settings across Europe – a clear example of how citizen science is powering international research and change.
Through this collaboration, our long-term goal is to strengthen the link between lifestyle patterns, metabolic biomarkers and measurable changes in cognition. The findings will help define early, modifiable risk factors for dementia. They will also guide prevention strategies that can be adopted on a larger public level.
Building the evidence for prevention
This collaboration represents another important step forward for Food for the Brain. It moves us from an education charity to a recognised research partner working alongside leading universities and clinicians across the world.
Over the next three years, findings from OptimaMind and other NutriBrain projects will contribute to a shared European evidence base. This evidence base will show how nutrition and lifestyle influence cognitive ageing.
The data will not only inform clinical practice but also help shape European public health recommendations. Ensuring that dementia prevention strategies are grounded in real-world evidence rather than drug-led theory.
For Food for the Brain, this partnership shows the power of citizen science, how thousands of people taking part in our tests can generate data that drives real research and public health change. It proves that preventing cognitive decline isn’t a theory or a “nice idea” – it’s science in action.
Be part of the research and movement
Major organisations and educational bodies recognise the Cognitive Function Test as one of the best tools out there for measuring brain health. And you can get access to it for FREE right now. If you haven’t done the online test yet make the time today to do it here.
Every person who completes this test adds a valuable data point to this growing international picture of brain health. Each anonymous result helps researchers design more effective prevention strategies and informs the public guidance of tomorrow.
We are about getting the best tools and research into the hands of the public. That is why we partner with influential organisations and make the Cognitive Function test freely available to all.
Will you be part of this movement?
You can use the same tools now being used by researchers across Europe:
- Order an at-home biomarker test to link your results with biological measures. Find out more here.
Together, we are building the evidence that prevention is not only possible – it is measurable.
Food for the Brain is a not-for-profit educational and research charity that offers a free Cognitive Function Test and assesses your Dementia Risk Index to be able to advise you on how to dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle.
By completing the Cognitive Function Test you are joining our grassroots research initiative to find out what really works for preventing cognitive decline. We share our ongoing research results with you to help you make brain-friendly choices.
Please support our research by becoming a Friend of Food for the Brain.