Experts still ignore nutrition to prevent dementia

A major review body into dementia has been accused of ‘bad science’ for ignoring nutrition—and especially high doses of the B vitamins and omega-3 fish oils—as a way to prevent the condition.

The Alzheimer’s Prevention Expert Group has accused the Lancet Commission of ‘knowingly ignoring’ the two nutrients, even though their benefits are backed up by solid evidence.

The B vitamins lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that builds up in the brain as we age, while fish oils improve brain function, including memory.  Last year, the US National Institutes of Health estimated that 22 percent of cases of Alzheimer’s were caused by excessive homocysteine levels, and a similar level was attributed to having inadequate levels of seafood and omega-3 fish oils.  A low-sugar diet can also prevent the disease.

Another study concluded that high homocysteine levels, combined with low omega-3 and vitamin D, quadruples the risk of dementia.

But the Lancet Commission has continued to ignore nutrition as an effective preventative, and has done so since its formation in 2017.

People with the APOE gene are also at risk of developing Alzheimer’s—but they can reduce their chances by taking omega-3 supplements, a new study has discovered.  In a trial of 104 people who carried the gene, half took a placebo, and the rest were given a supplement that contained 1.65 g of omega-3, made up of 975 mg EPA and 650 mg DHA.

The EPA-dominant supplement seemed to reduce levels of APOE, while the placebo supplement didn’t have any positive effects.

Ronald Hoffman, an integrative doctor in New York, commented: “Our genes are not deterministic.  They are not our destiny and are more or less guided in their expression by environmental factors.”

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