Eat Mo' Fish!

Study claims eating fish and shellfish can reduce risk of Alzheimer's Disease in genetically susceptible people

The study – of older adults who eat at least one portion a week and carry a risk gene for the condition – found fewer signs of brain changes

Seafood may play a role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, research reveals.

A new study found older adults with a particular risk gene for the disease who ate at least one seafood serving a week showed fewer signs of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes.

But experts were cautious about the findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cautions are always warranted with a correlative study like this. It could be that the people who chose to eat seafood just had better brains to start with. Beware of the "wet streets cause rain" type correlations, or even the "preachers pay increase cause rum prices to rise" effects.

Dr Laura Phipps, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “This study links moderate seafood consumption with lower levels of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes in elderly people who carry a risk gene for the disease.

“But we must be careful when drawing conclusions about the wider population.”

She added: “The omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are an important part of a balanced diet, and previous studies suggest they could play an important role in keeping the brain healthy.

So maybe you're not in the population with special genetic risks, but why take chances? Seafood tastes good too!

“Current research is underway to investigate the benefits of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids in those at risk of memory and thinking problems.

“But at this time there is no evidence to suggest fish oil supplements could prevent dementia.

Fish oil is usually extracted from Menhaden, often from Chesapeake Bay. Bad.

“While higher seafood consumption is linked to greater levels of mercury in the brain, it is encouraging to see that this did not appear to be associated with Alzheimer’s changes in the brain in this study.”

But not unexpected.  The effects of mercury have been linked mostly to developing brains in fetuses and children, and to a lesser extent heart disease in adults.

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