There are, unfortunately, no cures in sight for Alzheimer's disease, only expensive treatment and more families and caregivers experiencing the devastation that comes along with it. Alzheimer's is a progressive neurological disorder, which you may know causes memory loss, but it is also related to loss of all functions controlled by nerves. Many Alzheimer's patients eventually lose the ability to walk, perform personal hygiene and eat on their own. You may also see several products in the supermarket or health food store claiming to have ingredients that protect you from Alzheimer's disease. To date, no nutritional therapy, including fish oil, has been approved as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. A growing body of research has also failed to find overwhelmingly positive results from fish oil use in Alzheimer's patients. Theoretically, fish oil contains ingredients that may be related to cognition, memory and learning. More research, however is needed before this dietary supplement is ready for prime time.
Fish Oil
You can naturally consume fish oil by eating oily, or fatty, fish, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, sturgeon, bluefish, herring, trout and menhaden. Or, you can take a fish oil supplement in the form of a capsule or liquid oil. Fish oil is a rich source of beneficial nutrients known as omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s contain eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. It's the latter that's of interest to Alzheimer's research.
Alzheimer's Facts and Figures
The Alzheimer's Association reported in March 2011 that 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease --- 93 percent of whom are older than age 65. The association also projected that by 2050, 16 million people will have the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. The Alzheimer's Association says the disease has the distinction of being the only one among all the top 10 leading causes of death with no known way to prevent, cure or delay its progression. The economic burden of Alzheimer's care was $183 billion in 2011.
Position of the Alzheimer's Association on Fish Oil
The Alzheimer's Association recognizes research that concludes that high consumption of omega-3 could reduce risk of dementia or cognitive decline. The DHA in fish oil, for example, helps form the fatty membrane around nerve cells. The association says in theory the anti-inflammatory effects and support of nerve cells should influence dementia risk, however research to date has been disappointing in finding a strong risk reduction. "Experts agree that more research is needed," the association states, "and there is not yet sufficient evidence to recommend DHA or any other omega-3 fatty acids to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease."
Mixed Research Results
In a large review of scientific studies on DHA and Alzheimer's, two University of California, Los Angeles neurologists advocated that a nutritional intervention for people at the earliest onset of the disease that includes supplementation with DHA. Their review in the April 2010 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition" suggested that DHA slows the development of the disease, possibly by reducing the production of one of the proteins that are highly featured in the brains of Alzheimer's patients among other possible methods. They said clinical trials suggest that DHA or fish oil alone can slow the early stages of progression, but for now, it looks like this effect works best in people with a certain gene. They found eight studies linking higher concentrations of omega-3 in the blood with reduced cognitive decline, but findings were not consistent. They said a clinical trial, with their recommended nutritional intervention, was needed for people at early stages. The Alzheimer's Association among the best results from a study was from the Memory Improvement with DHA, or MIDAS study. Those who took 900 mg of DHA daily scored better on memory tests. That study, however, was funded by a manufacturer of DHA supplements.
Research Against
Other studies have reported no effect of fish oil, DHA or omega-3 in general on Alzheimer's disease. For example, a group of researchers writing in the November 2010 "The Journal of the American Medical Association" said supplementation with DHA did not slow down the rate of cognitive decline in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's. Participants took either 2 g of DHA or a placebo daily. A group led by a Johns Hopkins researcher, wrote in "Nature Clinical Practice-Neurology" that none of the studies it reviewed provided convincing evidence for use of omega-3 for the prevention or treatment of any form of dementia. They concluded, however, there is still some evidence that omega-3s, such as that found in fish oil, may slow down cognitive decline in elderly people who do not have dementia.
References
- Alzheimer's Association: Alternative Treatments
- MedlinePlus; Fish Oil; November 2010
- Alzheimer's Association; 2011 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures; March 2011
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; DHA May Prevent Age-Related Dementia; Greg M. Cole, et al.; April 2010
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer Disease; Joseph F. Quinn, et al.; November 2010
- "Nature Clinical Practice-Neurology"; Fish Consumption, Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Risk of Cognitive Decline or Alzheimer Disease: A Complex Association; Majid Fotuhi, et al.; March 2009
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