Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Those with the highest omega 3 levels who took high dose B vitamins had 40% less brain atrophy while those with the highest omega 3 levels and high homocysteine levels had 70% less brain atrophy than placebo.
Mild cognitive impairment is a syndrome characterized by a subtle decline in cognitive function and is considered a transitory state between normal aging and clinical dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD) (1, 2). While the rate of brain degeneration (called “brain atrophy”) is a normal part of aging, those with mild cognitive impairment, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease have significantly faster rates of brain atrophy (3, 4). And since there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and those with mild cognitive impairment can frequently transition to Alzheimer’s disease (5), finding ways to help decrease the rate of brain atrophy is essential.
Now a new study (6) suggests that B-vitamin supplementation may be a benefit to those with higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The study involved 169 elderly subjects (67 men, 102 women) aged 75 to 78 who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (no criteria were given for how the diagnosis was reached). They received either high-dose vitamin B supplements (800 micrograms folic acid, 20 milligrams vitamin B-6, 500 micrograms vitamin B-12 = 85 subjects) or placebo for 2 years. Before and after the study, the subjects provided blood samples and had MRI brain scans completed.
Researchers noted a significant benefit (p = 0.024) between B-vitamins and brain atrophy but only in those with higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Specifically, those with omega-3 fatty acid blood levels of 0.590 millimoles/Liter at the start of the study had 40% less brain atrophy after 2 years compared to the placebo group (0.63% versus 1.05% brain atrophy rate per year, p = 0.024). For those with omega-3 blood levels between 0.390 and 0.590, the brain atrophy rate was 42% less for those in the B-vitamin group compared to placebo (0.70 versus 1.2%, p = 0.024). No significant effect of B-vitamin supplementation on brain atrophy was seen in those with omega-3 fatty acid blood levels below 0.390 mmol/L (p > 0.05).
The researchers also found an association between brain atrophy and omega-3 fatty acids in the presence of high levels of an inflammatory protein called homocysteine. Specifically, in subjects with high blood levels of homocysteine before the study began (> 11.3 micromoles/Liter), those with high omega-3 blood levels (0.590 mmol/L) had 70% less brain atrophy than the placebo group (0.47% versus 1.48% rate per year, p < 0.001).
For the researchers, “we have shown that the effect of B-vitamin supplementation on brain atrophy rates depends on pre-existing plasma omega-3 fatty acid concentrations” and that “our results suggest that total homocysteine status may also determine the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in cognitive decline.” Finally, they recommend “a randomized clinical trial of B-vitamin and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation…is clearly warranted to shed light on the roles of homocysteine and omega-3 fatty acids in brain atrophy, MCI, dementia, and AD.”
Source: Jernerén, Fredrik, et al. “Brain atrophy in cognitively impaired elderly: the importance of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids and B vitamin status in a randomized controlled trial.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 102.1 (2015): 215-221.
© 2015 American Society for Nutrition
Posted July 28, 2015.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- Gauthier S, Reisberg B, Zaudig M, Petersen RC, Ritchie K, Broich K, Belleville S, Brodaty H, Bennett D, Chertkow H, et al. Mild cognitive impairment. Lancet 2006;367:1262–70
- Petersen RC. Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity. J Intern Med 2004;256:183–94.
- Smith AD. Imaging the progression of Alzheimer pathology through the brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2002;99:4135–7.
- Jack CR Jr., Shiung MM, Gunter JL, O’Brien PC, Weigand SD, Knopman DS, Boeve BF, Ivnik RJ, Smith GE, Cha RH, et al. Comparison of different MRI brain atrophy rate measures with clinical disease progression in AD. Neurology 2004;62:591–600
- Risacher SL, Saykin AJ, West JD, Shen L, Firpi HA, McDonald BC. Baseline MRI predictors of conversion from MCI to probable AD in the ADNI cohort. Curr Alzheimer Res 2009;6:347–61.
- Jeneren F. Brain atrophy in cognitively impaired elderly: the importance of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids and B vitamin status in a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jul;102(1):215-21. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.103283. Epub 2015 Apr 15.
