News
An insufficient vitamin D supply may increase dementia risk
11 August 2014
A new US study reports that older people with vitamin D deficiency seem to have a substantially increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
14 February 2014
People with higher blood concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids may have larger brain volumes in old age, suggests a new US study.
The observational study measured the concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in red blood cells and eight years later the brain volumes of 1,111 women aged 78 on average (1). The study results showed that women with higher omega-3 fatty acid levels had a larger total brain volume and hippocampal volume compared to participants with lower levels. Those with double the levels of fatty acids (7.5% vs. 3.4%) had a 0.7% larger brain volume. The higher levels of fatty acids were achieved through the diet and/or use of supplements.
The researchers commented that these results suggest the effect on brain volume is the equivalent of delaying the normal loss of brain cells that comes with aging by one to two years. The positive effect on the volume of the hippocampus is important as this area of the brain plays an important role in memory. In Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus begins to shrink (atrophy) even before symptoms appear. While normal aging results in overall brain atrophy, lower red blood cell omega-3 concentrations may signal an increased risk of hippocampal atrophy.
11 August 2014
A new US study reports that older people with vitamin D deficiency seem to have a substantially increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
1 February 2014
The task of the immune system is to protect the organism against harmful external influences, e.g., microorganisms. One consequence of an immune reaction is inflammation, which serves to remove foreign bodies or pathologically altered cells. However, if the immune reaction is not appropriate it may lead to undesirable effects, including increased vulnerability to infections if immune function is diminished, or allergies, autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation in the case of hyperfunction. To fulfill its many and various protective and signaling functions, the immune system relies on the adequate availability of micronutrients. Potential deficiencies can affect both unspecific (innate) and specific (acquired) immunity.
19 April 2018
A new concept in gut microbiome research is the broadening of what we classify as prebiotic. In the past, prebiotics had to be consumed by gut bacteria to be considered a prebiotic. Learn more about other components of the diet impacting the gut microbiome.