Scientists are still working to understand how diet affects memory and thinking. At this point, there’s not enough evidence on specific diets or supplements to prevent or treat memory loss. But some studies suggest that maintaining an ideal weight and eating a healthy diet may help. Here’s what we know so far:
- Being overweight in midlife may increase your risk of developing memory loss, whether or not you have diabetes or heart disease. The reason for this is not clear.
- Diets high in saturated fats or transfats are linked with memory loss in older persons in some studies, but not in others.
- Older people who say they eat a lot of vegetables do better on memory tests, as do those who say they eat two or more servings of fish per week.
- The “Mediterranean Diet” (which emphasizes fruits, vegetables and moderate consumption of wine, and includes very little red meat) may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
- In animals, high fat, high calorie diets seem to increase levels of beta amyloid, the protein found in Alzheimer’s plaques, and low calorie, low carbohydrate diets seem to decrease levels of the protein.
Taken together, these studies suggest a healthy diet (low in carbohydrates, saturated fats and transfats, high in fruits and vegetables, with some fish and wine) may help prevent or slow memory loss.
Learn More:
Tangled Neuron Posts:
The Mediterranean Diet, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's
Two Different Approaches to Alzheimer’s Prevention
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Another Study Links Poor Diet and Alzheimer’s
Diabetes and Alzheimer’s
Other Resources:
U.S. National Institute on Aging Information on brain health and diet
Newsweek article on diet, exercise and memory loss
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information on dietary fat
American Heart Association information on the Mediterranean Diet
Alzheimer’s Society Comment on the Mediterranean Diet
Information on the Glycemic Index [rates foods on how quickly they raise blood sugar]
