Alzheimer's: an omega-3 rich drink improves symptoms and counteracts brain atrophy
Alzheimer's disease: omega-3 rich drink improves symptoms and fights brain atrophy
Souvenaid, a beverage containing high concentrations of DHA (1,200 milligrams), EPA (300 milligrams), B vitamins, and other molecules, would be able to improve the ability to perform daily activities in early-stage Alzheimer's patients. The product, sold in some northern European countries, would act directly on the brain by counteracting atrophy, especially in the hippocampus region. These are the findings of research presented during the 14th International Alzheimer's Symposium "Athens/Springfield Symposium on Advances in Alzheimer Therapy" held in Athens last March. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Saarland (Germany) as part of a project called LipiDiDiet.
Proper nutrients and dietary regimens counter Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is a chronic and progressive disease that affects about 5% of the population over the age of 65. An estimated 47 million people worldwide suffer from this disease; in Italy, 1 in 10 elderly people are affected. The most common and early symptom of Azheimer's is memory loss, which is associated with other disorders such as difficulty in performing daily activities, speech disorders, spatial and temporal disorientation, and personality changes. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are due to the presence in the brain of small plaques, formed by a protein called Beta Amyloid and neurofibrillary skeins of another protein, Hyperphosphorylated Tau protein.
Both are produced by the brain itself, accumulating and damaging neurons to the point of destruction. Currently the disease is not curable, but specific medications and a proper lifestyle can help prevent it or slow its progression. As is now known, diet also plays a key role in maintaining cognitive function. The omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, through their anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective actions help maintain brain function..
It is now well established that DHA represents one of the most important substances for the proper functioning of the nervous system, being the main lipid component of the membranes of neurons. However, although research based on individual nutrients has shown promising results, the most significant have been from epidemiological studies conducted following actual dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, which have been shown to be more effective in maintaining cognitive function than individual substances.
Multi-nutrient drink protects brain from atrophy
The goal of LipiDiDiet was to study the therapeutic impact of lipids, especially omega-3, and other dietary factors on brain protection and cognitive performance, during 'aging, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia. The clinical trial conducted by the German researchers, which lasted about two years, involved patients in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease, the stage that precedes full-blown dementia. During the study, each subject had consumed Souvenaid daily, a drink produced by a well-known company, formulated with high doses of DHA and EPA (1,200 and 300 milligrams, respectively) and other nutrients with neuroprotective action, such as uridine monophosphate, choline, phospholipids and B vitamins.
The results showed that this formulation had improved the patients' performance in performing daily activities. The subjects who had consumed the product also showed larger hippocampus (the region of the brain involved in the memory mechanism), and reduced atrophy of the whole brain, compared with those who had not received it. They also manifested better results in tests assessing spatial orientation. According to Tobias Hartmann, the neurologist who directed the study, these effects are very encouraging, although the main objective of the research, namely to see global cognitive function affected, did not provide significant results.
The importance of this work lies in the fact that it has had a positive impact in the lives of patients in the early stage of the disease, a stage for which there is little information available and for which there are no efficient drug treatments.
Some details of the study with Souvenaid
The research was conducted on 321 subjects from different European nations with Alzheimer's disease in the pre-dementia stage, diagnosed through specific molecular and behavioral assessment. The patients were randomly divided into two groups and unknowingly followed two different treatments: one consumed 125 ml of the test drink daily, while the other received a placebo formulated without nutrients but with the same taste, appearance and calories as Souvenaid. The outcome of the study was measured by special tests that assessed global cognitive decline, and others that mainly estimated effects on memory. In addition, the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (the substance that surrounds and protects the brain) of each subject were analyzed.
The synergistic effect of the various components underlying the observed progress
Data obtained from this study showed that the neuroprotective potential of individual nutrients can be greatly increased by combination with other substances, due to their direct action mainly at the membranes of neurons. According to the scholars, the various nutrients act through different biological pathways that contribute to the overall effect. These actions include increasing the number of connections between neurons, transmitting neurotransmitters, protecting neurons by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, defending endothelial cells and the blood-brain barrier surrounding the brain, and finally reducing Beta Amyloid protein.
The obtained benefits, mode of action, and safety of treatment make this combination of molecules and nutrients of particular interest for early treatment in Alzheimer's disease, although further studies on the product's action are planned. As described above, Souvenaid contains a high concnetration of omega-3s: 1200 mg of DHA and 300 mgi of EPA. These amounts can be consumed through supplementation with VitaDHA liquid; a single vial of this product contains as much as 1450 mg of DHA 330 mg of EPA. To stay up to date with the latest news from Omega-3 scientific research, sign up for our newsletter.
Source: Tobias Hartmann et al "Advances in Alzheimer's Therapy (AAT) congress, Athens, Greece; March 9- 12 2016.
