The Seafood Equation

Copyright © Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
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Why do some 80-year-olds whip through the Sunday crossword puzzle, while other seniors struggle with frequent memory blank-outs?

The difference may be as simple as a having an occasional tuna sandwich for lunch.

Nutrition researchers have been singing the praises of seafood for years: A fishy diet is linked to lower rates of heart disease, stroke, inflammation and certain eye diseases. Many studies have shown seafood may actually thwart depression and boost mood, all while protecting the brain as a whole.

Now researchers say eating fish may actually slow age-related cognitive decline in the elderly. According to a study in the Archives of Neurology, a diet that includes just one serving of fish -- any type of fish -- per week is associated with a slower rate of mental decline in the elderly.

Over time, the person who eats fish has a brain that is effectively three to four years younger than the person who doesn’t eat fish, says Martha Clare Morris, an epidemiologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

For six years, Morris and colleagues studied thousands of Chicago residents who were at least 65 years old or older. Scientists collected health and lifestyle information, including how often the volunteers ate a list of 139 foods, and whether they exercised or drank alcohol. Study participants also completed several cognitive tests, such as the ability to remember details of a story.

The study found that one weekly serving of fish resulted in a 10-percent slower rate of cognitive decline. Two servings of fish were even better, leading to a 13-percent slower rate of mental aging on average. Other foods, such as vegetables and fruit, weren’t strongly linked to sustained mental sharpness.

In the last decade, researchers have found fish to be in a class by itself when it comes to brain fitness. Fish is the key source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for neurological development and normal brain function.

One omega-3 fatty acid in particular, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is known to be particularly crucial for upkeep of brain cells. The brain is 60-percent fat and it is through the fat-rich cell membrane that all nerve signals must pass. Unless it has all the ingredients for keeping cells in tip-top shape, the brain won’t function at full capacity, especially as it grows older.

Unfortunately, eating the typical American diet won’t keep the brain finely tuned. While consuming too much fat overall and especially too much saturated fat, many North Americans fail to get enough omega-3s from their food.

Further, the polyunsaturated oils widely recommended as healthful for the heart and widely used in cooking, frying and in prepared foods -- corn, safflower and sunflower oils -- have almost no omega-3s. Instead they are loaded with omega-6s, which have a tendency to crowd out the much-needed 3s.

You need a proper balance of omega-6 and omega-3 intake for cells to function optimally. For Americans, that generally means loading up on omega-3-rich foods like fish. Canola oil and walnut oil are also highly recommended because of their fat make-up.

The bottom line: Eat fish regularly. Nearly all species of fish are good sources of omega-3s, but oily cold-water fish, such as tuna and salmon, are particularly high in these brain-protecting goodies.


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