Quick Study: Pace of dementia seems unaffected by fish oil

THE QUESTION Might taking fish oil supplements slow the mental decline of people with Alzheimer's disease?

THIS STUDY randomly assigned 402 people, who averaged 76 years old and had mild to moderate Alzheimer's, to take two grams of fish oil (containing docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) or a placebo daily. About a fourth of the participants had MRI scans of their brains done at the beginning and end of the study. Everyone's cognitive and functional abilities were tested periodically. After 18 months, ratings on standardized scales showed virtually no difference in the amount of cognitive decline, including such things as memory, attention, language and orientation, between people who took the supplements and those who did not. Also, MRIs revealed essentially no differences between the two groups in the rate at which their brains were shrinking, which occurs with dementia.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? People with Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disease that gradually destroys people's memory and thinking ability, eventually making it impossible for them to continue their normal daily activities. At least 5 million Americans have the disease, a number that is expected to increase dramatically as the population ages.

CAVEATS The authors suggested that the findings might be different if people were to start taking fish oil earlier, before any symptoms of Alzheimer's were present. Two of the 12 primary authors were employees of Martek Biosciences, which makes DHA and provided the supplements and placebos for the study.

FIND THIS STUDY Nov. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association .

LEARN MORE ABOUT Alzheimer's disease at www.nia.nih.gov and www.alz.org.

- Linda Searing

The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.

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Fiber seems to be linked to a reduced risk of disease in people older than 50

THE QUESTION: Diets high in fiber have been shown to aid weight loss and help with digestive problems. Might fiber also offer other health benefits?

THIS STUDY analyzed medical and food consumption data on 388,122 adults older than 50. In a nine-year span, 31,456 of them died. People who routinely consumed the most fiber - an average of 24 grams daily for men, 26 for women - were 22 percent less likely to have died in this time than were those whose diets included the least amount of fiber. Among men, high fiber intake lowered the risk for dying from infectious diseases by 56 percent, from respiratory diseases by 31 percent and from cardiovascular disease by 24 percent; among women, risks fell by 59 percent, 46 percent and 34 percent, respectively. Higher consumption of fiber also lessened the chances of dying from cancer for men, but not for women. As intake of fiber from whole grains increased, the chance of dying from these diseases decreased. That did not apply to fiber from other sources, such as fruits.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? People who routinely include fiber in their diets. Current dietary guidelines recommend that women consume at least 25 grams of fiber daily and that men consume 38 grams. According to government estimates, most Americans take in, on average, just 15 grams a day. (A banana or apple contains about three grams of fiber, as does a cup of such cereals as Wheaties and Cheerios. A slice of whole-wheat or rye bread contains about 2 grams, a cup of green beans provides 4 grams and a cup of pinto beans contains roughly 15 grams.)

CAVEATS: Dietary data came from the participants' responses on questionnaires. Higher fiber intake might have reflected an overall healthier lifestyle, which could have affected the results. The authors theorized that the beneficial effects, especially against infectious and respiratory diseases, may stem from the anti-inflammatory properties of fiber.

FIND THIS STUDY: Feb. 14 online issue of Archives of Internal Medicine

LEARN MORE ABOUT dietary fiber at www.familydoctor.com and www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource .

- Linda Searing

The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.

View the original article here

Read More