How to Prevent Dementia?

Omega 3 fatty acid supplements may help to reduce the risk of dementia.

Omega 3 fatty acids have gained popularity in recent years as a dietary supplement for the prevention of cognitive impairment characteristic of dementias. These fatty acids are found in a high proportion in some fish (salmon, sardines) and shellfish, as well as in nuts and other nuts and in some vegetable oils such as soybeans, among other plant foods. But the expectations created on the ability of these fatty acids to reduce or delay memory loss and other cognitive impairments has triggered sales of omega 3 dietary supplements, particularly in the United States, where almost 10% of the population consumes them. 


Worldwide it is estimated that there are about 50 million people suffering from dementia, and every year there are 10 million more new cases, according to data from the World Health Organization. As, today, there is no effective treatment to cure or delay dementia, much emphasis has been placed on identifying modifiable risk factors that could help prevent this degenerative disease. Among these possible factors, in addition to physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol consumption and social isolation, is the reduced consumption of omega 3 acids. Perhaps this is why many people have shown in the Nutrimedia survey their interest in knowing if these Supplements help prevent dementia.



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Evaluation:


The message evaluated is probably considered false for two fundamental reasons: on the one hand, scientific evidence is very limited, since this issue has only been studied in a clinical trial; and, on the other, the degree of certainty of the results of the available research is low.

With these limited results and the low level of confidence they deserve, it must be concluded that omega 3 supplements may help little or nothing to reduce the risk of suffering from dementia.

What does science say..

Together, with the few studies available, there is no convincing evidence to support the efficacy of omega 3 fatty acid supplements in the prevention of dementia. Consequently, new and higher quality studies are needed to elucidate this issue.Another related aspect that would be interesting to know is the effect of thesesupplements on mild cognitive impairment, which is considered as the first manifestation of a degenerative disease and would therefore entail a risk of progression towards dementia. Well, on this issue, science cannot say anything either, since no randomized clinical trials have been found to evaluate the effect of omega 3 fatty acid supplementation on mild cognitive impairment.

As for the effects of omega 3 fatty acid supplements on cognitive function (the setof mental processes that allow us to perform a daily task, from remembering to planning and maintaining attention), the results of the studies are uncertain, it is In other words, they cannot affirm or deny that they improve this brain function.

Confidence in the results of the investigation:


The confidence or degree of certainty of the results on the effects of omega 3 supplements on dementia is low while that of the effects on cognitive function is very low. In the first case, the certainty is low because the only clinical trial available has problems related to its execution; in the second, the certainty is very low because the results are also imprecise and come from indirect tests. Regarding the possible effects on mild cognitive impairment, nothing can be said because no studies have been identified.