The anti-inflammatory diet can reduce the risk of dementia by up to a third [Studiu]

A study published this month in JAMA Open Network revealed a link between diet and brain health. The research showed that people who followed an anti-inflammatory diet had a 31% reduction in their risk of dementia.

The observational study aimed to investigate the effect of an anti-inflammatory diet in people with o cardiometabolic diseases pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. The authors found that people with one of these risk factors are less likely to develop dementia if they follow an anti-inflammatory diet.

Abigail Dove, lead author of the study and a PhD student at the Center for Aging Research at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, emphasized the uniqueness of their study in an email to The Epoch Times. “Our study is unique because it deepens the relationship between diet and dementia in the context of a major risk factor for dementia: cardiometabolic disease (CMD).”

Dementia is a general term used to describe a range of symptoms associated with memory decline severe enough to interfere with a person’s ability to perform daily activities. This is caused by damage to brain cells, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease. There is an established link between diet and depression.

A systematic review published in Frontiers in Neuroscience in 2023 found that certain dietary patterns can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, while the typical Western diet is a risk factor. Recent research has also linked blood sugar regulation to depression, underscoring the importance of continued research in this area.

The new findings underscore the promising potential of dietary interventions in maintaining cognitive function as we age. Understanding the foods that promote inflammation and those that prevent it can reduce your risk of developing dementia.

The link between cardiometabolic diseases and dementia

Cardiometabolic diseases are established risk factors for depression. Abigail Dove pointed out: “Individually, each of these diseases [diabet de tip 2, boli de inimă şi accident vascular cerebral] associated with a 1.5- to 2-fold increased risk of dementia, and this becomes even stronger for people who have more than one CMD (eg, type 2 diabetes and heart disease).

Dove noted that this new research shows how dietary changes could be a strategy to reduce the likelihood of depression in a high-risk group. People with cardiometabolic disease have more overall inflammation, making adopting an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern a potentially critical approach.

Dove said that an anti-inflammatory diet reduces systemic inflammation in the body, which may slow the progression of brain damage and the eventual development of dementia. It is not yet clear why people with cardiometabolic diseases are at greater risk of developing dementia than those without. The link is there, but studies are still ongoing to find out the exact mechanisms, she said.

“It appears that CMD [bolile cardiometabolice] share basic biology similar to dementia. The heart pumps blood through a large network of blood vessels throughout the body, including the brain. Heart problems – for example, irregular heart rhythm or compression in the heart’s pumping chambers – blood flow to the brain can be irregular, thereby limiting the supply of oxygen and important nutrients to the brain, gradually with brain cells starve over time,” he said. . Abigail Dove.

“Type 2 diabetes can lead to brain wear and tear: When too much blood sugar enters the brain, it can break down the protective layer around brain cells, making them less efficient and -vulnerable to damage. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, effectively suffocating brain cells and leaving tissue that is severely damaged,” she continued.

Audit details

Models were adjusted for baseline age, sex, education level, and caloric intake, as well as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and vascular risks, including body mass index, mass- tolerance, smoking, and physical activity. Genetic risk factor status for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease was also assessed, APOE ε4.

The study measured 206 foods and 32 drinks, from vegetables and green tea to biscuits and beer. However, the inflammatory index measured was not directly based on the consumption of these specific foods. The researchers used a newer method to assess food-induced inflammation. Each nutrient in the measured foods was assigned an inflammatory effect score.

“Data on these specific foods and beverages was used to estimate the amount of various vitamins, nutrients, spices, etc. which people ate. These particulate elements were used to calculate dietary inflammation,” said Dove.

“It basically represents how strong the anti- or pro-inflammatory nutrient is, based on a meta-analysis of previous studies linking the nutrient with markers of inflammation in the body,” she said.

After an inflammation score was calculated for each participant’s diet, Dove said, they were divided into three groups. A third were classified as an anti-inflammatory diet, a third as a pro-inflammatory diet, and a third as a neutral diet.

MRIs were performed to measure total brain volume.

“Reduction in gray matter volume is a sign of neurodegeneration (ie loss of brain cells), a major form of brain damage that underlies dementia. In our study, CMD and a pro-inflammatory diet were both associated with lower gray matter volume,” Dove said.

“Both were also associated with smaller hippocampal volume. The hippocampus (which is made up of gray matter) is a region of the brain dedicated to memory processing. Neurodegeneration/loss of volume in this area is a particularly important symptom of dementia, as memory loss is the primary symptom of dementia,” she continued.

While the study found a link between lower systemic inflammation and more favorable brain markers on MRIs with a lower risk of depression, Abigail Dove noted that a causal conclusion cannot yet be drawn: “Interim studies in have participants randomized to an anti-inflammatory diet. vs. pro-inflammatory studies would be needed to definitively test this hypothesis”.

As for whether an anti-inflammatory diet might be beneficial for people who want to reduce their risk of developing dementia later in life, whether or not they have cardiometabolic disease, Dove said: “Yes, The main conclusion of the study is that adopting an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern was associated with a lower risk of dementia both in people with (-31%) and those without (-21%) CMD “.

Anti-inflammatory foods to add to your diet

If you want to reduce your risk of developing depression, adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet can help fight systemic inflammation. Examples include:

• Forest produce – Berries, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, contain many antioxidants called polyphenols which helps fight inflammation.
• Nuts – Nuts are rich sources of antioxidants with anti-inflammatory potential. Review published in Nutrients in 2023 found that walnuts and walnuts can help reduce risk factors for cardiometabolic disease.
• Salted fish – Fish such as salmon, sardines, anchovies and mackerel are good sources of fatty acids omega-3 anti-inflammatory
• Avocado – Special ratios from avocados linked to anti-inflammatory properties.
• Green tea and matcha – EGCG, is part of green teaknown for regulating inflammation.
• olive oil – Examination published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2018 found that oleocanthal, which is present in extra olive oil, has effects similar to those of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen when ingested in the same amounts.
• The vegetables – Green leaves are rich in antioxidants betacarotenewhich reduces inflammation. Peppers, such as bell peppers and chilies, contain vitamin C and quercetin, and both have been shown to reduce inflammation. Sulforaphane, an antioxidant found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, has been shown to contain. prevent inflammation.
• Turmeric – Turmeric is rich in curcumin, which has been shown it has anti-inflammatory properties.
• the mushroom – The mushrooms rich in antioxidants. Although more research is needed, a study animal discovery published in Antioxidants in 2019 that Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) able to offer neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.

Inflammatory foods to avoid

While adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet can help calm systemic inflammation, another practical approach is to eliminate common inflammation culprits:

• Excessive consumption of sugar and high fructose corn syrup is linked to an inflammatory response.
• A diet high in refined carbohydrates, such as processed foods such as bread, pasta and cereal, is linked to neuroinflammatory processes in the brain.
• Fried foods can contain a lot of harmful substances (advanced glycation end products) that are known to contribute to inflammation. Fried foods also increase saturated fat, which can promote inflammation.
• Research links excessive alcohol consumption to systemic inflammation.

Naria Le Mire, licensed dietitian, shared via email with The Epoch Times what foods to avoid: “I always advise my clients to limit their consumption of sugary drinks, baked goods, high-fat animal products, refined carbohydrates such as white rice and pasta, processed meats such as sausages, and alcohol to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and gut problems associated with chronic inflammation.”