This nutrient may help protect brain structure as we age

May 25, 2023 0 Comments

Vetrivel Sengottuvel, PhD, lead author of the study and senior research fellow at Duke-NUS, explained in a statement: “Loss of the myelin sheath occurs during the normal process of aging and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the researchers, this is not only responsible for age-related diseases, but also for the general loss of physical and mental abilities of the elderly. Fortunately, this research presents a possible way to improve this age-related decline in myelin.

This showed that omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in brain processes that create myelin and maintain what is already there. “This opens up potential avenues for developing therapies and dietary supplements based on it [lysophosphatidylcholine] LPC omega-3 lipids that may help preserve myelin in the aging brain—and possibly to treat patients with neurological disorders caused by reduced myelination,” Sengottuvel explained.

The results of the study were published in Journal of clinical research. Next, the research team is conducting preclinical studies to determine whether omega-3 supplements can support or even improve brain myelination and cognitive function during the aging process.

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