Feeding your Brain - Staying Sharp in Midlife & Beyond

Mental Mayhem

Near the menopause, many women experience mild cognitive symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, mood changes and memory problems. It can be distressing and frustrating, particularly if you are trying to hold down a job or manage a household.

Always check any symptoms out with your GP. Then put in new nutrition habits as soon as you can, since mild symptoms may get worse as the years go on.

Mid life brain boost; the Omega 3 connection

If you want to make one easy change to your diet to support your cognitive health, increase your intake of some specific omega 3 fats. The two types fat that have been found to be most helpful when it comes to your brain and cognition are called DHA and EPA which are found in oily fish (there is also a vegan source, more about that later). Here’s the evidence to back it up:

In one study done over a long period of time on 6000 people and their families, those people who ate most fish had nearly 50% less Alzheimers as they got older and died. The results were found by measuring blood levels of DHA and EPA in the participants.

It seems that the benefits of fish oil on the brain start from a young age. Pregnant women who ate fish had children who were more literate that kids born of mothers who did not eat fish. Their IQ was tested at 6,7 and 8 years old and there was a difference.

In another study people who ate fish had larger grey matter volumes in their brains. Grey matter is needed for cognitive functions such as memory and learning.

People with higher DHA levels in their blood performed significantly better in cognitive tests. Their brain volume was also shown to be higher.

DHA and EPA given in supplement form (alongside some other nutrients) was shown to slightly increase walking speed in a group of older women. Research is increasingly showing links between mobility and cognition. Mobility includes the way you walk known as your gait and the speed at which you walk. A study found that a slow down in walking speed is linked with an increased risk of dementia. Women who were given a supplement containing 1000mg DHA and 160mg EPA had a slightly faster walking speed compared to the control group.

How and why does omega 3 work?

The role of EFAs in brain function is no surprise since your brain contains such a high proportion of fat. It is thought that your brain is made up of around 60% fat, of which DHA accounts for 10–12%.

Evidence from a review of more than 30 studies shows that omega 3 fats work in several different ways to support neurological and cognitive health;

They play a part in neuroplasticity which helps your ability to remember, learn and understand
They help keep the membranes (protective boundaries) of your nerve cells strong and flexible
They change the expression of genes associated with cognitive decline
They help keep inflammation in check in the brain. Inflammation plays a huge role in dementia and other chronic diseases
They influence brain chemicals called neurotrophins which help nerve cells grow and survive
They form electric charges which when activated produce tiny electrical currents that enable nerve cells to communicate with each other

All these benefits have a protective effect against brain ageing and cognitive impairment.

How to get enough of the right omega 3 fats into your diet

Oily fish is the richest food source of the omega 3 fats, DHA and EPA. Examples of oily fish are salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. Considering the UK is an island nation, surprisingly, only a quarter of adults eat any oily fish at all!

How much oily fish is safe to eat?

There has been concern over pollutants in fish. According to the British Dietetic Association “the health benefits of oily fish far outweigh the risks from pollutants.”

How much oily fish you should eat, depends on which health organisation you listen to. Advice also changes. The NHS now only recommends 2 portions (one portion is 140g) of fish per week, one of which should be oily. Other independent experts recommend more than this.

Ideally, it’s best to get your omega 3 from eating fish. As well as providing omega 3, fish will supply you with lean protein and a whole range of vitamins and minerals. Fish oil supplements are an alternative (see below).

What about plant sources of omega 3?

DHA and EPA fats can, in theory, be made in your body from foods such as chia and flaxseeds and oils made from flax, hemp or walnut. These fats contain the parent omega 3 fat ALA. Your body can convert the ALA into a small amount of EPA and DHA. BUT in practice this seems to be difficult to do. It is thought that the conversion rate to EPA DHA may be as little as 5–8%.

What about fish oil supplements?

If you don’t like fish, taking a supplement of fish oil (or a vegan alternative below) daily is an option.

Look for one containing around 400–500mg DHA and 750mg EPA.
Fish oil is easily oxidised by heat and light which means it loses its benefits and may even be harmful. Avoid this by keeping your supplement in the fridge and choose a brand that contains an antioxidant such as vitamin E. A strong fishy smell may be a sign that your fish oil has gone rancid.
A good choice is Cytoplan Fish oil which ticks all the above boxes. Use code PC15 for 15 percent discount off your orders.

Vegan alternatives to fish oil

For vegetarians and vegans, seaweed is a direct source. However, the omega 3 content of seaweed varies a lot. Some species contain more than others but content varies even between different crops of the same species. This is because the nutrient content of seaweed depends very much on the environment it is grown in.

That aside, you would have to eat a large amount of the most DHA EPA rich seaweed to get a meaningful amount.

A good alternative for vegans and vegetarians is an algae derived omega 3 supplement. A study showed that algae oil supplements were equally as effective as salmon at raising blood levels of DHA and EPA. The downside is, capsule for capsule, vegan omega 3 often contains a lower strength of DHA/EPA.

My vegan supplement of choice is Igennus Concentrated Vegan Omega 3 Use code PC15 for a fifteen percent discount off your orders.

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