Omega-3’s May Help Preserve Brain Cells

Women who consume high levels of omega-3 fatty acids may be less likely to lose brain cells as they get older, a new study suggests. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish oil and some supplements. Researchers measured omega-3 levels in the red blood cells of more than 1,000 older women. Their average age was about 70. Eight years later, they were given MRI scans of the brain. Women with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids had larger brains than those with low levels. The difference was equal to about 1 or 2 years of normal brain shrinkage for adults in this age group. Women with higher omega-3 levels also tended to have a larger hippocampus. This part of the brain has a major role in memory. It begins to shrink early for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. The new study only shows a link between higher omega-3 fat levels in the bloodstream and larger brain size.