Can taking fish oil prevent Alzheimer's disease? Doctor: Mild symptoms are more beneficial

People often say, "Old people can prevent Alzheimer's disease by taking fish oil." No wonder one-third of people over 65 in Taiwan are taking health foods, of which 12% are taking fish oil. Are these nutritional supplements effective? In fact, according to research, taking fish oil is not very helpful for the elderly in preventing memory loss, and it only has a slight effect on patients with mild dementia.

According to research, taking fish oil is not very helpful for the elderly in preventing memory loss, and it only has a slight effect on patients with mild dementia.

Chiu Chih-chiang, director of the community psychiatry department at the Songde branch of Taipei City United Hospital, said that in 2006, there was no placebo control (for example, one group was given real fish oil and the other group was given olive oil for comparison) to study the effect of fish oil on dementia. This research team conducted preliminary research on elderly people with dementia and milder mild cognitive impairment (the early stage of dementia).

The results showed that compared with placebo, fish oil had similar effects on cognitive function (such as memory and operational ability) in elderly patients with dementia, but it may help the cognitive function of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. This study was published in an international psychiatric journal in 2008.

Qiu Zhiqiang said that in recent years, there have been several placebo-controlled clinical studies on fish oil in the general elderly and dementia. The summarized evidence shows that fish oil has no effect on patients with moderate to severe dementia in the elderly, and has no effect on preventing memory loss in the general elderly. However, it may be of some help to patients with milder dementia, or the so-called mild cognitive impairment, and is more likely to be helpful to patients without the APOE4 genotype (this genotype is a risk factor for Alzheimer's dementia).

What is a good way to prevent Alzheimer's disease? Perhaps you can refer to the American Nutrition Society's recommendation to eat fish at least twice a week, especially deep-sea fish, to maintain health. Of course, the most important and most evidence-based approach to preventing dementia is to exercise more and engage in more brain-stimulating activities, such as playing mahjong or reading.