A groundbreaking study reveals the potential of omega-3 fatty acids to protect women against Alzheimer’s disease, highlighting vital differences between sexes and opening new avenues for research and treatment.
In a major breakthrough, scientists have uncovered that omega-3 fatty acids might play a crucial role in protecting women against Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery could pave the way for new treatments and preventative strategies tailored specifically for women.
The study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, was conducted by researchers from King’s College London and Queen Mary University London. It is the first to highlight the critical role lipids may have in the differing risks for Alzheimer’s between the sexes.
“Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s Disease and are more often diagnosed with the disease than men after the age of 80. One of the most surprising things we saw when looking at the different sexes was that there was no difference in these lipids in healthy and cognitively impaired men, but for women, this picture was completely different,” corresponding author Cristina Legido-Quigley, a reader in systems medicine at King’s College London, said in a news release.
The research team analyzed plasma samples from 841 participants diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls.
Using mass spectrometry, the researchers examined around 700 individual lipids in the blood. They found a significant reduction in unsaturated lipids, including those containing omega fatty acids, in women with Alzheimer’s disease compared to their healthy counterparts.
Notably, such differences were not observed in men.
The implications of this study are substantial, as fats are integral to maintaining brain health. According to the findings, there seems to be a statistical indication of a causal link between Alzheimer’s Disease and fatty acids, although clinical trials are necessary for confirmation.
“Our study suggests that women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet — through fatty fish or via supplements. However, we need clinical trials to determine if shifting the lipid composition can influence the biological trajectory of Alzheimer’s Disease,” Legido-Quigley added.
First author Asger Wretlind, a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences at King’s College London, noted the importance of uncovering these biological differences in lipids between sexes in such a large cohort.
“Scientists have known for some time that more women than men are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease,” he added. “Although this still warrants further research, we were able to detect biological differences in lipids between the sexes in a large cohort, and show the importance of lipids containing omegas in the blood, which has not been done before. The results are very striking and now we are looking at how early in life this change occurs in women.”
Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, emphasized the potential of the study to influence future treatments and lifestyle recommendations.
“In the UK, two in three people living with dementia are women. This could be linked to living longer, or other risk factors like social isolation, education, or hormonal changes from the menopause being at play,” she said in the news release. “While this study shows that women with Alzheimer’s had lower levels of some unsaturated fats compared with men, further work is needed. This includes understanding the mechanisms behind this difference and finding out if lifestyle changes, including diet could have a role… Understanding how the disease works differently in women could help doctors tailor future treatments and health advice.”
Source: King’s College London