Low-Fat Dieting Linked to Cognitive Decline

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Low-Fat Dieting Linked to Cognitive Decline

It’s estimated that 10 – 20% of people over the age of 65 suffer from mild

cognitive impairment or have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. By the age

of 80 more than half have some loss of memory or functional decline and the

trend continues to escalate as the number of baby boomers turned senior citizens

explodes. Forward thinking nutritional researchers believe that some of the

blame for this trend can be placed firmly on the fat-phobic diet pushed by many

physicians and dietitians for the past half century that deprives delicate brain

cells of essential nutrients. It’s important to include a healthy source of

serine and choline to nourish the brain and improve memory and mental cognition

to prevent brain aging.

Low-Fat Diet Leads to Loss of Essential Brain Nutrients

Many people have been led to believe that a diet void of fat is ideal for heart

health. Essential sources of cholesterol and saturated fats are eliminated and

health begins to slowly decline as critical nutrients necessary for cellular

repair and regeneration are deprived. Nutritional research clearly demonstrates

that a low-fat diet is dangerously high in carbohydrates and sugar leading to

metabolic dysfunction, diabetes, heart disease and brain aging.

The exclusion of dietary fat typically causes a shortage of the nutrients

choline and serine that are used by the brain to manufacture memory-related

neurotransmitters and lipids used in cell membranes. Over the course of decades,

consuming a processed diet with limited healthy fats can lead to cognitive

decline and may be a causative factor in the dramatic rise in Alzheimer’s

disease cases. Including choline and serine from diet or supplemental sources

can improve memory and help to prevent age-related dementia.

Choline is Necessary to Form New Memories

Choline is naturally found in foods including beef and chicken liver, eggs,

milk, soybeans and peanuts. Many health conscious individuals and those on a low

fat diet try to avoid these food sources and may be at risk for choline

deficiency.

The results of a study published in the journal Clinical Therapeutics shows that

participants with mild to moderate cognitive impairment experienced significant

improvement to memory and learning capabilities when provided with choline

supplementation over a 6 month period. The study authors remarked that the

improvements seen with choline supplementation were superior to pharmacological

interventions.

Serine Fights Brain Aging, Maintain Plasticity

Serine (phosphatidylserine) is a naturally occurring orthomolecular compound

found naturally in the brain to help maintain memory function and to assist the

replacement of damaged neurons (neuroplasticity). The critical communication

between neurons in the brain is dependent on a steady supply of nutrients such

as serine to enhance learning skills and the formation of new memories.

The results of a study published in the journal Neurology showed that serine

supplementation could “provide significant benefits for cognitive functions that

typically decline with age, including concentration, learning, memory and

vocabulary skills.”

The loss of cognition as we age is not normal. A wealth of research explains

that loss of memory and cognitive resources is the result of decades of nutrient

depletion that take an ultimate toll on the brain. Choline and serine are

brain-specific nutrients that may be depleted due to poor diet. Improved diet

and supplementation if necessary are shown to prevent the typical symptoms of

brain aging and prevent dementia.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2027477

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12637119

http://www.neurology.org/content/41/5/644.short

is a diet, health and nutrition researcher and writer with a

passion for understanding weight loss challenges and encouraging health

modification through natural diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation.

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