Reading can lower dementia risk by 40%

Public investments that expand access to enriching environments such as libraries may help to reduce the incidence of dementia, the study author said. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images

From The Guardian

Reading, writing and learning a language or two can lower your risk of dementia by almost 40%, according to a study that suggests millions of people could prevent or delay the condition.

Dementia is one of the world’s biggest health threats. The number of people living with the condition is forecast to triple to more than 150 million globally by 2050, and experts say it presents a big and rapidly growing threat to future health and social care systems in every community, country and continent.

US researchers found that engaging in intellectually stimulating activities throughout life, such as reading, writing or learning a new language, was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, and slower cognitive decline.

The study author Andrea Zammit, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said the discovery suggested cognitive health in later life was “strongly influenced” by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments.

“Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that consistently engaging in a variety of mentally stimulating activities throughout life may make a difference in cognition. Public investments that expand access to enriching environments, like libraries and early education programs designed to spark a lifelong love of learning, may help reduce the incidence of dementia.”

Researchers tracked 1,939 people with an average age of 80 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They were followed for an average of eight years. Participants completed surveys about cognitive activities and learning resources during three stages.

Early enrichment, before 18, included the frequency of being read to and reading books, access to newspapers and atlases in the home, and learning a foreign language for more than five years.

Middle-age enrichment included income level at 40, household resources such as magazine subscriptions, dictionaries and library cards and the frequency of activities such as visiting a museum or library. Later-life enrichment, starting at an average age of 80, included the frequency of reading, writing and playing games and total income from social security, retirement and other sources.

In total, 551 participants developed Alzheimer’s disease and 719 developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) during the study, which was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Researchers compared those with the highest level of cognitive enrichment, the top 10%, with those with the lowest level, the bottom 10%. Of those with the highest level, 21% developed Alzheimer’s. Among those with the lowest, the figure was 34%.

After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and education, researchers found higher scores in lifetime enrichment were associated with a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 36% lower risk of MCI.

People with the highest lifetime enrichment developed Alzheimer’s disease at an average age of 94, compared with 88 for those with the lowest level of enrichment – more than a five-year delay.

Researchers found people with the highest lifetime enrichment developed MCI at an average age of 85, compared with 78 for those with the lowest level of enrichment – a seven-year delay.

Researchers also looked at participants who died during the study and had autopsies. Those with higher lifetime enrichment had better memory and thinking skills and slower decline prior to death, the study found.

A limitation was that participants reported details about their early and midlife experiences later in life, so may not have remembered everything accurately. The study also did not prove that lifelong learning reduces the risk of dementia, as it only showed an association.

Dr Isolde Radford, a senior policy manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, who was not involved with the study, said the findings highlighted that dementia was not an inevitable part of ageing.

“This new research shows that staying mentally active throughout life can cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by nearly 40%,” she said. “This supports what we already know about the preventive steps people can take to reduce their risk of developing dementia.”

The factors that reduce or prevent dementia are becoming more and more clear:

• Use it or lose it.  Don't just sit there like a pudding watching TV or the internet.  Read, think, learn a language.
• Social contact is important.  Loneliness is lethal.  The authorities should be strongly encouraging meet-ups for older people, like coffee mornings at neighbourhood learning centres.
• Poverty in old age makes things worse because it narrows options available---and the mind.  It might work out cheaper for society to make sure the old can enjoy a rich social and intellectual life than to cut support and face subsequent huge health expenses.
• Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids are essential, literally.  Don't heat them; they'll disintegrate if they're cooked.  You get them from fish, nuts and seeds, especially walnuts, (ground) linseed, pepitas (hulled pumpkin seed).
• Red and processed meat is bad for dementia (I'll be doing a post on this shortly).  A healthy diet helps keep your brain healthy.
• Exercise is good.  Surprisingly, weight-training seems to help a lot, but even a daily walk makes a difference.

75% of people don't get enough of this nutrient

 

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats that the body cannot produce in adequate amounts, requiring intake through diet. The key forms, EPA and DHA, are primarily found in marine sources such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and algae, while ALA is present in plant foods like flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts. These fats contribute to cell membrane function, support cardiovascular and cognitive health, and play important roles in regulating inflammation and neural development. Credit: Shutterstock

From SciTechDaily

More than three-quarters of people around the world are not consuming enough Omega-3, according to new findings from the University of East Anglia, the University of Southampton, and Holland & Barrett.

The joint analysis reports that 76 percent of the global population falls short of recommended levels of EPA and DHA. Researchers say this shortfall represents a major worldwide public health concern.

This publication is the first comprehensive global review to compare national and international guidelines on omega-3 intake across every stage of life in generally healthy individuals.

Prof Anne Marie Minihane, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Our research looks at recommendations for omega-3 fats and how they compare to what people are actually eating.

“We found big gaps between what’s advised and what most of us consume. To close that gap, we need easier, sustainable ways to get these important nutrients – like foods enriched with omega-3s or supplements. These changes could help more people enjoy the health benefits linked to higher intakes.

“We hope this work will help inform nutritional scientists, clinicians, food and supplement industries, policy makers and consumer communities,” she added.

Dr. Abbie Cawood, Science Director at Holland & Barrett and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Southampton, said: “The health benefits of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are too important to ignore.

“Achieving recommended intakes from diet alone can be challenging, highlighting the need for accessible, sustainable sources of EPA and DHA. Omega-3s play such a vital role in health, ensuring people can meet their needs either through diet or with the support of supplementation is essential at every life stage.

“In fact, our review highlights that supplementation is often required to meet recommended intakes especially in pregnancy and those with low fish intakes. We are hopeful that this publication can act as an enabler to inform omega-3 dietary guidelines and shape future nutrition policy and public health strategies.”

Prof Philip Calder from the University of Southampton added: “The omega-3s EPA and DHA are essential for health throughout the life course. But to benefit from these nutrients, people first need to understand how much they should be consuming.

“In this review, we brought together all the recommendations for EPA and DHA intake in healthy populations from authorities around the world to help answer the important question: ‘how much do I need?’ What is clear is that most people are not meeting these recommendations.”

Omega-3 intake contributes to overall health at every point in life. Research shows that these fatty acids can lower the likelihood of pre-term birth and aid visual and cognitive development in infants, while also supporting heart health and the immune system in later years. Studies have additionally linked higher omega-3 levels with a reduced risk of depression and age-related cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The new global review points out that current scientific evidence, public health recommendations, and actual intake levels are often not aligned. The authors aim to clarify ongoing confusion surrounding omega-3 guidance and to emphasize the broad health advantages of increasing intake among healthy people of all ages.

Earlier recommendations commonly concentrated on specific periods such as pregnancy, infancy, or older adulthood. In contrast, this review evaluates needs across the full lifespan, providing guidance that is more relevant and easier to apply for the wider population.

It highlights that guidance around omega-3 intake currently varies by country, creating a significant amount of confusion across the globe, and reinforces the importance of consistent evidence-based guidance.

The paper aims to support public health on a global scale and offers guidance to countries outside Europe and North America, for example, in Latin America and parts of Asia, including India, to develop public guidelines around safe intake levels and supplementation advice.

The review found that the most frequently recommended intake for adults is 250 mg per day of combined EPA and DHA, with an additional 100–200 mg of DHA advised for pregnant women. These targets can be achieved by eating more oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, or through supplementation where needed.

The paper also identified challenges that different populations have in achieving current omega-3 recommendations, such as difficulties in meeting oily fish recommendations due to low seafood consumption, or sustainability concerns, as well as some populations having limited access to supplementation advice.

[Reference: “An overview of national and international long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake recommendations for healthy populations” by PC Calder, AL Cawood, C James, F Page, S Putnam and AM Minihane, 24 November 2025, Nutrition Research Reviews.
DOI: 10.1017/S0954422425100279

This review was conducted in partnership with Prof Philip Calder (University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine), Prof Minihane (University of East Anglia and Norwich Medical School), Fionna Page and Claire James expert dietitians from at First Page Nutrition Ltd, and Dr. Cawood, Science Director at Holland & Barrett and Dr. Sophie Putnam, Head of Science at Holland & Barrett.]

From Wikipedia:

Omega-3 fatty acids, also called ω−3 fatty acids or n−3 fatty acids,^[1] are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Omega−3 fatty acids are important for normal metabolism.^[2]

Mammals are unable to synthesize omega−3 fatty acids, but can obtain the shorter-chain omega−3 fatty acid ALA (18 carbons and 3 double bonds) through diet and use it to form the more important long-chain omega−3 fatty acids, EPA (20 carbons and 5 double bonds) and then from EPA, the most crucial, DHA (22 carbons and 6 double bonds).^[2] 

Flaxseed (Linseed), Hemp seed and Walnuts are the best vegetable sources.  One tablespoon of flaxseed (20 grams) will provide 2,600 mgs of omega-3 oils, which, according to the SciTechDaily article is 10 times as much as the scientists recommend.    However, conversion of ALA into DHA appears to be severely restricted, with only 3.8% of the ALA being converted to DHA.

Walnuts are a good source, but unfortunately, here in Australia, they are often rancid, which means the oils have broken down, and they're not good for you.  In some countries, fish oil is also rancid, but the manufacturers conceal this.   If you don't want to eat fish oil, you can buy algal oil, which is made from sea algae (which incidentally is also where the fish get it from.)

I take two tablespoons of ground linseed a day to ensure I get enough DHA.  One interesting side effect is that it significantly reduces my arthritis joint pain, but of course, that might not work for you.  After doing research for this piece, I have decided to add algal oil to my supplementation.

ALA, DHA and EPA break down easily in sunlight (that why the bottles they're sold in are dark) and in heat.  Keep them in the fridge, whether they are in ground form, or as capsules of oil.  And don't cook them. 

Ground flaxseed absorbs liquid and when you mix it in water or some other fluid, it will solidify unless you use enough liquid.    

Vitamin D may slow biological aging

 From SciTechDaily

A major clinical trial has uncovered compelling evidence that vitamin D supplementation helps preserve telomeres, the DNA structures that protect chromosomes and shorten with age. Credit: Shutterstock

Findings from the VITAL randomized controlled trial show that vitamin D supplementation can help preserve telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. These structures naturally shorten with age, a process linked to the onset of many health conditions.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, draws on data from a VITAL sub-study led jointly by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia. The results highlight vitamin D’s potential to slow one of the biological mechanisms associated with aging.

“VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to show that vitamin D supplements protect telomeres and preserve telomere length,” said co-author JoAnn Manson, MD, principal investigator of VITAL and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “This is of particular interest because VITAL had also shown benefits of vitamin D in reducing inflammation and lowering risks of selected chronic diseases of aging, such as advanced cancer and autoimmune disease.”

Telomeres consist of repeating DNA sequences (base pairs) that serve as buffers, preventing chromosome ends from deteriorating or attaching to other chromosomes. Over time, telomeres naturally shorten, and this process has been strongly tied to a greater likelihood of developing age-related illnesses.

A few short-term, small-scale studies have suggested that vitamin D or omega 3 fatty acid supplementation may help support telomeres, but results have been inconsistent. VITAL is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D3 (2,000 IU/day) and omega-3 fatty acid (1 g/day) supplementation that tracked U.S. females aged 55 years and older and males aged 50 years and older for five years. The VITAL Telomere sub-study included 1,054 of these participants, whose telomere length in white blood cells was assessed at baseline and at Year 2 and Year 4.

Compared with taking a placebo, taking vitamin D3 supplements significantly reduced telomere shortening over four years, preventing the equivalent of nearly three years of aging compared with placebo. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation had no significant effect on telomere length throughout follow-up.

“Our findings suggest that targeted vitamin D supplementation may be a promising strategy to counter a biological aging process, although further research is warranted,” said Haidong Zhu, PhD, first author of the report and a molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University.

 

Reference: “Vitamin D3 and marine ω-3 fatty acids supplementation and leukocyte telomere length: 4-year findings from the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) randomized controlled trial” by Haidong Zhu, JoAnn E Manson, Nancy R Cook, Bayu B Bekele, Li Chen, Kevin J Kane, Ying Huang, Wenjun Li, William Christen, I-Min Lee and Yanbin Dong, 21 May 2025, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.003

 

 

Daily omega-3 might delay the aging process

From the Guardian 

A daily dose of omega-3 oils may slow the aging process, according to a major clinical trial of interventions that aim to extend humans’ healthspan – the number of years spent in good health before a decline in old age.

Healthy older people who took one gram of the essential fatty acid for three years were found to have aged three months less than others on the trial, as measured by biological markers. Additional vitamin D and regular exercise boosted the effect to nearly four months, researchers found.

Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, the first author on the study and professor of geriatric medicine and healthy longevity at the University of Zurich, said: “While the effects may appear small with three to four months rejuvenation of biological age in three years, if sustained, they may have relevant effects on population health.”

Previous studies had hinted that omega-3, an unsaturated fatty acid found in oily fish and other foods such as nuts and seeds, could affect the ageing process. But whether humans would see any meaningful benefits from consuming it was unclear.

The researchers used biological tools called epigenetic clocks to assess how rates of ageing were affected in a clinical trial involving nearly 800 people aged 70 and over in Switzerland. Epigenetic clocks measure DNA methylation, chemical modifications that build up on DNA and reflect the biological rather than the chronological age of the tissue.

Volunteers on the trial were divided into eight groups and each took a gram of algae-based omega-3 a day, or 2,000 international units of vitamin D, or performed 30 minutes of exercise three times a week, or a combination of these.

Three different epigenetic clocks suggested that omega-3 slowed ageing, while one found an additional benefit when it was accompanied by vitamin D and exercise, the authors write in Nature Aging.

The same European trial, Do-Health, has reported other beneficial effects of omega-3, including a 10% lower rate of falls in seniors and 13% fewer infections. Meanwhile, the combination of omega-3, vitamin D and exercise lowered the risk of entering pre-frailty – when people show one or two signs of physical or mental decline that typically precede frailty – by 39% and reduced invasive cancers by 61%.

The work raises the prospect of inexpensive and readily available ways to improve healthspan, which even if modest at the individual level could be valuable at the population scale. But the results are tentative and it is not yet clear whether any slowing in the ageing process translates to people living healthier for longer.

There are two categories of strokes: ischaemic and haemorrhagic.  The former are caused by a blockage in an artery (or, rarely) a vein.  The latter are caused by bleeding/breaking capillaries.   Because omega-3 supplements "thin the blood", they tend to reduce ischaemic (blockage) strokes, which make up 87% of all strokes, but may increase the risk of haemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes (13 % of all strokes)  The blockages tend to be caused by cholesterol plaque build-up, so if you're a meat eater, omega-3 oils improve your health.  As the article continues:

While previous work has signalled health benefits from consuming omega-3, one recent study reported that fish oil supplements might only reduce the risk of serious heart problems in those with cardiovascular disease. For healthy people, the supplements may raise the risk of heart conditions or stroke. The NHS does not recommend omega-3 supplements but advises people to eat two portions of fish per week, or the equivalent from a vegetarian source, to get enough of the essential fatty acid.

If you have a low risk of heart disease, as I do, being vegan, and take omega-3 oils, you should probably take 500-1000 mg a day of vitamin C with your omega-3 oils, as this vitamin is necessary for collagen synthesis, which is important for blood vessel integrity (a factor in haemorrhagic strokes).  Unfortunately, although freshly picked vegetables and fruit have high vitamin C content, it immediately starts decaying as soon as they're harvested.  Hence the need for supplemental vitamin C. 

Collagen, which is necessary to blood vessel health, is made from proteins you eat, so if you are vegan, you should also make sure you have enough protein.   Good protein sources are from soy products (soy milk, tofu, tempe, etc.), pulses/beans, and nuts and seeds (preferably raw, so the omega-3 oils in them aren't degraded).   Also, you should keep your omega-3 oil supplements in the fridge, as the chemical bonds in their molecules are easily broken by heat (and light, which is why they are sold in dark bottles).

Actually, even if you are a meat-eater, you too should take a vitamin C supplement. 

If you are on blood-thinners (for example, warfarin), it may be unwise to also take omega-3 oil supplements.  Check with your doctor.

Please note that you should check with your doctor before taking supplements.