You may have noticed these buzzy “brain food” claims scattered across online health articles and social media feeds. But can certain foods or diets really stave off or prevent dementia?
Experts say that while nutrition studies are notoriously challenging to carry out, there is a compelling and ever-growing body of research that does suggest that some foods and diets may offer real benefits to an aging brain. So we spoke with two dozen researchers and pored over the research to better understand the links between diet and dementia.
our pillars of a ‘brain-boosting’ diet
Scientists don’t yet know for certain what causes Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. And there is currently no medication that can reverse it, said Dr Uma Naidoo, the director of nutritional and metabolic psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and the author of, This Is Your Brain on Food. “But,” she said, “we can impact how we eat.”
Research shows that people with certain conditions – such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes – are more likely than those without such conditions to experience age-related cognitive decline. And the risks of developing those conditions can be increased by poor diet and a lack of exercise, suggesting there are things you can do to lower the chances of developing dementia, Dr Naidoo said.