A new study shows that elderly people with higher levels of some
vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids in their blood performed better
on mental acuity tests with less brain shrinkage typical of
Alzheimer’s disease, while “junk food” diets produced the
opposite result. Researchers from the Oregon Health and Science
University and the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State
University measured a wide range of blood nutrient levels,
finding positive effects of high levels of vitamins B, C, D and
E and the healthy oils most commonly found in fish. Consistently
worse cognitive performance was associated with a higher intake
of the type of trans-fats found in baked and fried foods,
margarine, fast food and other less-healthy dietary choices. The
study, which was published in Neurology, the medical journal of
the American Academy of Neurology, was conducted with 104
people, at an average age of 87, with no special risk factors
for memory or mental acuity. It tested 30 different nutrient
biomarkers in their blood and 42