A supplement already taken by thousands, which costs less than 10p a pill, could help ward of Alzheimer’s disease in women, promising new research has suggested.
British researchers found that omega fatty acids—often found in fish such as salmon or mackerel or available as supplements—could reduce the risk of developing dementia.
In the first-of-its-kind study, they looked at the fat molecules in the body, known medically as lipids.
The scientists from King’s College London and Queen Mary University London, discovered that women with the memory-robbing condition had significantly less healthy unsaturated fats in their blood, compared to those who did not.
The same effect, however, was not seen among men.
Experts today said their findings could indicate why more women are diagnosed with the condition, but cautioned further research was first necessary to prove this was the case.
Dr Cristiana Legido-Quigley, senior author of the study from King’s College London, said: ‘Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s 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.’
By ZOE HARDY/Daily Mail
