A new study has revealed, through the combination of brain scans and dietary data, that a specific dietary profile, followed in a popular weight-loss program, can curb brain aging, along with various other benefits. As reported by New Atlas citing the journal Nature Aging, researchers from the University of Nebraska and the University of Illinois conducted an experiment involving 100 cognitively healthy individuals aged between 65 to 75 years.
The researchers collected blood samples from participants to measure nutrient biomarkers and performed MRI scans, categorizing the volunteer participants based on cognitive assessments. The scientists asked the participants to complete questionnaires that gathered demographic data, physical activity information, and body measurements. Upon examining cognitive data, the research team identified two types of brain aging: slower than expected and accelerated. When they merged cognitive data with dietary measurements, they found a specific dietary profile clearly associated with individuals experiencing slower brain aging.
Specifically, those with younger-looking brains had good levels of fatty acids, carotenoids, choline, two types of vitamin E, and antioxidants in their blood, which corresponded closely to a Mediterranean diet. Aaron Barbi, the lead researcher from the University of Nebraska, stated that "the unique aspect of the study lies in its comprehensive approach, which integrates nutrition, cognitive function, and brain imaging data," explaining that the scientific experiment "goes beyond merely measuring cognitive performance using traditional neuropsychological tests. At the same time, it examines brain structure and function alongside metabolic processes, indicating a direct link between these brain characteristics and cognitive abilities. The results show that these brain properties are directly related to diet, as evident from the patterns observed in nutrient biomarkers."
While researchers say their study was unique in terms of rigor, the results may not be overly surprising, as the Mediterranean diet, which heavily emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and healthy fats, has consistently shown to be a healthful dietary plan. The Mediterranean diet has previously been proven to help combat cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and reduce symptoms of depression in young people. Researchers indicate they plan to continue investigating nutrients associated with slower brain aging and examine the effects of specific nutrients on brain health.
Barbi remarked that "the next important step involves conducting randomized controlled trials, where specific nutrients positively associated with cognitive function and brain health will be isolated and used as supplements," explaining that this step will allow for "a definitive assessment of whether increasing levels of these specific nutrients reliably leads to improvements in cognitive test performance and measures of brain structure, function, and metabolism."
