Nutrition and the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that accounts for the major cause of dementia, and the increasing worldwide prevalence of AD is a major public health concern. Increasing epidemiological studies suggest that diet and nutrition might be important modifiable risk factors for AD. Dietary supplementation of antioxidants, B vitamins, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids are beneficial to AD, and consumptions of fish, fruits, vegetables, coffee, and light-to-moderate alcohol reduce the risk of AD. However, many of the results from randomized controlled trials are contradictory to that of epidemiological studies. Dietary patterns summarizing an overall diet are gaining momentum in recent years. Adherence to a healthy diet, the Japanese diet, and the Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of AD. This paper will focus on the evidence linking many nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns to AD.

Prevention of Alzheimer's disease: The role of the Mediterranean diet

“…Overall, Alzheimer's disease is a growing major public health concern with profuse socioeconomic impact 19 .…”

“…These disease-modifying factors have been object of much research in recent years given that interventions that alter their course constitute potential preventive measures 19,25 . Therefore, when motivated and supported by health professionals, individuals can use lifestyle options to influence their late-life cognitive performance and risk of brain disorders 10,15,26 .…”

“…Hence, since diet constitutes one of the most important modifiable environmental factors, there has been increasing interest on the potential beneficial role of diet also on Alzheimer's disease 19,29 . As an example, some dietary factors, such as antioxidants, have been reported to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, contrasting with other components, such as saturated fatty acids 19 .…”

“…However, foods are not consumed individually but as part of a whole daily diet; in fact, the concept of "dietary pattern" has gained much attention lately regarding several diseases given that it takes into consideration the interactions between the components of a diet, consequently, better reflecting its complexity 19,[28][29][30] . Furthermore, current studies about the role of individual foods on the risk of Alzheimer's disease have presented inconsistent results, partly because people eat meals combining different nutrients or food items that probably have additive and/or synergistic effects 6,21 .…”

Alcohol consumption and probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder

“…Studying this effect in more detail could also help to understand the potential role of alcohol in the pathogenesis of different health outcomes, which are closely related to RBD. For example, previous studies found that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a lower risks of cardiovascular disease7, 8 and cognitive impairment (and Alzheimer's disease) 9, 10. A large cohort study on Parkinson disease (PD) also reported that different types of alcoholic beverages might have different impacts on PD risk 11.…”