Many Foods Increase Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Here’s How to Help Your Brain

Mary Strieter, a senior from Palm Beach County, loves bacon but has given it up out of fear that eating fatty, processed meats contributes to memory loss.

Strieter’s mother suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, and now in her 70s, she wants to keep her own risk as low as possible.

“My doctor told me I had to eat healthy, so that’s what I do,” she said.

A study released Wednesday shows that Strieter is on the right track in watching what she eats. Research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia shows that eating a few servings a week of processed red meat, such as bologna, hot dogs or bacon, increases the risk of dementia. Specifically, the researchers found that eating about two servings a week of processed red meat increases the risk of dementia by 14 percent compared to those who eat fewer than three servings a month.

The latest research focuses on how our diet affects the aging brain’s ability to think and remember. As many as 580,000 Floridians aged 65 and older live with the disease, and more than 6.7 million Americans. The growing prevalence has sparked more research into factors that increase risk.

The study followed more than 130,000 people for 43 years and found that each additional daily serving of processed red meat was linked to an additional 1.6 years of brain aging. Yuhan Li, the study’s lead author, said processed meat can affect the brain because it contains high levels of harmful substances such as nitrites (preservatives) and sodium.

“The Alzheimer’s Association has long encouraged healthier diets, including less processed foods, because they have been linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline,” Heather M. Snyder, vice president of medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer’s Association, said in a prepared statement.

The processed meat study adds to previous research on diet and brain health, linking diet to disease risk. The findings have led experts to recommend that older adults eat as many whole, fresh foods as possible.

“It’s important for people to know that no single food or ingredient causes dementia or Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Christian Camargo, associate professor of neurology and memory specialist at the University of Miami Health System. “There’s also no single food that can cure the disease.”

Here are some other findings on diet and Alzheimer’s risk:

Pre-packaged and highly processed foods increase risks

In 2022, British researchers found that for every 10% increase in daily consumption of highly processed foods, the risk of dementia increased by 25%. Highly processed foods include packaged bread, crackers, fizzy drinks, breakfast cereals, sweetened yogurts, cereal bars, ice cream, and crisps. The researchers studied 72,083 men and women aged 55 or older. Participants kept detailed records of what they ate and drank.

The researchers concluded: “Increasing consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods by just 50 grams per day, equivalent to half an apple, a serving of corn or a bowl of bran cereal, and simultaneously decreasing ultra-processed foods by 50 grams per day, equivalent to a chocolate bar or a serving of fish fingers, is associated with a 3% reduced risk of dementia.”

A diet high in sugar may increase the risks

Studies have linked high sugar consumption to insulin resistance in the brain and an increased risk of dementia. In particular, some researchers have looked at overconsumption of sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice. The results suggest that reducing sugar intake may help keep brain cells healthy.

“Anything with added sugar is not healthy,” says Julia Sheffler, an assistant professor in the department of behavioral sciences and social medicine at Florida State University College of Medicine. “Whether you’re consuming sugar in your drinks or in your food, it raises your insulin levels, and over time, your body can become insulin resistant. This increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, but it also has negative effects on the brain.”

Foods like fish, nuts, seeds and berries can reduce your risk

Previous research has shown that diets rich in leafy green vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and fish are associated with reduced signs of Alzheimer’s disease. These diets also tend to include olive oil, whole grains, small amounts of wine, and limited consumption of red meat. This type of diet aims to increase nutrients that protect the brain and inhibit beta-amyloid deposits in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

“There’s really strong evidence that a Mediterranean diet, in particular, has benefits for brain and heart health and can actually slow the rate of cognitive decline and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,” Sheffler said.

At FSU, Sheffler seeks to help older adults adopt these diets and overcome any reluctance or barriers.

“If you can’t stick to it, if you just eat the right foods here and there, it’s not going to be as effective as if you consistently follow the Mediterranean or Mediterranean-ketogenic diet,” she said.

Olive oil reduces the risks

According to a study from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, people who incorporate olive oil into their daily diet may reduce their risk of death from dementia.

The Harvard study analyzed the diets and health outcomes of 92,383 American adults. It found that regardless of genetic predisposition or diet, participants who consumed at least 7 grams of olive oil per day had a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death compared with participants who never or rarely consumed olive oil.

“Foods like olive oil, which have beneficial effects on the heart, also have beneficial effects on the brain,” Camargo said.

Dietary supplements cannot reduce risks

Advertisements often tout the benefits of supplements such as lion’s mane, vitamin D and ginkgo biloba in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

But Alzheimer’s experts in Florida are skeptical.

Camargo points out that supplements are not regulated in the United States.

“They’re not well studied because they’re not pharmaceuticals,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re getting and they haven’t been studied to see if they reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”

He said all the new research on diet helps people understand that there are ways to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. “The fact is we have some control over this.”

Sheffler advises taking control of your emotions no matter your age. “The earlier the better, but it’s never too late. You’ll always benefit from it.”

You can contact Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.

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