The macronutrient that improves cognitive function fast

If you’re in your 50s, 60s, or beyond, you’ve probably experienced your fair share of memory glitches.

And even if your doctor says it’s nothing to worry about, if you’re like me, you can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign of worse things to come.

It’s hard to know what the future holds. But when it comes to knowing how to support a healthy brain — that’s easy…

For that, scientists have validated the power of the omega-3 essential fatty acids.

In fact, research that followed over 2,400 people in their 60s proved that increased omega-3 intake dramatically improved function on three separate cognitive tests.

Here’s what they found…

Higher intake linked to higher cognitive scores

Researchers compared participants’ omega-3 fatty acid intake to how they scored on three tests considered the gold standard for measuring cognition:

1. CERAD Word List Test – A word recall test that assesses memory retention.
2. Animal Fluency Test – A test that asks participants to name as many animals as possible in one minute and measures executive function and mental flexibility.
3. Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) – In this test, participants race the clock to match symbols to numbers, which evaluates processing speed and working memory.

What did they find?

Participants with the highest omega-3 intake consistently scored better across all cognitive tests than those with the lowest intake.

For each one-unit increase in omega-3s, each test saw participants’ scores bump by almost half a point.

And when omega-3 intake was leveled up, cognitive scores improved rapidly!

Don’t wait to get your brain in shape

According to the Merck Manuals (the global standard for medical reference), omega-3s are classified as macronutrients because the body needs them in larger amounts, mainly because it doesn’t make them on its own.

Macronutrients should make up the bulk of a healthy diet, and we can find omega-3s abundantly in fatty fish. But here’s the thing about fish….

No matter how often we’re reminded that dietary guidelines suggest two servings a week — Americans aren’t listening.

That’s why supplementing fish oil has become popular — but you can do a whole lot better.

I don’t have a problem with fish oil (except for the burps), but if you’re going to supplement your omega-3s, krill is the source that helps you use those precious macronutrients most effectively…

Krill oil is an easy choice for four reasons:

• Packed with omega-3s and more. Only krill oil provides heart-healthy DHA and brain-boosting EPA, plus the potent antioxidant, astaxanthin — capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier to help neutralize free radicals that can cause aging. Astaxanthin is the reason krill oil is 48 times more powerful than fish oil at neutralizing free radicals!
• Virtually FREE of Impurities. Krill thrives in the deep, pristine waters of Antarctica, far from industrial pollution. Not only is their exposure to heavy metals, industrial chemicals and pesticides limited, but krill are at the bottom of the food chain. That means they don’t accumulate dangerous levels of toxins that get stored in the fatty tissue of larger fish, like those used to produce fish oil.
• More Easily Absorbed by Your Body. Your body has a tough time metabolizing fish oil, and in the process, most of the nutrients can be lost. In contrast, the omega-3s in krill oil are naturally bound in a phospholipid structure that allows them to be absorbed 10 to 15 times better than fish oil. Additionally, this unique structure means krill oil easily mixes with stomach fluids, instead of floating on top of them, like fish oil. That’s why with krill oil, the likelihood of experiencing reflux and fish burps is greatly decreased.
• More Benefits. When krill oil goes head-to-head against fish oil, it supports healthy cholesterol, triglycerides, heart, brain, mood, immune and joint health better than fish oil.

Sources:

Omega-3 intake linked to better cognitive health in older adults, study finds – PsyPost