Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, but researchers have not completely determined its cause. Although changes in the brain, including abnormal buildups of proteins known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles, are present, it remains unclear if genetics or everyday aspects of life cause Alzheimer’s.
One of the early hallmarks of Alzheimer’s is memory problems that interfering with daily life, there is new evidence that shows you diet could be an early sign of this form on dementia.
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s
One of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s could do more with a person’s eating habits. Neurologists at the New Jersey Brain & Spine Dr. Elana Clar told Parade that one of the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease is a change in dietary preferences.
Dr. Clar said that symptoms can emerge at any point in someone’s experience with Alzheiemr’s, but your diet could be one of the earliest signs while it may not manifest until later for others.
A Change in Dietary Preferences
Dr. Clar explains that someone with Alzheiemr’s may experience a change in dietary preferences.
“A vegetarian may start eating steak simply because they forgot they had a certain dietary habit, or may start incorporating more salt and spice because their taste buds are diminished,” Dr. Clar said.
Why Does This Change Happen?
Dr. Clar says that this change in dietary habits for those with Alzheimer’s could stem from either a diminished or heightened experience. Research shows that those with Alzheimer’s have trouble detecting umami, one of the basic five tastes that is associated with savory foods.
Other research shows that many people with dementia have a decline in smell and taste, which can causes them to favor foods that have especially strong flavor.
Another Reason for This Change
Dr. Clar says that another reason why someone with Alzheimer’s may experience a change in diet because they simply forget that they have certain dietary restrictions or lifelong habits.
Parade gives the example that someone might forget that they are lactose intolerant and eat dairy. Or that a person with the mental disease might forget that they don’t like the taste of a certain food.
Noticing This Change
These symptoms can have serious health implications, which is why it is important for someone with Alzheimer’s and those supporting them to recognize the need for help when these dietary changes happen.
“While it is important to help [someone with Alzheimer’s] hold onto their independence and autonomy as long as possible, they must set some of that aside when basic activities of daily living start to become a challenge. Patients should not be shy in asking family or friends, and may want to consider a formally hired home health aide,” she says.
Improve Quality of Life
Dr. Clar suggests that creating a system that optimized a person with Alzheimer’s needs can improve their quality of life, and make mealtimes less of a burden for everyone.
“Share the caregiving responsibilities or seek out resources that can assist with that,” she says.
How to Lessen You Chances of Alzheimer’s Disease
Other studies suggests that your diet can also lessen your chances of Alzheimer’s disease effect you. According to The Harvard Gazette, a small, limited study showed that a healthier lifestyle could lower risk of the mental disease.
However, a change in diet shows little promise of reversing the damages the disease causes to the brain.
The Test
“To get significant results on these cognitive tests in just 20 weeks, in just 50 patients, only altering lifestyle, to be very honest was just shocking to me, but shocking because it says maybe this matters,” said senior author Rudolph Tanzi, Harvard Medical School’s Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Child Neurology and Mental Retardation, and co-director of the Mass General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease.
“But I’m the first to say that it’s a small study. It was only 20 weeks, so let’s not jump to any conclusions. But boy, what a great start.”
The Results of the Test
Changing your diet was the only thing that helped reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. 49 people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheiemr’s agreed to participate, and half where told to keep their normal habits while the other half changed their diet and exercise habits.
By the end of the 20-week study, those who made the lifestyle changes showed statistically significant improvements in three of four standard cognitive tests and borderline statistically significant changes in the fourth test.
Don’t Interpretative the Results
Steven Arnold, a professor of neurology at HMS, Massachusetts General Hospital’s E. Gerald Corrigan Chair in Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Science, and senior author on the paper, said that the findings showed promising results.
However, they cautioned that “over-interpreting” the findings are not a solution to preventing Alzheimer’s, and advise against making wholesale diet and lifestyle changes.
Changing Your Diet
“If you do significantly change the metabolic, inflammatory, vascular milieu of the body and the brain, that is good for our brain function. And this diet, exercise, stress reduction/socialization intervention may work as well or better than some of the drugs we use for Alzheimer’s disease,” Arnold said.
“This should be looked at as a pilot study, but the pilot data are significant and strongly suggest that lifestyle intervention was effective,” Tanzi said.
