Unlock Brain Health Secrets: Everyday Kitchen Staple Can Reduce Dementia Risk

In the quest to mitigate the rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, a new study published on May 6 in JAMA Network Open delivers some promising news. It reveals that the daily consumption of about half a tablespoon of olive oil may play a significant role in reducing dementia-related mortality. This study is among the pioneer research works to delve into the relationship between diet and death related to dementia.

The research tracked around 90,000 participants over nearly 30 years, discovering that a daily consumption of seven grams of olive oil was correlated with a decreased mortality risk from dementia. Additionally, replacing mayonnaise or margarine with olive oil appeared to present similar protective effects. These intriguing results were first unveiled on July 23 at NUTRITION 2023, a yearly gathering of the American Society of Nutrition, before being scrutinized and approved by peer review.

“In our study, we see that dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils like olive oil not only buttress heart health but could also potentially prop up brain health,” proclaims Anne-Julie Tessier, RD, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and the presenting author of the study. “Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise is a sensible choice which may lower fatal dementia risk.”

Dementia is an overarching term for a series of conditions characterized by a significant impairment in thinking and remembering abilities to the extent that it interferes with daily activities. The most prevalent type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which affects over 6 million Americans and is considered fatal due to its incurability.

The research participants, who were more than 90,000 Americans, were tracked by the study over three decades, with a majority of them being women. Starting from 1990, they provided dietary information every four years which facilitated researchers in understanding their general diet and the frequency of their olive oil consumption. It was found that 4,749 participants died from dementia during the study.

Notably, participants who consumed more than half of a tablespoon of olive oil each day had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia than those who never or seldom consumed olive oil. Moreover, substituting about one teaspoon of mayonnaise or margarine a day with olive oil led to an 8-14% lower risk of fatal dementia, independent of the overall quality of the diet, as per the researchers.

The research also points out that those who died of dementia were more likely to have the APOe4 gene, which increases Alzheimer’s disease risk and triggers higher cholesterol production in the body. Even after adjusting for this gene, the results remained consistent.

While the research cannot definitively prove that olive oil reduces the risk of fatal dementia due to its observational nature, it does suggest that olive oil may contain beneficial properties for brain health, in addition to its established heart health benefits.

Tessier added, “Some antioxidant compounds in olive oil can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially exerting a direct effect on the brain. Olive oil might also indirectly benefit brain health by improving cardiovascular health.”

The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans already advocate for the substitution of saturated fats with unsaturated fats like olive oil to decrease harmful LDL cholesterol levels in the blood and curb the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A 2021 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the same amount of olive oil used in the new study was associated with a 14% lower risk of heart disease compared to no olive oil consumption. Additionally, olive oil has been demonstrated to reduce inflammation and cut down the risk of type 2 diabetes. It has also been associated with an 8–34% lower risk of death from all causes—including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and respiratory diseases—when it replaces other fats like mayonnaise, butter, and margarine.

Despite these promising findings, further research is required to confirm olive oil’s impact on brain health and dementia-related death and to potentially determine the optimal quantity of olive oil intake. However, this new research aligns with existing dietary recommendations and provides further evidence for favoring olive oil over less-healthy fats. It also holds out the possibility that adopting healthy eating habits, including the inclusion of olive oil, can help prevent or slow the progression of dementia.

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