AJCN Cancer Health Disparities Conference
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow An erratum has been published
Right arrow Purchase Article
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, E. J
Right arrow Articles by Schaefer, E. J
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, E. J
Right arrow Articles by Schaefer, E. J
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Johnson, E. J
Right arrow Articles by Schaefer, E. J
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 83, No. 6, S1494-1498S, June 2006
© 2006 American Society for Nutrition

Supplement: n–3 Fatty Acids: Recommendations for Therapeutics and Prevention

Potential role of dietary n–3 fatty acids in the prevention of dementia and macular degeneration1,2,3,4

Elizabeth J Johnson and Ernst J Schaefer

1 From the Carotenoid & Health and Lipid Metabolism Laboratories, Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA

ABSTRACT

Dementia and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are major causes of disability in the elderly. n–3 Fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are highly concentrated in brain and retinal tissue and may prevent or delay the progression of dementia and AMD. Low dietary intakes and plasma concentrations have been reported to be associated with dementia, cognitive decline, and AMD risk. The major dietary sources of DHA are fish and fish oils, although dietary supplements are available. At this point, it is not possible to make firm recommendations regarding n–3 fatty acids and the prevention of dementia and AMD. Our own unpublished observations from the Framingham Heart Study suggest that ≥180 mg/d of dietary DHA ({approx}2.7 fish servings/wk) is associated with an {approx}50% reduction in dementia risk. At least this amount of DHA is generally found in one commercially available 1-g fish oil capsule given daily.

Key Words: n–3 Fatty acids • docosahexaenoic acid • dementia • age-related macular degeneration






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2006 by The American Society for Nutrition