Omega fatty acids could protect against Alzheimer's disease in women, new research has found. A startling omega-3 deficiency may explain women’s Alzheimer’s risk.
Researchers have discovered that women with Alzheimer’s show a sharp loss of omega-3 fatty acids, pointing to sex-specific differences in the disease. The study suggests omega-rich diets could be key to preserving brain health, but additional clinical trials are needed.
Analysis of lipids - fat molecules that perform numerous essential functions in the body - in the blood found there was a noticeable loss of healthy unsaturated fats, such as those that contain omega-3 fatty acids, in the blood of women with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy women.
Scientists found no significant difference in the same lipid molecule composition in men with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy men, which suggests that lipids have a different role in the disease according to sex. Fats perform important roles in maintaining a healthy brain, therefore, reduced omega-3 levels could explain why more women are diagnosed with the disease.
The study, published on August 20 in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association by scientists from King's College London and Queen Mary University London, is the first to reveal the important role lipids could have in the risk for Alzheimer's between the sexes.
The authors of the study from King's College London, stated, "Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer's Disease and are more often diagnosed with the disease than men after the age of 80. One of the most surprising things we saw when looking at the different sexes was that there was no difference in these lipids in healthy and cognitively impaired men, but for women this picture was completely different. The study reveals that Alzheimer's lipid biology is different between the sexes, opening new avenues for research."
The scientists took plasma samples from 841 participants who had Alzheimer's Disease, mild cognitive impairment and cognitively health controls and and were measured for brain inflammation and damage.
They used mass spectrometry to analyze the 700 individual lipids in the blood. Lipids are a group of many molecules. Saturated lipids are generally considered as 'unhealthy' or 'bad' lipids, while unsaturated lipid, which include omega fatty acids, are generally considered 'healthy'.
Scientists saw a steep increase in lipids with saturation - the 'unhealthy lipids' - in women with Alzheimer's compared to the healthy group. The lipids with attached omega fatty acids were the most decreased in the Alzheimer's group.
Now, the scientists say there is a statistical indication that there is a causal link between Alzheimer's Disease and fatty acids. But additional clinical trials are necessary to confirm the link.
The scientists added: "Our study suggests that women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet - through fatty fish or via supplements. However, we need clinical trials to determine if shifting the lipid composition can influence the biological trajectory of Alzheimer's Disease."
In the United Sates, two in three people living with dementia are women. This could be linked to the fact that women live longer, or other risk factors like social isolation, education, or hormonal changes from the menopause being at play.
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Journal Reference:
- Asger Wretlind, Jin Xu, Wenqiang Chen, Latha Velayudhan, Nicholas J. Ashton, Henrik Zetterberg, Petroula Proitsi, Cristina Legido‐Quigley. Lipid profiling reveals unsaturated lipid reduction in women with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's, 2025; 21 (8) DOI: 10.1002/alz.70512