Four Quick Wins to Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s
—
What can you do, practically and quickly, to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s?
The International Alzheimer’s Prevention Expert Group, including founder Patrick Holford, has identified four key areas that could cut your future risk by over 80% – down to less than a quarter – if addressed early.
The four “quick wins”? Increase your vitamin D, omega-3, and B vitamins, and reduce your intake of sugar and refined carbs.
1. Vitamin D: The Sunshine Factor
Vitamin D is primarily made in your skin through sun exposure, particularly at midday in the summer. However, in the winter – especially in the UK and other northern countries – you cannot make enough, so supplementation is essential. A Dutch study found that people with low levels of vitamin D, omega-3s, and B vitamins were over four times more likely to develop dementia. Those who supplement with vitamin D have around a third less risk.A French study found that low vitamin D levels tripled Alzheimer’s risk. The darker your skin, the more sun exposure you need – which makes supplementation all the more vital for many.
2. Omega-3: Feed Your Brain with Fish
Fish is a true brain food – rich in omega-3s, vitamin D, and B12. Eating fish at least once a week reduces Alzheimer’s risk by a third. A recent review confirmed that a daily serving cuts the risk of cognitive decline by 30%.
Omega-3 fats (especially DHA) quite literally build brain cells. The UK Biobank study of over 250,000 people found that those with higher omega-3 levels had a 20% lower risk of dementia. A US study also found that a higher omega-3 index correlated with more white matter in the brain and better cognitive function.
Professor William Harris of the Fatty Acid Research Institute calls it “a safe, simple, cheap and effective tool to forestall Alzheimer’s.”
3. B Vitamins: The Brain Fixers
B6, B12, and folate don’t just support brain function – they’re essential for fixing omega-3s into your brain’s cell membranes. Without them, homocysteine – a toxic amino acid – builds up in your blood. High levels are strongly linked to brain shrinkage and Alzheimer’s.
Half of people over 60 in the US have homocysteine levels above 11. The Dutch study found that risk rises even above 8 – a level many people exceed.
As Professor Joshua Miller from Rutgers University says, raised homocysteine is an early warning sign: “a canary in the coal mine.” The good news? It’s easily lowered with a B vitamin supplement – ideally one containing 500 mcg of B12, methylfolate, and B6.
More greens, beans, nuts, and lentils also help. A recent study showed that replacing just one serving of processed meat with nuts or beans (rich in folate) cut dementia risk by 19%.
4. Sugar and Refined Carbs: Silent Brain Saboteurs
The more sugar a person eats – including refined white carbohydrate foods such as bread, pastries, pasta, and rice – the higher their risk of both diabetes and dementia. Fizzy drinks and ultra-processed foods, sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, are particularly bad for the brain.
“The brain needs the most energy of any organ, so it has the most mitochondria to make it. Sugar damages mitochondria,” says Dr Robert Lustig from the University of California, San Francisco.
A study just published this month in Neurology involving 2 million people shows that those with sugar problems (metabolic syndrome) are 24% more likely to develop dementia early.