This dirt-cheap supplement improves memory in 90 days…
Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
Discover how just 90 days of supplementation can turn back the clock on memory.
The memory of the over-60s is improved by three months of fibre supplementation, a study of twins finds…
Better scores on these memory tests are related to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers used two cheap plant fiber supplements that are widely available: inulin and FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides)…
Both are prebiotics, compounds that help bacteria in the gut flourish.
Foods containing prebiotics include onions, bananas, garlic, leeks and asparagus.
Dr Mary Ni Lochlainn, the study’s first author, said:
“We are excited to see these changes in just 12 weeks.
This holds huge promise for enhancing brain health and memory in our aging population.
Unlocking the secrets of the gut-brain axis could offer new approaches for living more healthily for longer.”
How the study was conducted
The randomized controlled trial recruited 36 pairs of twins who received either a placebo or supplementation every day for 12 weeks.
Alongside supplementation, everyone in the study did resistance exercises.
The results showed that the exercises and supplementation did not affect muscle strength, as measured by the time participants rose from a chair.
However, the fiber supplementation improved performance on a memory test that is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Professor Claire Steves, study co-author, said:
“These plant fibers, which are cheap and available over the counter, could benefit a wide group of people in these cash-strapped times.
They are safe and acceptable too.
Our next task is to see whether these effects are sustained over longer periods and in larger groups of people.”
The Gut-Brain Connection…
Prebiotics like inulin and FOS are thought to be beneficial by improving digestion.
The brain and the digestive system have a two-way relationship known as the gut-brain axis.
In other words, what you eat affects how you think, and what you think also affects how your digestion works.
Americans, on average, consume less than 40% of the recommended daily fiber intake.
Low levels of fiber are linked to many health problems, such as colon cancer, digestive disorders, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
RESEARCH:
Ni Lochlainn, M., Bowyer, R.C.E., Moll, J.M. et al. Effect of gut microbiome modulation on muscle function and cognition: the PROMOTe randomised controlled trial. Nat Commun 15, 1859 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46116-y
