Preventing Cognitive Decline with Aging: It Starts Now
Cognitive decline can be a normal part of aging - but how much is “normal”? And what can you do now to help preserve your cognitive abilities as you age? Let’s explore.
Understanding Cognitive Decline
First, it’s important to define normal cognitive decline. Normal cognitive decline results from natural changes in brain structure and function that occur as part of the aging process. Brain size naturally decreases with age, and is accompanied by a steady decline in neural synapses. A synapse is the “bridge” between two neurons, and is essentially how the brain sends signals via electrical currents or chemicals. These structural changes result in a normal cognitive decline which includes decreased thinking speed, some slowing of memory recall, and a slight decline in executive functioning (problem solving, abstract thinking, etc.).
Researchers have identified two types of cognitive abilities: crystallized abilities and fluid abilities (Murman, 2015). Crystallized abilities consist of the cumulative skills and memories that are developed from acquired knowledge, like reading and vocabulary - crystallized abilities improve until about age 60, then plateau until about age 80 (Murman, 2015). As defined by Murman, fluid abilities consist of the ability to process new information and information about one’s environment quickly. These skills steadily decline from age 20-80, particularly the ability to have selective (the ability to focus on specific information and ignoring irrelevant info) and divided attention (multitasking) (Murman1 2015).
Risk Factors for Cognitive Decline
There are multiple risk factors which increase a person’s chance of cognitive decline. The primary risk factors include:
Vascular disease
Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol etc.
Smoking
Depression
Minimal physical activity
Minimal mental activity
Family history of significant cognitive decline
Slowing the Rate of Cognitive Decline
Evidence suggests that healthy lifestyles “may decrease the rate of cognitive decline” that typically occurs with aging (Murman, 2015). Engaging in behaviors that support your body’s proper functioning like eating a nutrient-rich diet, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption or other substance use, managing emotional stress, managing chronic medical conditions, and engaging in regular cognitive stimulation can all help to slow a person’s rate of cognitive decline.
Key Lifestyle Habits:
Exercise at least 5 hours total per week. Moderate intensity (just enough to break a sweat) has been shown to be adequate. It’s important to note that exercise only works as a preventative measure - it has not been shown to reverse cognitive decline once it is present. Like the old adage says, “prevention is the best medicine”. Establishing an exercise/movement routine in your youth or adulthood can help to prevent cognitive decline as your age progresses.
A nutrient-rich diet that includes fruits and veggies is essential. Get 5 servings of fruit and 5 servings of veggies daily. Berries are your best pick for brain health. It’s okay to eat meat, but limit your intake of processed meats and incorporate more cold water fish and grass fed beef. Moderate your intake of whole grains, especially gluten containing foods. Keep your intake of dairy, refined sugars, and processed foods to a minimum to support cognitive health throughout the lifecycle.
Drinking Green tea (3-4 cups per day) has been shown to be a very potent factor in healthy aging and is associated with lower rates of cancer, dementia, and heart disease.
Limit alcohol consumption. While the research on alcohol is mixed, the most rigorous studies show that it is best to not drink at all. If you do drink, then just one serving per day is best. Consider swapping hard alcohol for red wine, which is loaded with flavanols and antioxidants. Interestingly, resesarch indicates that unlike other types of alchohol, it is best to drink a small amount of red wine daily to get the full benefits.
Supplements to Support Healthy Cognition
Ultra Omega - Over a dozen studies have indicated a link between sub-optimal Omega 3 intake and an increased risk of age-related cognitive decline or dementia (Cole & Frautschy, 2009). While research is ongoing, early results indicate that the preventative benefits of Omega-3s are more effective the earlier levels are optimized.
Mini Omegas - For folks who prefer small capsules, Mini Omegas are a great alternative to WiseMed’s Ultra Omega.
Vitamin D3/K2: A study published this year by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Navale et al., 2022) suggests vitamin D deficiency may increase a person’s risk for dementia and stroke. Participants with low vitamin D levels were 54% more likely to develop dementia over the next decade. Vitamin D3 K2 is available in liquid and capsule form.
Activated B-Complex: Not everyone is deficient in B-vitamins. For people who are, it can have a profound effect on their brain health as they age. Ask you doctor to check your homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels. These are functional markers that show if the B-vitamins you get in your diet are making it to your brain. Serum B12 and Folate are commonly ordered by less experienced doctors, however these tests are not useful for evaluating clinical deficiencies.
Memory Support: Containing a unique combination of nutrients and botanicals, this supplement supports cognitive function and a healthy memory. It features select B vitamins, including Quatrefolic®, a patented form of 5-MTHF; the herbs Gingko biloba and Bacopa monnieri; nutrients that provide antioxidant activity; and brain-specific nutrients such as acetyl-L-carnitine and sunflower-derived phosphatidylserine. This is a good pick for anyone at higher risk for memory loss and would like to invest in a more robust level of prevention and support.
Reference
Cole, G. M., Ma, Q. L., & Frautschy, S. A. (2009). Omega-3 fatty acids and dementia. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids, 81(2-3), 213–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.015
Murman D. L. (2015). The Impact of Age on Cognition. Seminars in hearing, 36(3), 111–121. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1555115
Navale, S. S., Mulugeta, A., Zhou, A., Llewellyn, D. J., & Hyppönen, E. (2022). Vitamin D and brain health: An observational and Mendelian randomization study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 116(2), 531–540. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac107