Older people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins B, C, D, and E in their blood do better on cognitive tests than those with lower levels, according to a new study. On the other hand, trans fats were found to hurt cognition. Together, the omega-3s, vitamins, and trans fat levels, as measured by a recently developed blood test, accounted for over 70 percent of the variation in the scores of cognitive tests taken by the study subjects, the researchers said, Health news reported. The results show how physicians may be able to help individual patients reach personal dietary goals to help their brain health in their later years, said study author Gene Bowman, an assistant professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University. The study, involving 104 people who were 87 years old on average, was a follow-up to research that indicated that taking blood measurements solves the problem that occurs when people, filling out study questionnaires, inaccurately remember what they’ve eaten.
