Making an effort to cut out those extra (unnecessary) calories could improve your memory by as much as 20 percent, in addition to helping you decrease your waistline. This creates a whole new perspective on the adage “you are what you eat!”
According to a new study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a connection has been established between calorie-restricted diets and improved memory function. Although prior studies with animals have shown memory improvement, this is the first study that has shown how calorie restriction can influence memory function in humans.
According to a new study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a connection has been established between calorie-restricted diets and improved memory function. Although prior studies with animals have shown memory improvement, this is the first study that has shown how calorie restriction can influence memory function in humans.
The study included 50 participants ages 50 to 72. These men and women were in the normal weight to overweight range. Participants were assigned to one of three groups. Members of one group were asked to decrease their calorie intake by 30 percent while eating foods they would normally consume but in smaller portions. The second group was not asked to decrease calorie intake, but instructed to boost the amount of healthy, unsaturated fat consumed by 20 percent. The third group was asked to make no dietary changes at all.
Dr. Agnes Flöel of the University of Münster in Germany, a neurologist and member of the research group, said that although dietitians counseled the study participants, the group members supervised their own food consumption for a period of three months. After the 90-day period, study participants were given tests requiring the memorization of words to measure levels of memory function. Although two of the groups showed no difference in memory scores, the group who lowered their calorie intake had an average of a 20 percent improvement in memory performance.
According to Dr. Flöel, the lower calorie intake group experienced a decline in insulin levels and less signs of inflammation. This could explain the better memory scores as their brain cells were kept in better health. These participants also lost from four to seven pounds. Dr. Flöel explained how lower insulin levels could increase the sensitivity of receptors within the brain that, in turn, improve insulin signals and allow memories to be retained for a longer period of time. She also described how inflammation is believed to promote aggregation of toxic proteins and promote insulin resistance that suggests a decrease in inflammation would help brain function.
Researchers have shown keen interest in conducting studies that involve limiting calorie intake. Many animal studies have revealed that eating less promotes a longer, healthier life. However, human studies have had mixed results and the impact on cognitive function remains unclear. Some studies have linked self-supervised dieting to cognitive decline, although several experts believe that this was simply due to the dieters becoming preoccupied with thoughts of food and weight loss.
The researchers noted that they were surprised to find that participants in the unsaturated fat group experienced no improvement in memory. They suspect that this may have been due to the fact that most of the group members did not consume fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Hence, they are conducting a larger study requiring the unsaturated fat group to eat a lot of omega-3 fats.
The research group plans to study calorie restriction and omega-3 in elderly people who have mild cognitive impairment as the study results offer a route for exploring the role of insulin and inflammation on ageing-related cognitive decline.
Dr. Agnes Flöel of the University of Münster in Germany, a neurologist and member of the research group, said that although dietitians counseled the study participants, the group members supervised their own food consumption for a period of three months. After the 90-day period, study participants were given tests requiring the memorization of words to measure levels of memory function. Although two of the groups showed no difference in memory scores, the group who lowered their calorie intake had an average of a 20 percent improvement in memory performance.
According to Dr. Flöel, the lower calorie intake group experienced a decline in insulin levels and less signs of inflammation. This could explain the better memory scores as their brain cells were kept in better health. These participants also lost from four to seven pounds. Dr. Flöel explained how lower insulin levels could increase the sensitivity of receptors within the brain that, in turn, improve insulin signals and allow memories to be retained for a longer period of time. She also described how inflammation is believed to promote aggregation of toxic proteins and promote insulin resistance that suggests a decrease in inflammation would help brain function.
Researchers have shown keen interest in conducting studies that involve limiting calorie intake. Many animal studies have revealed that eating less promotes a longer, healthier life. However, human studies have had mixed results and the impact on cognitive function remains unclear. Some studies have linked self-supervised dieting to cognitive decline, although several experts believe that this was simply due to the dieters becoming preoccupied with thoughts of food and weight loss.
The researchers noted that they were surprised to find that participants in the unsaturated fat group experienced no improvement in memory. They suspect that this may have been due to the fact that most of the group members did not consume fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Hence, they are conducting a larger study requiring the unsaturated fat group to eat a lot of omega-3 fats.
The research group plans to study calorie restriction and omega-3 in elderly people who have mild cognitive impairment as the study results offer a route for exploring the role of insulin and inflammation on ageing-related cognitive decline.
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