One Nutrient, Two Risks? The Surprising Link Between Obesity and Alzheimer’s
Researchers report a surprising connection between a key nutrient called choline, obesity, and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
According to ISNA, a new study suggests that a combination of obesity and low levels of choline may accelerate brain aging and potentially trigger some early mechanisms of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
According to the report, researchers led by a team from Arizona State University (ASU) state that choline is recognized as one of the most vital nutrients for a healthy body. Therefore, its deficiency, along with obesity-related stresses, may act as an early warning signal for cognitive decline long before actual symptoms appear.
Ramon Velazquez, a neurobiology specialist at ASU, says: “This research adds to the growing evidence that choline is a valuable marker for metabolic and brain dysfunction and emphasizes the importance of sufficient daily intake, as it is essential for human health.”
He added that several recent reports published this month show that lower choline levels in the blood are associated with behavioral changes, including anxiety and memory impairment, as well as broader metabolic dysfunction.
The researchers selected 15 obese individuals with an average age of 33.6 years and compared them with 15 healthy controls. They then analyzed key chemical levels and biomarkers in all participants.
Obese individuals showed significant differences, including reduced choline circulation, increased numbers of inflammation-related biomarkers, and higher levels of neurofilament light (NfL)—a blood protein indicating neuronal damage.
In obese participants, there was a strong correlation between lower choline and higher NfL levels. Notably, this same pattern was observed in post-mortem brain tissue analyses of older individuals who had died from Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
These data are not comprehensive enough to prove cause and effect, but the overall picture suggests that obesity, choline, and early brain aging leading to dementia may all be interconnected. Choline could be part of the reason why obesity is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s.
Jessica Judd, a behavioral neuroscience specialist at Arizona State University, says: “Our results indicate that in young adults, good metabolic health and adequate choline support neural health and lay the foundation for healthy aging.”
This is the latest study emphasizing the numerous variables and factors involved in brain aging and dementia. Untangling the complex causes and effects is a real challenge for scientists, and discoveries like this can help illuminate what happens as the brain ages.
Further studies are needed to understand the details of this three-way relationship between obesity, choline, and neural degeneration. However, researchers suggest that low levels of this nutrient may be an early warning sign for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and that increasing choline intake could serve as a preventive measure.
While the liver naturally produces a small amount of choline, the recommended daily intake can easily be managed by eating eggs, fish, poultry, beans, and cruciferous vegetables.
It is already known that this nutrient is important for health, but now there is an additional reason to ensure it is included in our diet.
Wendy Winslow, a biochemist at Arizona State University, says: “Most people do not realize they are not getting enough choline. Adding choline-rich foods to your diet can help reduce inflammation and support your body and brain as you age.”
This research was published in the journal Aging and Disease.
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