A daily fiber supplement can improve brain function in people over 60 in just 12 weeks, a study has found.
Researchers from King’s College London found that the pills, which are sold cheaply in health food stores, can improve performance on memory tests linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Mary Ni Lochlainn said: “We are delighted to see these changes in just twelve weeks.
“This holds enormous promise for improving brain health and memory in our aging population.
‘Unlocking the secrets of the gut-brain axis could provide new approaches to living healthier longer.’
The study, published in Nature Communications, tested two plant fiber supplements, inulin and FOS, to see if they affected muscle health and brain function.
Researchers from King’s College London found that the pills, which are sold cheaply in health food stores, can improve performance on memory tests linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in Nature Communications, tested two plant fiber supplements, inulin and FOS, to see if they affected muscle health and brain function. The photo shows a brand of inulin supplements, Bioglan, sold on the high street
Changes in humor and increased swearing are all signs of Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a form of dementia that causes problems with behavior and language. According to experts, poor parking and shabby clothes are also signs of the memory-robbing disease. Graphic shows: six signs of Alzheimer’s disease
The pills, which contain plant fibers that help healthy bacteria grow in the intestines, were given to half of 36 twins. The others received placebo tablets.
Everyone in the study also did resistance exercises and ate a protein supplement aimed at improving muscle function.
Although there was no significant change in muscle strength, the subjects taking the fiber supplements performed better in tests that assessed brain function.
They showed improvement on the Paired Associates Learning test, which is an early marker for Alzheimer’s disease, and tests of reaction time and processing speed.
These are important for everyday tasks such as responding to traffic or preventing a simple ride from turning into a fall.
Professor Claire Steves said: ‘These plant fibres, which are cheap and available without a prescription, could benefit a large group of people in these times of money tightness. They are also safe and acceptable.
‘Our next task is to see whether these effects persist over longer periods and in larger groups of people.’
The prevalence of conditions such as cognitive decline and muscle loss is increasing as the world’s population ages.