‘Brain fat’ FERTILIZES where memories grow
You may have heard of them term “fat-headed” as a way of insulting someone’s intelligence.
But the surprising truth is… it’s exactly the OPPOSITE!
Our brains are comprised MOSTLY of fat…
And the more fat our brains have… the more brain cells they can grow!
Of course, the MORE brain cells you’ve got… the STRONGER your brainpower.
So a “fat” head has NOTHING to do with stupidity… or even loss of cognitive function.
In fact, it has EVERYTHING to do with keeping your brain sharp – especially as you grow older!
And the latest science shows EXACTLY what I mean.
Olives (Olea europaea)… a.k.a. the fruit of the olive tree… are a source of MANY medicinal compounds…
Including the anti-aging substance squalene… and the cholesterol-clearing antioxidant HXT.
But there’s ANOTHER one I’d like to share with you today – one that could help keep your brain young, according to a new study.
It’s the monounsaturated fatty acid known as oleic acid.
Researchers have discovered that oleic acid in the brain helps promote the process of neurogenesis… or growing new brain cells.
Think of it as the POLAR OPPOSITE of neurodegeneration… in which brain shrinkage is associated with the LOSS of memories and cognitive function.
This “brain regeneration” RELIES on the presence of oleic acid…
But when scientists have been able to take a look at the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s patients, they’ve found LOWER levels of it.
Oleic acid works by activating a brain protein called TLX… which then sets off a domino effect to grow new neurons from stem cells…
Particularly in the “memory center” of the brain (a.k.a. the hippocampus).
The only problem?
The study authors say that getting oleic acid by consuming olives or olive oil won’t work in the same way as the oleic acid that’s produced naturally in the brain.
But that may not be NECESSARILY true.
In a 2021 study out of Japan, researchers found that older folks who consumed high levels of oleic acid experienced a LESS STEEP decline in their memory and cognitive skills as their nursing home counterparts who consumed lower levels of it.
And oleic acid is a hallmark of the Okinawan diet… which is NOTORIOUS as the style of eating followed by Japanese folks who NEVER seem to age!
One groundbreaking Italian study also found that high intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (like oleic acid) could help protect against age-related cognitive decline.
Plus, several studies have shown that oleic acid CAN cross the blood-brain barrier…
Which is usually the stumbling block for getting certain nutrients (or drugs) to work.
There’s something else that makes me optimistic about these findings.
You see… young, healthy brains are comprised of nearly 60% fat…
And REPLACING lipids you lose as you age is one way to REGAIN your cognitive sharpness.
You could do that by supplementing with krill oil… phosphatidylserine… PEA… and more.
But I don’t see the harm in boosting your olive oil intake as well… as long as your doc says it’s OK.
To your healthy brain,
Sarah Reagan
Source:
“Oleic acid, a key to activating the brain’s ‘fountain of youth'” – Baylor College of Medicine (3/22/22)
www.bcm.edu/news/oleic-acid-a-key-to-activating-the-brains-fountain-of-youth
