\u2013 Over 55 million people around the world are estimated to be living with dementia in 2020, and this number is likely to double in the next 20 years.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Soluble dietary fibers are unable to be broken down by the human body and are then fermented by the gut bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).<\/p>\n
\u2013 One study in Japan has shown that a high intake of fiber, especially soluble fiber, is linked to a lower risk of developing disabling dementia.<\/p>\n
\u2013 The authors of the study have discussed several possibilities for this result: beneficial effects on several cardiovascular parameters and improved neuroinflammation via the effects on the gut microbiota.<\/p>\n
\n
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2030,\u00a01 in 6 people<\/strong>\u00a0in the world will be aged 60 years or over [1]. With this silver tsunami looming large across the entire world, so does the incidence of dementia. Over\u00a055 million people<\/strong>\u00a0around the world are estimated to be living with dementia in 2020, and this number is likely to\u00a0double in the next 20 years<\/strong>\u00a0[2]. Are there simple ways that we can take to prevent dementia from setting in and developing? A recent Japanese study may have found an association between fiber and dementia. Read on more.<\/p>\n You may have known of the\u00a0importance of fibers<\/strong>\u00a0more for their gut health and management of constipation. Several studies have also shown that a diet high in fiber can also help to decrease incidences of\u00a0Type 2 diabetes<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0cardiovascular diseases<\/a>\u00a0[3]. However, did you know that an increased amount of fiber in our diet may be able to decrease the risk of developing dementia?<\/p>\n One study in Japan [4] has shown that a\u00a0high intake of fiber<\/a>, especially soluble fiber, is linked to a\u00a0lower risk of developing disabling dementia<\/strong>. In this Japanese study, investigators conducted a dietary survey to over 3,700 healthy adults and collected data on what and how much was eaten during the 24 hours before the interview. These adults were subsequently followed through for the next 20 years to confirm incident dementia, including disabling dementia.<\/p>\n It was found that total fiber intake was \u2018inversely and linearly associated<\/strong>\u2019 with risk of incident dementia. This meant that a higher fiber intake was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. The association remained even after the study adjusted for potential factors that might affect dementia onset, such as body mass index, blood pressure, antihypertensive medication us, serum total cholesterol, cholesterol-lowering medication, and diabetes.<\/p>\n One point to note is that this association was confined to dementia without a history of stroke. The study also found that this relationship was more evident for soluble fiber intake, and similar association was shown only for potatoes and not vegetables or fruits.<\/p>\n The authors did note several limitations of the study, which included the fact that the dietary habits may have changed over the course of the 20 years. Also, the type of dementia was not distinguished between Alzheimer\u2019s and non-Alzheimer\u2019s dementia.<\/p>\n Although the actual mechanism about how this result occurs is currently unknown, the authors of the study have discussed several possibilities to this result. Firstly, the intake of fiber has been linked with beneficial effects on several\u00a0cardiovascular parameters<\/strong>, including\u00a0blood pressure<\/a>,\u00a0lipid levels<\/a>, and\u00a0blood glucose<\/a>\u00a0[5]. Consequently, this may have led to a potential decrease in the risk of developing dementia, particularly\u00a0vascular-type<\/strong>\u00a0dementia.<\/p>\n Another theory hypothesized by the authors is via the alteration of the\u00a0gut microbiology<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by the soluble fibers. The composition of intestinal bacteria was found to be associated with prevalence of dementia [6]. Also, a diet high in soluble fibers has been shown to\u00a0improved neuroinflammation<\/strong>\u00a0in animal studies, via the regulation of gut bacteria [7]. This interaction between the brain and the intestinal environment (termed as \u2018gut-brain interaction<\/strong><\/a>\u2019) could potentially explain the results of this study.<\/p>\n Fiber<\/a>\u00a0is classified under the category of carbohydrate which is an essential nutrient. It is a product that is naturally present in plants. Generally, most carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugar molecules by the body. However, dietary fibers are unable to be broken down by the human body, which makes it unable to be absorbed by the body. These undigested carbohydrates are then fermented by the gut bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which have multiple benefits in keeping the colon healthy [8].<\/p>\n There are 2 types of fibers\u00a0[8]:<\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0Insoluble fibers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 this type of fiber does not dissolve readily in fluids. It adds bulk to fecal content and aids in constipation. This type of fiber is generally found in vegetables, wholegrain products, brown rice, and pasta. As per every type of nutrients, moderation and balance is key. Much as such soluble dietary fibers can show benefits across many physiological functions and disease states such as dementia, taking the many different types of nutrients in moderation is still the key to having a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle.<\/p>\n Key Points: \u2013 Over 55 million people around the world are estimated to be living with dementia in 2020, and this number is likely to double in the next 20 years. \u2013 Soluble dietary fibers are unable to be broken down by the human body and are then fermented by the gut bacteria, producing short-chain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2060,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"yoast_head":"\nEvidence of fiber use and dementia incidence<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How does it work in reducing dementia risk?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What are fibers, and what are soluble fibers?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n\u2013\u00a0Soluble fibers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 this type of fiber dissolves readily in liquid. Apart from being fermented to form SCFAs, they also help to increase fecal bulk, soften the stool to aid in constipation. It is generally found in fruits, dried beans, and peas.<\/p>\nConclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nWhat is Dietary Fiber & Why is it Important?<\/a><\/p>\nReferences<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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