Posted by New Delhi: Researchers have long been focused on detecting and ascertaining the causes of dementia. Till date, there is no major breakthrough that can determine the causes of this debilitating, chronic condition. But now, researchers seem to be dedicating their work towards ascertaining preventing the condition in the first place itself – and it seems that this can be curbed by regularly eating a supplement. The study’s findings, published in the Trends in Neurosciences journal, stated that eating inulin, a fibre supplement, could be key to fighting age-related cognitive decline.
How does inulin fight dementia risk?
As per researchers, midlife is when one is likely to gain weight as metabolism slows down, physical fitness declines, and inflammation is one the rise. As a result, blood sugar levels spike and over time make their way to the brain. But as per this study, eating a fibre-rich diet could help one take a step forward in the direction and offer beneficial outcomes for cognitive function. And when it forms butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced when bacterial fermentation of fibre occurs in the gut.
Researchers say that inulin is a molecule that makes its way across the brain and blood barrier and has health benefits, particularly for the hippocampus. Experts say that one can boost butyrate levels in the body by eating more resistant starch found in high-fibre foods like nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, starchy vegetables, and unripe bananas.
How much fibre do you need in a day?
According to doctors, one must ideally eat 30 grams of fibre in a day. Therefore, apart from eating high fibre foods, one must also include a fibre supplement in the diet, as per researchers from King’s College, London. Inulin, when eaten for 12 weeks, was shown to significantly improve brain function, reaction time and processing speed.