Can some diets improve cognitive performance? part 2

So what should the average individual eat?

The above study has important implications for not only airline pilots, truck drivers, military personnel but also for patients with dementia. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other related dementias carry a high morbidity, and have a significant impact on families and care givers. As of today, no drug has made any impact on either prevention or treatment of the various dementias.

The question that remains to be answered is whether such diets can help improve cognition in patients with AD. Even though the study was done in pilots, preliminary results indicate that such a diet may also be applicable in individuals with dementia. At the moment, the data are preliminary and one does not have to eat a high carb diet or a high fat diet all the time. It is well known that the brain’s primary source of energy is glucose and a high carbohydrate diet does supply adequate sugar. However, with the obesity epidemic in society, one certainly cannot over indulge on a high carbohydrate diet.

The role of diet and its role in improvement of cognition and mental function has only now been appreciated. To improve long-term mental cognition, the answer may be more in the diet than consuming pills with unknown chemicals. However, a few more studies are needed to understand the complete role of nutrition and its impact on the brain. The take home message is that all individuals should eat at a well-balanced diet that has a lot of carbohydrates and a reasonable amount of fat. Moreover, one should not forget to exercise and stop smoking at the same time.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/708241

Can some diets improve cognitive performance? Part 1

For many years, clinicians have been wondering if certain diets can help improve cognitive performance, concentration, and mental aptitude. Over the past few decades, there has been a strong belief that diets high in protein are supposed to be better than high carb or high fat diets for good mental health. However, recently, there have been many isolated reports suggesting that diets high in carbohydrates or fat can lead to better concentration and attention span.

In the last two decades, evidence has accumulated that human error is a major cause of accidents in the airline industry. Further, long working hours, flying along several time zones and lack of proper nutrition have also been other factors associated with pilot errors. There is currently little data on the potential association between dietary intake and cognitive performance.

In the present study investigators sought to compare diets high in carbohydrates, fat, or protein to test their effects on cognition, flight performance, and pattern of sleep. Forty-five pilots were registered in this 14-week study during which individuals were randomized to be given a diet high in fats, diet high in carbs, a diet high in protein or a controlled diet.

The results showed that a diet high in carbohydrates or fat could lead to markedly enhanced cognitive performance and awareness testing score in pilots than a diet high in protein. Further, the study revealed that a high-carbohydrate diet helped pilots sleep better and longer, and a high-fat diet seemed to lead to a significantly quicker recollection of short-term memory. Finally, the results showed that by and large, flight-performance scores for pilots consuming a high-protein diet were considerably inferior than for those consuming a high-carbohydrate or a high-fat diet.