A new study featured in the February 2012 issue of the journal Neurology found that low levels of an omega-3 fatty acid can age your brain faster, as well as lower your memory and thinking abilities.

The study involved 1,575 people with an average age of 67, all of whom were healthy and free of dementia. Researchers used several measures to test brain function, including an MRI brain scan, mental function tests, body mass and omega-3 levels. They found that the people with low levels of the omega-3 DHA, one of the two essential fats found in fish, actually had smaller brains. These same unlucky participants scored lower on visual memory, problem solving, abstract thinking and other mental tests.

That’s not all. The study showed that low levels of DHA in the body increased the brain’s “age” by two years. On the opposite spectrum, people with the highest levels of DHA fared much better on the brain function tests and dramatically reduced their risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Adequate DHA levels for brain health make sense when you consider your brain is about 60 percent fat. The cerebral cortex of a baby’s brain is about 15 to 20 percent DHA.

Omega-3s like DHA have also been shown to help prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. A great way to get these crucial fatty acids is by eating wild salmon or other non-farm-raised fish several times a week. You can also take an omega-3 supplement that includes both DHA and EPA.

For more information about omega-3 fatty and DHA, click here.