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Could Vegans Be Missing a Critical Nutrient for Brain Health?

June 08, 2026 by Dr. Fuhrman Staff

Health Concerns: Brain Health and Mood

For years, we've heard about the benefits of plant-based diets for longevity, heart health, and disease prevention.

But new research is raising an important question: Could some long-term vegans be missing a key nutrient essential for healthy brain aging?

In this week's episode, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Cara Fuhrman, and Jenna Fuhrman discuss surprising findings from one of the largest nutrition studies ever conducted and explore why some older vegans may face a higher risk of dementia, Parkinson's disease, and stroke.

Tune in to explore the simple strategy every vegan can use to support lifelong brain health.

Watch

Listen

 

You’ll also learn:

  • What the 2024 Seventh-Day Adventist Health Study 2 (AHS-2) revealed about stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s in vegans
  • Why DHA deficiency leaves the brain vulnerable to toxins, and why algae-based omega-3s outperform fish oil
  • The science behind omega-3 index targets, rancid supplements, and why timing matters for lifelong brain health
  • How salt accelerates cognitive decline and raises risk of hemorrhagic stroke, even without high blood pressure
  • The difference between “filling nutrient gaps” (DHA, zinc, B12) and longevity supplements (mushrooms, curcumin, green tea extract)

Health is built choice by choice. Protect your brain, extend your health span, and thrive for decades to come.

 
References
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  2. Kamel F, Goldman SM, Umbach DM, et al. Dietary fat intake, pesticide use, and Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2014, 20:82-87.
  3. Dorsey ER, Zafar M, Lettenberger SE, et al. Trichloroethylene: An Invisible Cause of Parkinson's Disease? J Parkinsons Dis. 2023;13(2):203-218.
  4. Krzyzanowski B, Mullan AF, Dorsey ER, et al. Proximity to Golf Courses and Risk of Parkinson Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 May 1;8(5):e259198.
  5. Roslan NS, Lee YY, Ibrahim YS, et al. Detection of microplastics in human tissues and organs: A scoping review. J Glob Health 2024, 14:04179.
  6. Xie C, Xia X, Wang K, et al. Ambient Air Pollution and Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease: An Updated Meta-Analysis. Toxics. 2025 Feb 15;13(2):139.
  7. Heshmati J, Morvaridzadeh M, Maroufizadeh S, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Pharmacol Res 2019, 149:104462.
  8. Sarter B, Kelsey KS, Schwartz TA, Harris WS. Blood docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in vegans: Associations with age and gender and effects of an algal-derived omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Clin Nutr 2014.
  9. McBurney MI, Tintle NL, Vasan RS, et al. Using an erythrocyte fatty acid fingerprint to predict risk of all-cause mortality: the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Am J Clin Nutr 2021.
  10. Wei BZ, Li L, Dong CW, et al. The Relationship of Omega-3 Fatty Acids with Dementia and Cognitive Decline: Evidence from Perspective Cohort Studies of Supplementation, Dietary Intake, and Blood Markers. Am J Clin Nutr 2023.
  11. He FJ, Tan M, Ma Y, MacGregor GA. Salt Reduction to Prevent Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020, 75:632-647.
  12. Bowman GL, Dodge HH, Mattek N, et al. Plasma omega-3 PUFA and white matter mediated executive decline in older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2013, 5:92.
  13. Tan ZS, Harris WS, Beiser AS, et al. Red blood cell omega-3 fatty acid levels and markers of accelerated brain aging. Neurology 2012, 78:658-664.
  14. Pottala JV, Yaffe K, Robinson JG, et al. Higher RBC EPA + DHA corresponds with larger total brain and hippocampal volumes: WHIMS-MRI study. Neurology 2014, 82:435-442.
  15. Thomas A, Baillet M, Proust-Lima C, et al. Blood polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and dementia risk. Alzheimers Dement 2020.
  16. Rouch L, Virecoulon Giudici K, Cantet C, et al. Associations of erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids with cognition, brain imaging and biomarkers in the Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative: cross-sectional and longitudinal retrospective analyses. Am J Clin Nutr 2022, 116:1492-1506.
  17. Loong S, Barnes S, Gatto NM, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Cognition, and Brain Volume in Older Adults. Brain Sci 2023, 13.
  18. Satizabal CL, Himali JJ, Beiser AS, et al. Association of Red Blood Cell Omega-3 Fatty Acids With MRI Markers and Cognitive Function in Midlife: The Framingham Heart Study. Neurology 2022:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201296.
  19. Virtanen JK, Siscovick DS, Lemaitre RN, et al. Circulating Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Subclinical Brain Abnormalities on MRI in Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study. Journal of the American Heart Association 2013, 2:e000305.
  20. Canhada S, Castro K, Perry IS, Luft VC. Omega-3 fatty acids' supplementation in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review. Nutr Neurosci 2018, 21:529-538.
  21. Wang X, Dong Y, Qi X, et al. Cholesterol levels and risk of hemorrhagic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Stroke 2013, 44:1833-1839.
  22. Castellanos-Perilla N, Borda MG, Aarsland D, Barreto GE. An analysis of omega-3 clinical trials and a call for personalized supplementation for dementia prevention. Expert Rev Neurother 2024, 24:313-324.
  23. Dwaraka VB, Aronica L, Carreras-Gallo N, et al. Unveiling the epigenetic impact of vegan vs. omnivorous diets on aging: insights from the Twins Nutrition Study (TwiNS). BMC Med 2024, 22:301.

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