UCLA Health has warned students studying for midterm and final exams. Studies have shown that consuming high-fructose food over a long period can change the brain’s ability to learn and remember information.
The UCLA team conducted a study involving two groups of mice, where each group consumed a fructose solution as their drinking water for six weeks. In addition, the other group had an additional intake of omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in flaxseed oil.
Before starting a full-fledged experimental diet, mice were given standard feed and maze-trained twice a day for five days. The UCLA team tested how well mice could learn a maze with many traps but only one exit.
The experiment lasted for six weeks. The UCLA team performed maze tests on mice. The results indicated that the second group of mice, which consumed omega-3 fatty acids and DHA, navigated the maze much faster.
Mice lacking DHA were slow and showed decreased synaptic activity in the brain. In other words, there is a problem with brain cells sending signals, so mice cannot think clearly about the maze path and remember the path they have learned.
Based on these results, The Yeungnam Observer surveyed sweet food intake during the trial period when the UCLA team recommended caution. A survey was conducted on 54 students who ate sweet food during the test period.
When asked if there was a difference in the sweet food intake rate between the test period and the non-test period, 69.8% of the respondents said that the sweet food intake rate was higher during the test period. As for why the intake rate was higher during the test period, 31.7% of the respondents said that sweet foods make their heads work well. In addition, when asked if they thought eating sweet food would help their brain rotate, 79.6% of them answered yes.
However, as seen from the labyrinth escape experiment of mice mentioned earlier, excessive fructose consumption can adversely affect brain rotation. It is recommended to reduce the intake of sweet foods during the test period, especially if consumed excessively. The UCLA team also recommended eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, walnuts, and flax seeds, or taking DHA capsules daily.
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