Could coconut oil help fight ageing? High-fat diet could halt Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

Researchers analysed mice with a defect in their DNA repair system
In humans, this defect causes Cockayne syndrome: premature ageing
High fat diet postponed signs of ageing - impaired hearing or weight loss
PUBLISHED: 12:19 EST, 24 November 2014 | UPDATED: 14:31 EST, 24 November 2014
Also postponed ageing of the brain and could stave off disease
Experts said fats gave the brain enough fuel to repair cell damage
Ageing is caused when cells and DNA become damaged
Hopes the discovery could pave the way for new treatments for patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

Eating a diet high in fat could stave off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and other signs of ageing, new research claims.

High-fat diets postponed signs of ageing including impaired hearing and weight loss, and also stopped ageing of the brain, a study found.

Scientists discovered medium chain fatty acids, like coconut oil, were particularly effective.

They believe the fats help slow down the ageing process, by helping to repair cells and DNA damaged as a result.

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Fats such as coconut oils give the brain enough fuel to repair the damage to cells and DNA that causes ageing. Eating a high fat diet postponed signs of ageing including impaired hearing and weight loss

As part of the new study, researchers analysed mice with a defective DNA repair system.

In humans, this defect causes the disorder Cockayne syndrome, where patients prematurely age as children and have a life-expectancy of between 10 and 12 years.

Researchers found placing a mouse with this defect on a high-fat diet postponed ageing processes such as impaired hearing and weight loss.

It also postponed the ageing of the brain, giving hope to children who age prematurely and patients suffering Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

The study's lead author Professor Vilhelm Bohr, of the University of Copenhagen, said: 'The study is good news for children with Cockayne syndrome, because we do not currently have an effective treatment.

WHAT IS COCKAYNE SYNDROME?

Cockayne syndrome (CS) is very rare disease resulting in slow growth in babies or rapid aging in children.

Persons with this syndrome have smaller than normal head sizes, are of short stature, their eyes appear sunken, and they have an 'aged' look.

It is estimated to affect one in 500,000 children but difficult to diagnose.

For CS patients who are affected at birth, life expectancy is three to seven years.

Other patients only start to show symptoms in early childhood and their life expectancy tends to be under 20 years.

However, some rare CS patients live significantly longer.

Individuals with CS are extremely sensitive to the sunlight and sunburn easily so they mostly stay indoors during normal daylight hours.

CS is often described as a 'progeria-like syndrome'.

'Our study suggests that a high-fat diet can postpone ageing processes. A diet high in fat also seems to postpone the ageing of the brain.

'The findings therefore potentially imply that patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in the long term may benefit from the new knowledge.'

Researchers explained our brain has a constant need for fuel in the form of either sugar or ketones.

Ketones are the brain's fuel reserve, and play an important role in periods of low blood sugar levels, such as when a person is fasting.

This is because the body breaks down fat if it needs sugar, and during this process it produces ketones.

The researchers saw a particular positive effect when the mice were given medium chain fatty acids – coconut oil, for example.

Previous research has shown that in children with Cockayne syndrome, ageing is a result of the cell repair mechanism being constantly active.

This means it eats into the cell's resources and causes it to age very

The research was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

'We therefore hope that a diet with a high content of coconut oil or similar fats will have a beneficial effect, because the brain cells are given extra fuel and thus the strength to repair the damage,' said Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, from the National Institute of Health, who also carried out the study.

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