Research shows that diet is a modifiable factor that plays a fundamental role in supporting brain health.
And brain health is defined as the state of optimal brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral, and motor domains, supporting individuals to achieve their full potential at every stage of life.
The protocol lays the foundation for a comprehensive umbrella review that will evaluate the existing evidence on nutrients and bioactive food components that may be candidates for recommended intake levels to support brain health down the road.
The new peer-reviewed paper on the protocol appears in the journal Systematic Reviews and was supported by IAFNS Cognitive Health Committee.
The authors say existing nutrient goals aim at preventing deficiencies rather than promoting cognitive and brain health. They suggest that defining optimal nutrition for healthy populations requires a focus on specific health outcomes rather than nutrient sufficiency alone.
The umbrella review will include systematic reviews published between 2016 and 2026 and aims to identify nutrients and bioactive food components — including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and plant-derived compounds — that may warrant further investigation for their potential role in supporting brain health. It will also assess reported intake levels, identify underrepresented age groups and research gaps, and provide a foundation for future research and evidence-based dietary recommendations.
According to the authors, “Once evidence is established for key nutrients associated with brain health, clinical trials can be conducted to determine optimal doses and how dosage may vary across the life course. Additionally, findings can inform key national, state, and local public health priorities and subsequent interventions.”
The “umbrella review seeks to bridge the gap by summarizing current evidence, identifying limitations, and highlighting directions for future research. Ultimately, these efforts may support the development of evidence-based dietary strategies aimed at optimizing brain health from early life through older adulthood.”
According to author Berivan Ece at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, “Nutrition is a modifiable factor with the potential to support brain health throughout life, but the evidence remains fragmented. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive and rigorous synthesis of the existing evidence to help researchers, clinicians and policymakers better understand which nutritional strategies best support brain health across the lifespan and where further research is needed.”