EDITORIAL

Macronutrients, Lifestyle, and Cognitive Ageing: Beyond Binary Interpretations
 

Chih-Yuan Ko 

Department of Clinical Nutrition, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China, 362000

Corresponding Author: Chih-Yuan Ko. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 34, Zhongshanbei Rd, Licheng District, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China, 362000. E-mail: [email protected]

Received: September 02, 2025                        Published: September 29, 2025

Citation: Chih-Yuan Ko. Macronutrients, Lifestyle, and Cognitive Ageing: Beyond Binary Interpretations. Int J Complement Intern Med. 2025;6(4):427–430. DOI: 10. 58349/IJCIM. 4. 6. 2025. 00159

Copyright: ©2025 Yuan Ko. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.

Abstract 

Inconsistent associations between macronutrient composition and cognitive ageing often reflect binary framings that ignore context. By binary interpretation we mean dichotomous framings that overlook dose response, substitution among macronutrients, and heterogeneity by diet quality, energy balance, and metabolic or genetic risk. We propose a context-informed framework that prioritises dietary quality, sets protein and carbohydrate targets by metabolic risk and body composition, and integrates nutrition with activity and sleep to support cognitive reserve. We distinguish model-specific findings in repair-deficient mice from populationlevel evidence linking carbohydrate quality and prudent dietary patterns with healthier cognitive ageing. We outline pragmatic trials with prespecified cognitive outcomes, explicit substitution within high-quality patterns, risk stratification, adherence measurement, and clear reporting of energy balance. Macronutrient targets should be treated as context-dependent substitutions and tested accordingly.

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