Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- "The calm of the deep"
Research and Studies
A greater number of behavior problems assessed by the Connor’s
Rating Scale, temper tantrums and sleep problems were reported in boys age 6-12
with lower total omega-3 fatty acid concentrations. Omega-3 Fatty
Acids in Boys with Behavior, Learning and Health Problems, Stevens, et al, Physiology
and Behavior, 1996
In
Child of Our Time, Lord Winston, the fertility specialist who
has become the UK's most recognised scientist, explained that oils derived from
fish could help calm hyperactive children.
It has long been known that omega fatty acids can help prevent heart
disease and improve the condition of some patients with depression.
However, there is growing evidence that it may improve the school performance
of unruly children, offering hope to parents who fear that Ritalin,
increasingly prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
could cause more problems than it solves.
Linus Pauling Institute: It has been estimated that the ratio of omega-6 to
omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of early humans was 1:1, but the ratio in the
typical western diet is now almost 10:1 due to increased use of vegetable oils
rich in linoleic acid and declining fish consumption. A large body of scientific
research suggests that increasing the relative abundance of dietary omega-3
fatty acids may have a number of health benefits.
FUNCTION Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) Presently, the only known function of ALA
in humans is to serve as a precursor for the synthesis of the long-chain omega-3
fatty acids, EPA and DHA.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Eicosanoid synthesis: Eicosanoids are chemical messengers
derived from 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids that play critical
roles in immune and inflammatory responses.In general, eicosanoids
derived from EPA are less potent inducers of inflammation, blood vessel constriction,
and clotting than eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) Vision Recent research indicates that DHA plays an
important role in the regeneration of the visual pigment rhodopsin, which plays
a critical role in the visual transduction system that converts light to vision
Nervous system function: Compared to the rest of the body, the DHA content of
the human brain and nervous system is quite high. Several possible roles for
DHA in the nervous system have been proposed. DHA can protect nerve
cells (neurons) cultured outside the body from apoptosis (programmed cell death),
leading to the hypothesis that high levels of DHA in the brain may serve to
enhance the survival of neurons. Increased incorporation of DHA into
cell membranes is known to affect membrane physical properties, such as fluidity.
Changes in the physical properties of neuronal membranes may affect nerve transmission
processes by altering neurotransmitter availability or altering the functions
of neuronal membrane receptor proteins. Although DHA is thought to be important
to neurologic function, the mechanisms of DHA action in the nervous system require
further clarification.
DISEASE PREVENTION: Major depression and bipolar disorder Data
from ecologic studies across different countries suggest an inverse association
between national seafood consumption and national rates of major depression
and postpartum depression . Several small studies have found omega-3 fatty acid
levels to be lower in the plasma and fat of individuals suffering from depression
compared to controls.Patients who took the EPA + DHA supplements also
experienced less depression than those who took the placebo. Reviewed
by: Rosemary C. Wander, Ph.D. Associate Provost for Research- Professor,
Department of Nutrition - University of North Carolina at Greensboro
This
rush to eliminate fats, along with an increase in consumed carbohydrates, has
been a central source of many health imbalances affecting our brain ’s
performance. Looking at our evolution, we see evidence that the high consumption
of omega-3 food sources, especially fish, may have played a role in the growth,
development, and evolution of the cerebral cortex. The consumption of fish-based
omega-3 fats may have boosted our ancestors ’ intelligence as well. More
recent evidence shows that a deficiency of DHA (a component of omega-3
fats) during pregnancy can impair a modern child ’s intelligence and visual
acuity, as well as being a contributing factor to depression and possibly even
attention deficit disorder.
A five-year
study at the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, the University
of Antwerp in Belgium, the University of Sheffield, England, and other institutions
found that depressed people have exaggerated immune responses coupled with deficient
levels of omega-3 fatty acids. This has led investigators to believe that low
levels of omega-3 fatty acids may actually play a key role in depression.
In a cross-national analysis, the prevalence of major depression is sixty times
lower in countries where fish is consumed daily! Further, a comprehensive study
of two hundred elderly subjects showed that low blood levels of DHA were a predictor
of greater symptoms of depression and anxiety, and in a nine-year study of a
thousand people, those with high DHA levels were more than 40 percent less likely
to develop dementia (including Alzheimer ’s disease) than people with
low levels of DHA. Therefore, it seems likely that an increase in severity
of depression indicates a lower consumption of omega-3 fats. Oz
Garcia, author of The Balance, is one of the best-known nutritionists and health
authorities in America. Twice voted Best Nutritionist by New York magazine,
he is the president of Personal Best, a nutritional counselling firm.
Fish
oil has many anti-inflammatory properties and for this reason
has been explored in a number of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. These
include rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis,
lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, migraine headaches, asthma, and cystic
fibroris, and it usually has a significant beneficial effect. Simopoulos
AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr.
2002 Dec;21(6):495-505. De Vizia B, Raia V, Spano C, Pavlidis C, Coruzzo A,
Alessio M. Effect of an 8-month treatment with omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic
and docosahexaenoic) in patients with cystic fibrosis. JPEN J Parenter Enteral
Nutr. 2003 Jan-Feb;27(1):52-7
Natural
Health,WHAT OMEGA-3 FATS DO FOR YOUR BRAIN: Fats, and especially the omega-3
fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA), make up a large part of the lining of
your brain cells; a diet rich in omega-3 fats helps keep that lining
flexible so that memory messages can pass easily between cells, says
Ray Sahelian, M.D., a Marina Del Rey, Calif.-based general practitioner
and author of Mind Boosters (St. Martin's Griffin, 2000).
A study published in Lipids in 2000 reported that people with low levels
of omega-3 fatty acids may have a higher risk of dementia or cognitive impairment,
including memory problems. Researchers also found low levels of DHA
in patients suffering from age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.
A 2001 study in the Journal of Molecular Neuroscience showed that increasing
DHA intake can reverse some of the mental decline associated with Alzheimer's.
The
risk of death from ischemic heart disease was 33% lower in those that
ate more fish and 62% lower in those that consumed fish oil supplements.
Carroll DN, Roth MT. Ann Pharmacother. Evidence for the cardioprotective
effects of omega-3 Fatty acids. 2002 Dec;36(12):1950-6. Skerrett PJ, Hennekens
CH. Consumption of fish and fish oils and decreased risk of stroke. Prev Cardiol.
2003 Winter;6(1):38-41. Horrocks LA, Yeo YK. Health benefits of docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA). Pharmacol Res. 1999 Sep;40(3):211-25
The
effect fish oil has on blood pressure has been extensively researched, with
a recent meta-analysis of 90 trials finding that fish oil significantly
reduced blood pressure, especially in the elderly and hypertensive. Geleijnse
JM, Giltay EJ, Grobbee DE, Donders AR, Kok FJ. Blood pressure response to fish
oil supplementation: metaregression analysis of randomized trials. J Hypertens.
2002 Aug;20(8):1493-9
Fish
oil also fights stress and depression. Multiple studies have found
a direct association between depression and omega-3 content in various tissues
of the body, including the content in adipose tissue, which is a marker of long-term
dietary fat intake. Mamalakis G, Tornaritis M, Kafatos A. Depression and
adipose essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent
Fatty Acids. 2002 Nov;67(5):311-8.
BETTER HEALTH : DHA (docosahexaenoic
acid). This omega-3 fatty acid is one of the hottest brain boosters being researched
as of late. Lombard and Germano discuss its capabilities in great length
in their book, saying, "DHA is the primary structural fatty acid in the
gray matter of the brain and promotes communication between brain cells...."
In addition, DHA protects cell membranes against oxidative damage, and research
indicates that it is essential to brain development.
Omega-3 fatty
acids, widely explored for their heart-protective properties, may also be useful
in preventing cognitive decline, lowering the risk of allergies in newborns,
and benefiting cystic fibrosis patients, according to several new studies.
In a study reported in the January issue of Neurology, researchers investigated
whether intake of omega-3 fatty acids is linked to improved cognitive performance.
They examined the food intake of 1,613 subjects, ages 45 to 70 years old, from
1995 to 2000. The subjects completed cognitive tests and a self-administered
food-frequency questionnaire. Low dietary intake of marine omega-3 fatty
acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) was related to an increased
risk of impaired overall cognitive function and speed. High cholesterol intake
also appeared to increase the risk of memory impairment.
Researchers concluded that marine-derived omega-3s benefit cognition,
possibly by virtue of their anti-inflammatory effects.
Kalmijn S, van Boxtel MP, Ocke M, Verschuren WM, Kromhout D, Launer LJ.
Dietary intake of fatty acids and fish in relation to cognitive performance
at middle age. Neurology. 2004 Jan 27;62(2):275-80.
Brain
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