Fatty Acid Trip

Minami Nutrition’s fish oil products were among the highest rated for purity by independent testing organization, Consumer Labs. Thanks, CL for confirming what we’ve know all along!

Here’s the press release:

The popularity of fish oil supplements has been growing exponentially over the past several decades. As more studies tout the benefits of the supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids for heart health, as well as arthritis and depression, there are more of the products on the market than the average consumer can or is willing to analyze. Enter ConsumerLab.com and its new report on fifty fish oil supplements and fortified foods.

The Nutrition Business Journal reported that dietary supplements containing omega-3’s sold to the total of approximately $35 million in 1995. Ten years later, the 2005 sales number was at $359 million, and the number had increased to $489 million in 2006. If the trend dictates, the number in 2008 will likely be well over the $500 million mark. For such a booming business, it is only appropriate that consumers and medical professionals alike have a comprehensive study that examines the supplements and foods associated with omega-3 and looks at amounts of EPA and DHA (two principal polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish), product purity, and freshness.

ConsumerLab.com has done just that. The private company is based in New York and is known for being a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of health and nutrition products. In this case, researchers compared a total of 50 products, including dietary supplements, food and beverages, 23 of which were selected by ConsumerLab.com and 27 of which were included at the request of their manufacturers through the Voluntary Certification Program. Some products were several of the most popular on the market, such as Vitamin Shoppe, Yoplait, Nature Made, and Nature’s Bounty, and others were store brands like Origin from Target and Spring Valley from Wal-Mart.

The results of the study were multi-fold. Most importantly, all of the products tested were found to have safe levels of mercury, lead, and PCB’s (a type of carcinogen). In addition, all were found to have the amounts of EPA and DHA that their labels maintained, though those levels ranged from 16 milligrams to 1000 milligrams, depending on the product.

On the other side of the coin, it was discovered that one capsule-Kirkland Signature Enteric Coated Fish Oil-released its oil too early into the human body and thus failed its test, becoming the one of only two products not approved by ConsumerLab.com. The other product that did not meet appropriate standards for approval was Lipiderm International Veterinary Sciences, a pet supplement that contained only 25% of the alpha-linolenic acid required and 593% of the linolenic acid needed. It should also be noted that some food products claimed to provide percentages of the “daily value” of omega-3’s, which is a false claim as there is no determined daily value, but this did not warrant an approval failure in those products, which included Tropicana, Silk Soymilk, Yoplait Kids Yogurt, and Aristo nutrition bars.

The levels of EPA and DHA ranged from 8% concentration to 79% of the liquid content of the products, and it varied greatly among the items tested. While higher concentrations are not necessarily better, the intake amount matters when it comes to the frequency and quantity taken. Every person’s requirements are different and unique, but to get the highest concentration from the smallest serving size of the product, the only three products rating very high in that category were OmegaBrite, VitalOils, and Minami Nutrition. Rating very low were Mega Smart for Kids and Lipiderm International Veterinary Sciences for pets.

Overall, the research provides the public with guidelines for supplements and food or beverage items that may work in conjunction with a proper diet to provide the omega-3’s being sought. It also helps doctors, nutritionists, and other medical professionals with a tool to gauge exactly what each patient needs and can handle.

With fish oil supplements being touted as having positive effects on cardiovascular health, reducing inflammation in those with diseases like arthritis and Crohn’s disease, lessening the effects of depression and other mental disorders, aiding in the treatment of asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, cystic fibrosis, osteoporosis, and reducing the risk of prostate and colorectal cancers, it is easy to see why their popularity continues to rise. Therefore, the ComputerLab.com study is imperative to help analyze the growing market.

SOURCE:  Health News

Don’t like seafood? You can still get your heart-healthy omega-3s. A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that, when it comes to providing omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil supplements are just as good as actually eating fish.

Experts tested a group of 23 women ages 21 to 49. Each participant ate either two servings of tuna and salmon each week or consumed the same amount of omega-3s in capsule form. After four months, the omega-3 blood levels – in all of the women – had risen by 40-50 percent in red blood cells and 60-80 percent in blood plasma. It didn’t make any difference whether the women had received the omega-3s from the seafood or the supplements.

In fact, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association suggest people prone to heart disease should consume at least one gram of omega-3s per day by eating fatty fish or by taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement. Other experts recommend even more: up to two to three grams per day. If you go the seafood route, this could mean consuming tuna or salmon more than once a day!

It could also mean environmental pollutants. Some fish store contaminants in their organs, posing serious health consequences for those who eat them – and particularly for women who are pregnant or nursing young children. The FDA and the EPA have issued an advisory on this matter, but the Institute of Medicine has reported that the benefits of eating fish generally outweigh potential risks.

Fish oil supplements, on the other hand, have been purified to remove harmful compounds. They’re harvested only from the fishes’ bodies – not the organs, where pollutants are stored. And for many, capsules are simply more convenient to consume.

SOURCE: Nutrition Horizon

Recently, a study came out showing that EPA was a viable alternative to Prozac and furthermore, that taking the two together proved even more superior results in resolving or improving unipolar depression. Read on:

Unipolar depressive disorder was ranked as the fourth highest global burden of disease in 2000. For the ages 15-44 they generated the second highest burden. If current trends for epidemiological and demographic transition continue, depression would become the highest ranking cause of disease in the developed regions and the second leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide. A systematic review of the treatment of depression comparing placebo with antidepressants demonstrated that 56% to 60% of patients responded well to antidepressants. Overall, 19% to 34% of patients will become treatment resistant.
 
Complementary and alternative treatments are commonly used by patients with depression as is the use of dietary supplementation. Little is known however about the interaction between drugs and supplements and from a clinical perspective this is very important to establish. Omega-3 fatty acids (ω- 3 FAs) such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the two key long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) and deficiencies are considered to have important implications for depression. Studies have reported that long term consumption of ω- 3 FAs in adolescents, adults and the elderly are inversely linked to depression in the Island of Crete. Furthermore, several countries have provided evidence of a negative correlation between fish consumption and major depressive disorder (Hibbeln, 1998). Edwards et al. (1998) demonstrated that the severity of depression negatively correlated with the red blood cell membranes of ω- 3 FAs and their dietary intake with depressed patients. Evidence to date although inconsistent, suggests that ω- 3 FAs may have therapeutic benefits to unipolar depression. Research has reported that an elevated ratio of ω- 6/ω- 3 FAs can predict the risk of suicide behaviour in depressed patients. Recent reviews of the effects of ω- 3 FAs to improve depression have suggested more research trials are required (Appleton et al., 2006). Yet contrasting evidence supports a protective effect of ω- 3 intake in both mood disorders, bipolar and unipolar depression and recommended that trials are needed to establish which FA is optimal in different disorders.
 
Patients aged 20-59 years of age were referred from the Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital in Tehran, Iran to take part in this study. Written informed consent was obtained and the protocol adhered to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethical Committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The patients met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder without psychotic features based on the semi-structured interview. Scores were less than 15 on the 17 item Hamilton Depression Scale and patients were free of medication for at least 6 weeks prior to recruitment. Exclusion criteria also included consumption of ω- 3 supplementation and dietary intake of more than 1 portion of oily fish weekly.
 
Soft gel capsules containing 550 mg of ethyl-EPA (500 mg of pure EPA and 11 mg vitamin E as antioxidant) were supplied. The placebo contained 550 mg of rapeseed oil, 11 mg of vitamin E and was identical to the active capsule. Participants (approximately 15 in each group) were randomly allocated into 3 groups to receive 2 capsules (i) (1000 mg) of EPA plus fluoxetine placebo, (ii) 1 fluoxetine capsule (20 mg fluoxetine) plus ethyl-EPA placebo, or (iii) 2 ethyl-EPA soft gels (1000 mg EPA) plus 1 fluoxetine capsule (20 mg fluoxetine) for 8 weeks. The study was double blind and because the fluoxetine capsule and EPA gel were not identical a double dummy model was used to blind patients and physician. Psychiatric assessments were carried out at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. Compliance was set at 90% of consumption of the medication.
 
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for HDRS at week 8 was performed on the data. Baseline HDRS, age of onset and number of previous episodes were covariates. Treatment, age of onset and baseline HDRS had a significant effect on HDRS at week 8. The fluoxetine + EPA combination was significantly better than fluoxetine or EPA alone. Fluoxetine and EPA appeared to be equally effective in controlling depressive symptoms. ANCOVA for HDRS at week 2 were not significant. Treatment was shown to have an effect at both weeks 4 and 6 (p = 0.016, 0.02 respectively). Response rates ( > 50% decrease in baseline HDRS) were 50%, 56% and 81% in the fluoxetine, EPA and combination groups respectively. Repeated measure analyses of variance were carried out to test for significant differences in depressive scores within each group over time. When all groups were combined together there was a significant effect of time within each group starting at week 2 (in al cases p < 0.05).
 
This study had limitations in that it contained a small sample size and lacked a placebo group yet the findings suggest that EPA had equal therapeutic benefits to fluoxetine but was more superior as an adjunctive treatment with fluoxetine. The authors concluded that the consumption of dietary supplements may be more acceptable to patients than antidepressants. Furthermore, because major depression is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, supplementation with EPA may be of mutual benefit, reducing inflammatory cytokines and controlling depressive symptoms.

SOURCE: Jazayeri, S., Tehrani-Doost, M., Keshavarz, S. A., Hosseini, M., Djazayery, A., Amini, H., Jalali, M. & Peet, M. (2008). Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid and fluoxetine, separately and in combination in major depressive disorder. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 192-198.

Various studies have reported that consumption of fish or fish oils may affect vascular function in ways that increase forearm blood flow and arterial elasticity, while reducing blood pressure. However, there is some disagreement about the effects on vascular relaxation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA), in spite of its association with improved endothelial function.

High-fat meals can impair endothelial function and flow-mediated dilation within 3 to 4 hours, the time when peak postprandial lipemia—the rise in blood fats following a meal—occurs. Different fatty acids also affect flow-mediated dilation, at least in individuals with type 2 diabetes, with saturated fatty acids reducing it and n-3 PUFAs increasing it. However, others have reported increased forearm blood flow and flow-mediated dilation in healthy volunteers following a fatty meal, changes that were not associated with impaired endothelial nitric oxide release. Increases in flow-mediated dilation may offset reductions in blood flow, helping to maintain healthy vascular reactivity. Diminished endothelial function is believed to contribute to atherosclerosis and diabetes. In this report, the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an n-3 LC-PUFA, on postprandial vascular function, including oxidative stress, nitric oxide production, was examined in 21 healthy, non-smoking, young men, aged 18 to 35 years. Seventeen men completed the study.

After an overnight fast, participants were given a high-fat test meal containing 51 g of fat mainly from high-oleic sunflower oil that included either 5 g of EPA (and about 700 mg DHA) or 7 g of additional oleic acid. Measurements of blood pressure, digital volume pulse to assess arterial stiffness and vascular tone, and plasma isoprostanes, triglycerides and fatty acids were obtained at baseline, 3 and 6 hours after consumption of the test meal. Participants consumed a second high-fat meal containing 44 g fat (26 g saturated fat) after 4 hours to enhance any lipemia-induced change in arterial function and mimic typical eating behavior.

Men consuming the EPA-enriched meals exhibited a steep increase in plasma EPA that peaked 5 hours after the test meals (Figure 1). There was a small, but statistically significant, increase in DHA as well. Neither fatty acid concentration was altered by consumption of the placebo high-oleic acid meal. Arterial stiffness calculated from the digital volume pulse measurements was significantly reduced 6 hours after the EPA test meal, but not after the placebo meal. Vascular tone decreased at 6 hours in both groups, suggesting vasodilation, but did not differ between the two meals. Plasma 8-isoprostane F2α concentration, a marker of lipid peroxidation, increased after 6 hours in the EPA group, but the two groups did not differ significantly. Lack of group difference is likely attributable to the small number of participants. Total nitrate and nitrite, metabolites of nitric oxide, decreased in both groups compared with baseline values, but changes did not differ between the groups. There were no significant differences in blood pressure and heart rate either.

The reduced arterial stiffness observed with increased consumption of a high dose of n-3 LC-PUFAs—5 g of EPA—supports previous reports of improved endothelial function with n-3 LC-PUFAs (vasodilation, brachial artery dilation) in healthy individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The marked increase in plasma 8-isoprostane F2α suggests increased lipid peroxidation not specific to EPA. Overall, the study suggests that consumption of EPA contributes to improved endothelial function during postprandial lipemia that may offset the potentially harmful effects of high-fat meals associated with impaired vascular activity.

Hall WL, Sanders KA, Sanders TAB, Chowienczyk PJ. A high-fat meal enriched with eicosapentaenoic acid reduces postprandial arterial stiffness measured by digital volume pulse analysis in healthy men. J Nutr 2008;138:287-291.

SOURCE: PUFA Newsletter

Various studies have implicated low fish consumption or reduced blood levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAS) in the occurrence of various psychiatric disorders, alcoholism and among substance abusers. It has been known since 1996 that n-3 PUFAs, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are reduced in major depression. A recent post-mortem analysis reported significantly lower levels of cortex docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in patients with major depressive disorder. Clinical trials using n-3 LC-PUFAs or purified EPA or DHA to treat a variety of mental disorders have generally, but not always, reported favorable outcomes. It is unclear whether both EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are effective and if so, what a suitable dose range is for each fatty acid. For example, some studies in depressed patients have used high doses (>6 g/day), while others reported that 1 g/day was effective, but doses of 2 to 4 g/day were less so. In a pilot study among substance abusers, supplementation with 3 g/day of EPA+DHA for 3 months was associated with reduced anxiety scores. In one report, both n-3 and n-6 PUFAs were significantly lower in substance abusers who relapsed compared with those who did not.

This study reports the associations between changes in anger and anxiety scores and serum levels of EPA and DHA in 22 substance abusers who consumed about 3 g/day of n-3 LC-PUFAs or soybean oil for 3 months. The n-3 LC-PUFA capsules provided 2.2 g/day of EPA, 500 mg/day DHA, and 50 mg of n-3 docosapentaenoic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Participants were enrolled in an outpatient substance abuse program in Brooklyn, New York, and were free of major psychiatric and physical illnesses and had liver function tests no greater than 1 SD above maximum normal values.

Participants completed a dietary history questionnaire and a modified version of the Profiles of Mood States questionnaire 1, 2 and 3 months following the start of the study and gave blood samples at the beginning and end of the study. Fatty acids were determined in plasma. The Profiles in Mood States includes scores for anger, anxiety, depression, vigor, confusion and fatigue. Eight patients received methadone treatment and 5 took antidepressants in stable doses throughout the study. Participants did not differ at baseline in body mass index, energy consumption or low intake of n-3 LC-PUFAs.

After 3 months of treatment, participants consuming the n-3 LC-PUFAs had a significant decline in their anger scores, whereas scores in those taking the placebo capsules increased slightly. Scores reached their maximum after 2 months of n-3 LC-PUFA consumption. Anger scores continued to decline throughout the 3-month period for those on the active n-3 LC-PUFA treatment. A similar pattern of significantly improved anxiety scores was observed for substance abusers consuming the n-3 LC-PUFAs, but scores were unchanged in those taking the placebo.

When the investigators examined the relationship between the anger and anxiety scores at the end of the study with the percent change in plasma fatty acids over the 3-month study, they observed significant associations (Figure 1). Lower anger scores were associated with increased DHA, n-3 docosapentaenoic acid and total n-3 LC-PUFAs, but not with increased EPA concentrations. In contrast, reduced anxiety was associated with increased EPA, but not with changes in DHA. Changes in anger and anxiety scores were not associated with changes in any n-6 PUFAs.

It is worth noting that improved scores for anger and anxiety related to increased DHA and EPA, respectively, but neither behavior related to both DHA and EPA when these fatty acids were examined individually. However, both behaviors were significantly associated with increases in the total concentration of n-3 LC-PUFAs measured in µg/ml.

Only a few studies have reported an association between low plasma DHA and hostility in violent men and young urban males. Students under the stress of school exams who consumed 1.5 to 1.8 g/day of DHA exhibited no aggression against others compared with increased aggression observed in those taking a placebo. This study adds another link between DHA and aggressive behavior as reflected in anger scores.

As with anger, studies of anxiety and n-3 PUFAs are scarce. A few have suggested a link between increased anxiety and low levels of EPA or n-3 LC-PUFAs. The administration of a mixture of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs to anxious college students was associated with improved appetite, mental concentration and academic organization. Patients with social anxiety disorder had significantly lower concentrations of n-3 PUFAs compared with those not having this disorder. Moderate fish consumption (83 to 112 g/day or 3 to 4 oz/day) or n-3 LC-PUFA intake was associated with a significant 30% lower risk of incurring depression, anxiety or stress in a 2-yr prospective study of Spanish adults. The present report identified increased EPA specifically with improved anxiety scores and higher DHA with less anger. Although it may be tempting to suggest that EPA and DHA influence anxiety and anger behaviors through different mechanisms, and plausible explanations could be proffered, these specific associations need more robust confirmation before reaching firm conclusions. Investigation of EPA and DHA administered individually without the other would be useful across an array of mental disorders. This study supports others in demonstrating that anxious or angry substance abusers who have low blood levels of n-3 LC-PUFAs achieve significant improvements in their mental health when treated with a moderate dose of EPA and DHA. This finding could ease the mind and, one hopes, encourage additional research.

Buydens-Branchey L, Branchey M, Hibbeln JR. Associations between increases in plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids following supplementation and decreased anger and anxiety in substance abusers. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2008;32:568-575.

SOURCE: PUFA Newsletter

ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2008) — Thousands of research studies have documented how the oils known as omega-3 fatty acids can benefit the cardiovascular system, particularly among people diagnosed with coronary artery disease. The incredible volume of research on this topic creates difficulty for many physicians and patients to stay current with findings and recommendations related to these oils. In the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, contributors briefly summarize current scientific data on omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular health, focusing on who benefits most from their protective effects, recommended guidelines for administration and dosing, and possible adverse effects associated with their use.

Two omega-3 fatty acids that have been associated with cardiovascular benefit, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are found in fish oils. The best source for DHA and EPA are fatty coldwater fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon and tuna. Fish oil supplements or algae supplements also can provide omega-3 fatty acids.

Author James O’Keefe, M.D., a cardiologist from the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Mo., cites the results of several large trials that demonstrated the positive benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids, either from oily fish or fish oil capsules.

“The most compelling evidence for the cardiovascular benefit provided by omega-3 fatty acids comes from three large controlled trials of 32,000 participants randomized to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing DHA and EPA or to act as controls,” explains Dr. O’Keefe. “These trials showed reductions in cardiovascular events of 19 percent to 45 percent. Overall, these findings suggest that intake of omega-3 fatty acids, whether from dietary sources or fish oil supplements, should be increased, especially in those with or at risk for coronary artery disease.”

How much fish oil should people attempt to incorporate into their diets? According to Dr. O’Keefe, people with known coronary artery disease should consume about 1 gram per day, while people without disease should consume at least 500 milligrams (mg) per day.

“Patients with high triglyceride levels can benefit from treatment with 3 to 4 grams daily of DHA and EPA,” says Dr. O’Keefe. “Research shows that this dosage lowers triglyceride levels by 20 to 50 percent.”

About two meals of oily fish can provide 400 to 500 mg of DHA and EPA, so patients who need to consume higher levels of these fatty-acids may choose to use fish oil supplements to reach these targets.

Dr. O’Keefe also notes that research supports the effectiveness of combining the consumption of fish oil with the use of cholesterol-lowering medications called statins. Combination therapy with omega-3 fatty acids and a statin is a safe and effective way to improve lipid levels and cardiovascular health beyond the benefits provided by statin therapy alone. Blood DHA and EPA levels could one day be used to identify patients with deficient levels and to individualize therapeutic recommendations.

Dr. O’Keefe found little evidence of serious adverse effects associated with fish oil consumption. “In prospective placebo-controlled trials, no adverse effects were observed to occur at a frequency of more than 5 percent, and no difference in frequency was noted between the placebo and omega-3 fatty acid groups,” he says.

The most commonly observed side effects include nausea, upset stomach and a “fishy burp.” Taking the supplement at bedtime or with meals, keeping fish oil capsules in the freezer or using enteric-coated supplements may help reduce burping and upset stomach symptoms.

Adapted from materials provided by Mayo Clinic.

SOURCE: Science Daily

Thanks to nationwide charities like the British Heart Foundation, the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils are already well known in terms of how they help protect the heart. But the results of studies recently published in the November 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition should leave scientists and other experts in no doubt about the effects that fish-sourced omega-3 fatty acids have on the brain.

Three studies carried out in different parts of the world – New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands – suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish (one of which is eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA) help boost cognitive health in a number of ways.

The New Zealand study (i), carried out by researchers at the University of Otago, analysed data taken from health questionnaires and blood samples linked to the National Nutrition Survey, which involved more than 2,000 people. They discovered that the ratio of EPA to arachidonic acid (or AA, an omega-6 fatty acid) in the blood was positively linked to mental wellbeing.

Oxford University scientists, on the other hand, studied more than 2,000 elderly Norwegians, and specifically the relationship between cognitive performance and seafood consumption (ii). In cognitive performance tests, those who ate at least 10g of fish a day performed significantly better than those who ate less. Those who ate the most – up to 75g a day – got the best test results.

Meanwhile, Dutch scientists from Wageningen University used data from a trial that involved 807 men and women in their 60s (iii). The researchers found that those with increased blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had not declined in terms of certain speed-related cognitive skills over the three-year trial period as much others who had lower omega-3 blood levels.

In an independent editorial in the same issue, Tufts University expert Irwin Rosenberg commended the trials’ findings: “These recent reports are novel in that they address the association of omega-3 fatty acid intake and cognitive function in non-demented individuals and, thus, present a shift in the attention to earlier stages of cognitive decline with the hope of preventing progression to states of dementia and disability before they become irreversible,” he said.

Neurological experts are indeed beginning to realize how important fatty acids are for cognitive health. Even the Alzheimer’s Society recommends eating a portion of oily fish at least once a week to help prevent the inflammation in the brain associated with dementia.

Igennus’ range of clinical-grade omega fatty acid suppements contain ultra-pure EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) from marine fish oil and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) from organic virgin evening primrose oil, providing a highly concentrated source of omega-3 & omega-6 long-chain fatty acids and botanical triterpenes.

VegEPA is a unique combination of natural fatty acids, providing cell membranes with the nutrients required for efficient chemical signalling, integral to healthy brain function. Just two capsules daily provides 560 mg EPA and 200 mg organic EPO, helping to reverse fatty acid deficiencies by nourishing the brain’s phospholipids. An increasing number of doctors and nutrition experts are using our premium supplements for a variety of conditions including depression, anxiety, M.E., schizophrenia, ADHD and skin conditions.

References:

(i) F Crowe, C Skeaff, T Green, A Gray. “Serum phospholipid n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and physical and mental health in a population-based survey of New Zealand adolescents and adults.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Volume 86, Pages 1278-1285

(ii) E Nurk, C Drevon, H Refsum, K Solvoll, S Vollset, O Nygard, H Nygaard, K Engedal, G Tell, A Smith. “Cognitive performance among the elderly and dietary fish intake: the Hordaland Health Study.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Volume 86, Pages 1470-1478

(iii) C Dullemeijer, J Durga, I Brouwer, O van de Rest, F Kok, R M Brummer, M van Boxtel, P Verhoef. “N-3 Fatty acid proportions in plasma and cognitive performance in older adults.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Volume 86, Pages 1479-1485

SOURCE: Igennus

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26 (UPI) — Fish oil found in fatty fish like salmon has been linked to a lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease and U.S. researchers said they learning why.

Lead researcher Greg Cole and colleagues at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles said the fish oil’s omega-3 fatty acid — docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA — increases the production of a protein — LR11 — known to destroy the protein that forms the beta amyloids thought to be toxic to brain neurons and associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

“We found that even low doses of DHA increased the levels of LR11 in rat neurons, while dietary DHA increased LR11 in brains of rats or older mice that had been genetically altered to develop Alzheimer’s disease,” Cole said in a statement.

Cole said high levels of DHA leading to abundant LR11 seem to protect against Alzheimer’s while low LR11 levels lead to formation of the amyloid plaques.

Fatty acids like DHA are considered “essential” fatty acids because the body cannot make them and must obtain the through diet.

The findings are published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

SOURCE: United Press International

Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids could reduce fat mass in diabetics, as well as improving blood lipid levels associated with the formation of arterial plaque, suggests a new study from France.

Twenty-seven women with type-2 diabetes took part in the study, published in this month’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which also reported no changes to overall energy intake after two months of omega-3 supplementation.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood.

The researchers, led by Morvarid Kabir from France’s INSERM, randomly assigned the volunteers to receive either daily supplements of fish oil (three grams, providing 1.8 grams of omega-3) or placebo (paraffin oil) for two months. The subjects did not show signs of high triglyceride levels.

At the end of the study, Kabir and co-workers report significant reductions in total fat mass and the diameter of fat cells beneath the surface of the skin (subcutaneous adipocytes) in the omega-3, but not the placebo, group.

Moreover, risk factors for plaque formation in the arteries (atherogenic markers), such as triacylglycerol levels and the ration of triacylglycerol to HDL (’good’) cholesterol, were significantly lower as a result of omega-3 supplementation, indicating considerable cardiovascular benefits for the women.

“A subset of inflammation-related genes was reduced in subcutaneous adipose tissue after the fish oil, but not the placebo,” added the researchers.

No significant changes occurred in insulin sensitivity measures, they noted.

“A moderate dose of omega-3 PUFAs for two months reduced adiposity and atherogenic markers without deterioration of insulin sensitivity in subjects with type-2 diabetes,” concluded the researchers.

“Some adipose tissue inflammation-related genes were also reduced. These beneficial effects could be linked to morphologic and inflammatory changes in adipose tissue.”

Only recently, researchers from the University of Colorado at Denver reported that  increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources may protect children at high risk of type-1 diabetes from developing the disease (JAMA, Vol. 298, pp. 1420-1428).

An estimated 19 million people are affected by type-2 diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030.

In the US, there are over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
December 2007, Volume 86, 1670-1679
“Treatment for 2 mo with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces adiposity and some atherogenic factors but does not improve insulin sensitivity in women with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled study”

SUNDAY NOV 18, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) — Intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may be protective against gastric cancer, according to a new Chinese study published in the November, 2007 issue of Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Zhi.

Yin Y from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China and colleagues found that omega 3 PUFAs inhibits in vitro growth of gastric cancer through promoting apoptosis, a programmed cell death that is missing in cancer cells.

For the study, the researchers treated human gastric caner cell line SGC-7901 with eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5omega-3,EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (22:6omega-3, DHA) at concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 mug/ml.

Both EPA and DHA, two omega-fatty acids commonly found in oily fish oil, markedly inhibited the cancer cell growth and induced apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner, according to the study.  

The researchers wrote “Compositional and functional alterations in mitochondrial membrane may be an important initiator of apoptosis induced by omega-3PUFAs.”

Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may improve the elasticity of blood vessels and improve overall cardiovascular health, reports a new study from China.

The study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adds to an ever growing body of science linking omega-3 fatty acids with improved heart health, adding to previous reports on improved heart rhythms, reduced risk of a second heart attack, and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong University and the Employee General Hospital of JDC Molybdenum Mining Corporation recruited 52 overweight people with increased blood pressure to take part in the double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical study.

Participants were assigned to receive daily fish oil capsules (three grams per day of fish oil) or placebo for eight weeks, with arterial elasticity determined using a CVProfilor DO-2020. The researchers, led by Professor Ai-Qun Ma, report that fish oil supplementation improved large artery elasticity, compared to placebo (15.51.5 versus 12.83.7 ml.mm.Hg-1  x 10, respectively).

However, no significant improvements were observed between the groups when small artery elasticity, blood pressure, or so-called pulse pressure were measured.

“Fish oil supplementation certainly would improve large arterial elasticity but no effect [was observed] on blood pressure in overweight hypertensive patients,” wrote the authors.

Previous studies have also reported improvements in blood vessel elasticity, but such changes have also reportedly been accompanied by reductions in blood pressure and levels of inflammatory markers.

“Further study is needed to confirm the benefits of fish oil supplementation on age-related increases in arterial stiffness,” concluded the researchers.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood.

But some much publicised studies, and in particular a recent meta-analysis (British Medical Journal, doi: bmj.38755.366331.2F), have claimed that there was no evidence linking omega-3 intake and improvements in heart health.

However, the BMJ review has been criticised as flawed, with experts quoting an exclusion of biomarker studies and relevant cohort studies, inclusion of a study with “questionable scientific integrity”, and combining studies from vastly different population groups.

Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Published on-line ahead of print, doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602886 “Fish oil supplementation improves large arterial elasticity in overweight hypertensive patients” Authors: S. Wang, A-Q. Ma, S-W. Song, Q-H. Quan, X-F. Zhao and X-H. Zheng

SOURCE: Nutraingredients.com

 An increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources may protect children  at high risk of type-1 diabetes from developing the disease, suggests new research.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at the incidence of the disease among 1770 children at high risk of developing type-1 diabetes, with increased omega-3 intake associated with a 55 per cent reduction in risk.

“Our study suggests that higher consumption of total omega-3 fatty acids, which was reported on the FFQ, is associated with a lower risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) in children at increased genetic risk of type 1 diabetes,” wrote lead author Jill Norris from the University of Colorado at Denver.

“This association is further substantiated by the observation that a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids in the erythrocyte membranes is associated with a decreased risk of IA in a subset of this same population,” she added.

Type-1 diabetes occurs when people are not able to produce any insulin after the cells in the pancreas have been damaged, thought to be an autoimmune response.

“Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets. Although it is not yet known what initiates the autoimmune process, it is likely that both genetic background and environmental factors contribute to the disease process,” explained the authors.

In order to investigate the potential role of dietary factors in the development of type-1 diabetes, Norris and coworkers from her own institution, the University of Florida, and Roche Molecular Systems examined whether consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids was associated with the development of pancreatic islet autoimmunity (IA).

Dietary intakes were evaluated using a 111-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) completed annually by the children’s mothers. The children were recruited at age two and followed for an average of 6.2 years. Children were identified as having a high risk of type-1 diabetes by either possessing a high diabetes risk HLA (human leukocyte antigen) genotype or having a sibling or parent with type 1 diabetes.

The researchers also conducted a case-cohort study with a subset of 244 children in order to investigate the risk of IA related to the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in red blood cell (erythrocyte) membranes.

For the whole study population, the researchers document 58 positive cases of IA during the follow-up period, and after adjusting for confounding factors including HLA genotype, family history of type-1 diabetes, caloric intake, and total omega-6 fatty acid intake, found that total omega-3 fatty acid intake was inversely associated with 55 per cent reduction in IA risk

In the case-cohort study, omega-3 fatty acid content of erythrocyte membranes was associated with a 37 per cent decreased risk of IA.

Levels of the three marine omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3) were combined with the plant omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to estimate the total omega-3 fatty acid intake.
While no direct mechanistic study was performed by Norris and coworkers, they do suggest that the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids may be due to their anti-inflammatory properties, and their ability to reduce oxidative stress.

“Overall, our data suggest that ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids throughout childhood may decrease the risk of IA,” wrote the researchers.

They noted that a newly established clinical trial, called “The Nutritional Intervention for the Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes,” is testing if dietary supplementation with anti-inflammatory doses of DHA during pregnancy and infancy could inhibit early islet inflammatory events key to the development of type-1 diabetes.

“If this trial confirms this hypothesis, dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids could become a mainstay for early intervention to safely prevent the development of type 1 diabetes,” concluded Norris.

Commenting independently on the research, Cathy Moulton care advisor at leading charity Diabetes UK, said: “This is an interesting new study. Diabetes UK recommends that people follow a healthy, balanced diet that includes portions of oily fish, which are naturally rich in a variety of fatty acids and vitamin D, rather than taking additional supplements.

“More research needs to be done to find out how beneficial fish oil can be in reducing the risk of developing type-1 diabetes.”

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 26 September 2007, Volume 298, Number 12, Pages 1420-1428, “Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake and Islet Autoimmunity in Children at Increased Risk for Type 1 Diabetes”, Authors: Jill M. Norris, X. Yin, M.M. Lamb, K. Barriga, J. Seifert, M. Hoffman, H.D. Orton, A.E. Baron, M. Clare-Salzler, H.P. Chase, N.J. Szabo, H. Erlich, G.S. Eisenbarth, M. Rewers

SOURCE NutraIngredients.com

[The endothelium is the lining of the circulatory system and is involved in control of vessel constriction and dilation - wider vessels allow lower blood pressure.]

Consumption of fish oil (FO) is associated with reduced adverse cardiovascular events. In a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 26 subjects (17 men and 9 women; mean age [+/- SD] 31 +/- 3.7 years) received 1 g FO capsule (n = 14) or placebo (1 g of corn oil, n = 12) for 14 days.

At day 0 and day 14, heart rate (HR), blood pressure, endothelium-dependent brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (EDV), and endothelium-independent nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilation (EIDV) were assessed with ultrasound.

Fish oil supplementation resulted in a significant increase in EDV (20.4% +/- 13.2% vs 9.9% +/- 5.4%; P = .036) and EIDV (32.6% +/- 16.8% vs 18.0% +/- 14.9%; P = .043).

Resting HR decreased by a mean of 5.9 +/- 9.4 bpm (fish oil) compared with placebo (mean increase of 0.73 +/- 4.8 bpm [P = .05]).

Fish oil supplementation in healthy subjects is associated with improved endothelial function and decreased resting heart rate.

Source: Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2007 Sep;12(3):213-9. PMID: 17875948, by Shah AP, Ichiuji AM, Han JK, Traina M, El-Bialy A, Meymandi SK, Wachsner RY. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.

Purdue researcher Laura Stevens recently wrote the following article in her Nutrition in Action newsletter concerning essential fatty acids and adults with ADHD:

All in all, there have been very few studies of biochemical factors in adults with ADHD.  Because adults with ADHD were children with ADHD (by definition of adult ADHD), we have made the assumption that the kinds of things that affect children also affect adults.  But here is a study in young adults we carried out at Purdue University using Purdue students who had been rigorously diagnosed by psychologists at Purdue’s counseling center with ADHD.

We decided to study Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and other related nutritional measures in their blood.*   As you may recall, EFAs are “good” fats that your body cannot manufacture itself but are absolutely necessary for normal metabolism.  So EFAs must be consumed in the diet.  There are two different families of EFAs.  The omega-6 fatty acids are found plentifully in the American diet (corn, soy, safflower, sunflower oils).  The omega-3 fatty acids are much less common in our foods (canola oil, flaxseed oil, dark green leafy vegetables, some beans, and cold water fish like salmon and tuna).  The omega-3 fatty acids are extremely important for normal brain function, and a shortage or imbalance of these has been found in children with ADHD and adults with other psychiatric problems like depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

We recruited 112 students who had not been diagnosed with ADHD and acted as our controls.  We recruited 35 students who had been carefully diagnosed with ADHD.  As has been reported elsewhere, one interesting finding is the students with ADHD smoked significantly more than our Controls. Also, the ADHD students scored higher than Controls on a questionnaire about EFA deficiency symptoms.  The questions included excessive thirst, frequent urination, dry skin, dry hair, dandruff, brittle or soft nails, and/or tiny, hard bumps on the backs of the arms or on the thighs.  Students were asked to assess each symptom using a score of 0 to 3, with 0 being “not at all” and 3 being “very much.”  These were totaled to form the Thirst/Skin Score or the EFA Insufficiency Score.  We have used this questionnaire before and have found that there is a subgroup of children with ADHD who have higher deficiency scores and lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Blood was drawn and analyzed for EFA (plasma phospholipids and total red blood cells).  Basically, the Controls had higher plasma levels of key plasma omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA than the ADHD students.  A similar pattern was found in the red blood cells.  You may have heard of EPA and DHA because they are EFA found in coldwater fish that is protective against heart disease. 

Why were lower levels found in the ADHD group?  To try to answer this question, we collected 3-day diet records of everything the students ate and drank and analyzed them using a special computer program.  Basically, there were few differences that stood out except that the ADHD group consumed 30% more saturated fat than the controls.  However, high saturated fat is not associated with lower omega-3 fatty acids.

We also analyzed blood and urine for other nutritional factors such as those related to oxidative stress which we hypothesized could be the cause of the low EPA and DHA.  But these were not different between the groups.  So there is no obvious reason for the low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Our research continues!

In 2004 one other EFA study in adults was reported by G.S. Young in the journal Lipids**.  Their results were similar to ours.

Omega-3 fatty acids are lower in a subgroup of children and adults with ADHD.  How do you add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet and do EFA supplements help?  A couple of studies suggest they do in children.  To read more about these studies and other information about EFA and ADHD please scroll down until you find these earlier newsletter articles.

References: Antalis, C.J. 2006.  Omega-3 fatty acid status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  Prostaglandins, Lekotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. Vol. 75 pp. 299-308.
Young, G.S. 2004.  Blood phospholipid fatty acid analysis of adults with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  Lipids 39, pp. 117-123.

RESOURCE: Nutrition in Action

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protect against the development and progression of retinopathy, a deterioration of the retina, in mice. This is the major finding of a study that appears in the July 2007 issue of the journal Nature Medicine. The study was a collaborative effort by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston, the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of Goteborg in Sweden, and the National Eye Institute (NEI) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NEI, said, “This study explores the potential benefit of dietary omega-3 fatty acids in protecting against the development and progression of retinal disease. The study gives us a better understanding of the biological processes that lead to retinopathy and how to intervene to prevent or slow disease.”

The researchers studied the effect of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, derived from fish, and the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid on the loss of blood vessels, the re-growth of healthy vessels, and the growth of destructive abnormal vessels in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. The retinopathy in the mouse shares many characteristics with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in humans. ROP is a disease of the eyes of prematurely born infants in which the retinal blood vessels increase in number and branch excessively, sometimes leading to bleeding or scarring. Infants who progress to a severe form of ROP are in danger of becoming permanently blind. There are also aspects of the disease process that may apply to diabetic retinopathy, a disease in which blood vessels swell and leak fluid or grow abnormally on the surface of the retina, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease of the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision, and a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older.

The researchers found that increasing omega-3 fatty acids and decreasing omega-6 fatty acids in the diet reduced the area of vessel loss that ultimately causes the growth of the abnormal vessels and blindness. Omega-6 fatty acid contributes to the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina.

To further test the apparent beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acids, the researchers studied mice fed a diet modeled after a traditional Japanese diet (more omega-3 than omega-6 fatty acids) and mice fed a diet modeled after a traditional Western diet (lower amounts of omega-3 fatty acids). In addition, they studied mice genetically altered with a gene which mammals normally lack that converts omega-6 into omega-3 fatty acids. They found that the mice with higher amounts of omega-3 had a nearly 50 percent decrease in retinopathy.

Omega-3 fatty acids create chemical compounds known as bioactive mediators, which protect against the growth of abnormal blood vessels, a condition that characterizes some forms of retinopathy. In part, this occurs because these mediators suppress a type of inflammatory protein called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha is found in one type of cell, called microglia, that can be closely associated with retinal blood vessels.

“The retina has one of the highest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in the body,” said lead author and NEI fellowship recipient Kip M. Connor, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at Children’s Hospital Boston. “Given this, it is remarkable that with only a two percent change in dietary omega-3 intake, we observed an approximate 40-50 percent decrease in retinopathy severity.”

“Our findings represent new evidence suggesting the possibility that omega-3 fatty acids act as protective factors in diseases that affect retinal blood vessels,” said John Paul SanGiovanni, Sc.D., NEI staff scientist and the other lead author of the study. “This is a major conceptual advance in the effort to identify modifiable factors that may influence inflammatory processes implicated in the development of common sight-threatening retinal diseases.”

These study results, SanGiovanni emphasized, are important because they provide a reasonable biological explanation for findings from a number of human studies on diet and retinal disease, and they identify low-cost and widely available nutrient-based treatment approaches that may show merit in future research on diseases that damage retinal blood vessels and nerve cells.

“The purpose of our study was to discover and describe the scientific basis for any possible protective role of omega-3 fatty acids against retinopathy,” said Lois E. H. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., senior investigator of the study and associate professor of ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital Boston, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. “By identifying the fatty acids, lipids and growth factors involved in both the disease and protective processes, we hope to translate this work to influence the outcome in patients. Our study results suggest that increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake in premature infants may significantly decrease the occurrence of ROP. This changing of lipids by dietary means may also translate to AMD and diabetic retinopathy. If clinical trials find that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids is as effective in protecting humans against retinal disease as demonstrated by the findings of this study, this cost effective intervention could benefit millions of people.”

SOURCE: Nutrition Horizon

People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease, circulatory problems and damaged organs than people without the condition. Impaired blood circulation, particularly in the small blood vessels, contributes to damaged eyes, kidneys and feet. Thus, in caring for diabetic patients, doctors pay close attention to blood circulation. To date, there are not many ways of improving the damaged blood vessels that develop in atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes.

The fatty acids in fish oils, known as long-chain omega-3s, are known to improve blood vessel function in patients with heart disease. They relax the muscles in the blood vessel walls, reduce inflammation and lower blood clotting. These properties make them good candidates for improving blood vessel function in type 2 diabetics. Accordingly, a team of Japanese investigators examined the effect of consuming nearly 2 g/day of EPA, on the thickness of the carotid artery wall in diabetic patients. EPA is one of the major long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil. This dose is about the equivalent of 2 servings of salmon/day. Study participants consumed the omega-3 supplements for 2 years. Patients who were given standard medical treatment, but no supplements, were used for comparison.

At the end of the study, patients consuming EPA had a significant decrease of 4.7% in the thickness of their carotid wall compared with an increase of 2.4% in patients receiving standard care. Measurements of blood flow also improved in the EPA patients. There was a small increase in glycosylated hemoglobin, a sensitive measure of elevated blood glucose, in the EPA group and a decrease in the control patients. While this outcome was undesirable, such values in individual patients would call for aggressive patient management. This finding indicates that diabetic patients who consume large amounts of fish oil should be regularly monitored by their doctors for blood glucose control. With regular check-ups, diabetic patients can obtain the heart and circulatory system benefits of fish oil without compromising their diabetes status. Overall, this study adds to the growing evidence that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may slow the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes or coronary artery disease.

SOURCE: www.fatsoflife.com

Increasing omega-3 fatty acid levels, and decreasing levels of omega-6, could reduce the risk of prostate cancer risk in individuals with a genetic predisposition to cancer, if results from an animal study can be translated to humans.

“This study clearly shows that diet can tip the balance toward a good or a bad outcome,” said senior researcher Yong Chen from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “It’s possible that a change in diet could mean the difference between dying from the disease and surviving with it.”

Over half a million news cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year world wide, and the cancer is the direct cause of over 200,000 deaths. More worryingly, the incidence of the disease is increasing with a rise of 1.7 per cent over 15 years.

The new study adds to a growing body of evidence linking an increased omega-3 to omega-6 intake ratio to improved health. In August of last year, researchers from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA reported that changing the ration of omega-3 to omega-6 in the typical Western diet might reduce prostate cancer tumour growth rates and PSA levels (Clinical Cancer Research, Vol. 12, Issue 15).

Moreover, researchers from the Paterson Institute, a cancer research institute funded by British charity Cancer Research UK and affiliated with the University of Manchester reported that omega 6 fats increased the spread of prostate tumour cells into bone marrow, while omega-3 fatty acids were seen to block this invasion (British Journal of Cancer, doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6603030).

The new research, published in the July issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, used mice engineered with a genetic defect that caused prostate cancer - Pten-knock-out mice. The Pten gene - a tumour suppressor gene - results in the spontaneous development of prostate cancer. The Pten gene is reportedly absent in 60 to 70 per cent of metastatic cancers in humans.

From birth the mice were randomly assigned to eat one of three diets with differing omega-6 to omega-3 ratios - one to one (high omega-3), 20 to one (low omega-3), or 40 to one (high omega-6).

Lead author Isabelle Berquin and co-workers report that mice with the tumour suppressor gene did not develop tumours and had 100 per cent survival, regardless of diet. In mice with the gene defect, on the other hand, survival was 60 per cent in animals on the high omega-3 diet, 10 per cent in those on the low omega-3 diet and 0 per cent in those on the high omega-6 diet.

“This suggests that if you have good genes, it may not matter too much what you eat,” said Chen, a professor of cancer biology. “But if you have a gene that makes you susceptible to prostate cancer, your diet can tip the balance. Our data demonstrate the importance of gene-diet interactions, and that genetic cancer risk can be modified favourable by omega-3 PUFA.”

The researchers wrote that the mechanisms behind such observations remain elusive.

“It remains to be determined whether there is a critical omega-6/omega-3 ratio threshold for achieving maximal tumour suppression,” wrote Berquin.

“Clinically, prostate cancer is usually diagnosed in men age 60 or older, and cancer cells proliferate slowly. Therefore, dietary and/or chemoprevention are of particular importance for the management of prostate cancer. Our data imply a beneficial effect of omega-3 PUFAs on delaying the onset of human prostate,” she added.

Previously, researchers from other groups have proposed the role of metabolites of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the omega-6 acid, arachidonic acid as playing a important role in carcinogenesis. These three fatty acids compete to be converted by cyclooxgenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) into prostaglandins, which can become either pro-inflammatory and increase tumour growth, or anti-inflammatory and reduce growth.

Commenting independently on the researcher, Dr Emma Knight, science information manager at British Charity Cancer Research UK, said: “These results are interesting and throw more ideas into the pot about the link between diet and cancer. Although this work is at a very early stage, it raises the possibility that omega-3 might help delay or prevent the onset of prostate cancer, although this is by no means conclusive.

“This study has helped shed light on the molecular processesinside our cells that might underlie this effect,” she added.

Journal of Clinical Investigation , July 2007, doi:10.1172/JCI31494, “Modulation of prostate cancer genetic risk by omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids”, Authors: I.M. Berquin, Y. Min, R. Wu, J. Wu, D. Perry, J.M. Cline, M.J. Thomas, T. Thornburg, G. Kulik, A. Smith, I.J. Edwards, R.D’Agostino Jr., H. Zhang, J.X. Kang, Y.Q. Chen

SOURCE: Nutraingredients.com

European cardiologists routinely give heart attack survivors fish oil, one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

But researchers suspect that omega-3’s benefits extend beyond the heart. Now psychiatrists are wondering: Could omega-3 also help children suffering from attention deficit or bipolar disorder?

In an unusual twist in psychopharmacology, fish oil, which hasn’t been studied as extensively as patentable drugs, is showing promise as an alternative or complement to pharmaceuticals.

It comes at a good time. The incidence of attention deficit and childhood bipolar disorder and spending for antipsychotic drugs is soaring in the U.S., but there is no gold standard of treatment.

Often, children are prescribed adult “mood-stabilizing” medications that have not been tested for safety in younger populations, even though there is growing evidence that bipolar disorder is manifested differently in children than in adults.

Commonly used drugs such as lithium have been shown to be only minimally effective in treating pediatric mania, while side effects (weight gain, acne and thirst) often discourage children from taking the medication.

Further complicating the drug-treatment approach is that bipolar and attention-deficit disorder share many of the same characteristics, including hyperactivity, distractibility, irritability and temper tantrums. But bipolar children will respond to mood stabilizers, while stimulants, which help patients with attention-deficit disorder, could push a bipolar child into increased symptoms of mania, according to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Greater Chicago.

A feasible alternative, says researcher Janet Wozniak of Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital, is an omega-3 product with unnaturally high levels an omega-3 fatty acid called EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid.

In a small, eight-week trial, Wozniak’s team tested a specialized fish oil supplement in 20 children with pediatric bipolar disease.

Fish oil naturally has about 30 percent EPA and another fatty acid called DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid. The other 70 percent is other naturally occurring fatty acids.

The study supplement contained 90 percent omega-3 fatty acids; 70 percent EPA, 10 percent DHA and 10 percent other omega-3 fatty acids.

In the study, 10 of the 20 children experienced a 30 percent reduction in symptoms with no side effects, which showed, “manic symptoms can be rapidly reduced in youths with bipolar disorder with a safe and well-tolerated nutritional supplement,” Wozniak said.

Still, though Wozniak was enthusiastic, the authors concluded the improvement was “very modest,” according to the study, published in European Neuropsychopharmacology.

And though epidemiologic research supports the notion that omega-3 has a protective effect against mood disorders, several issues still need to be resolved, including the most effective dose and the relationship between EPA and DHA.

At the Pfeiffer Treatment Center in Warrenville, where doctors treat everything from autism and bipolar to learning disorders and anxiety, about 90 percent of the patients take an omega-3 supplement. But the type of omega fatty acid they are given depends on the person’s individual body chemistry and nutrient imbalance.

“DHA seems to be more important for pervasive development disorders, such as autism or Asperberger’s,” said Pfeiffer’s Dr. Judith Bowman, who advocates fish-oil products.

“EPA seems more important for inflammation. We test 150 to 180 different parameters and select the omega that appears to be best for [a person’s] chemistry.”

Even people suffering from the same disorder might get supplements with different levels of EPA and DHA, said Albert Mensah, another doctor at Pfeiffer. “But certainly the concept is there. There’s a great benefit with fish oil with all patients.”

West Chicago’s Irene O’Neill, 51, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 20, has had great success with lithium — including a 20-year career with Lucent technologies (now Alcatel-Lucent) — but she still worries about the drug’s side effects.

“I would be much happier if I were able to do equally well on only fish oil,” said O’Neill, now a mental-health professional at the DuPage County Health Department and president of The Awakenings Project, a coalition of artists who live with mental illness. “But I can’t afford to put my mental health in jeopardy by trying as yet unproven remedies, although the fish oil shows promise.”

Especially as a complementary treatment. While the American Heart Association recommends fish oil and fish (salmon, sardines, herring, tuna or mackerel) to reduce heart attack risk and to help survivors, omega 3 also is suggested for people at risk for obesity and diabetes.

That means the health benefits of omega-3 — also found in canola, ground flaxseed, walnuts and dark green leafy vegetables — may be especially important in patients with psychiatric disorders, due to the high prevalence of smoking and obesity among them and the metabolic side effects of some psychotropic medications, researchers have found.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune

Dr. Matti Tolonen compiled this table containing the latest research on EPA or EPA/DHA abd neurological disorders:

SOURCE: Bio-Vita

Increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake in the diet at the expense of omega-6 fatty acids may boost bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life, if a new study in mice can be translated into humans.

Much of the research on omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, has focused on their benefits for the heart and mental health. But the new study on mice, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry,  adds to mounting evidence of their role in bone health.

The findings, still to be confirmed in humans, could offer an important prevention strategy for osteoporosis, currently second only to cardiovascular disease in terms of global healthcare burden, according to the World Health Organisation.

The condition affects some 200 million people today but the number of sufferers is set to increase steadily with growing numbers of elderly living longer, and obesity adding extra strain on bones.

“Age-related loss of bone mass and bone fragility are major risk factors for osteoporosis, leading to an increased risk of fractures,” explained the authors. “Therefore, nutritional strategies and lifestyle changes that prevent age-related osteoporosis and improve the quality of life for the elderly population are urgently needed.”

Arunabh Bhattacharyaa and co-workers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, divided 12 month old C57BL/6 female mice into two dietary groups and supplemented AIN-93M semipurified diets with either omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish oil (10 per cent) or omega-6 fatty acid-rich corn oil (10 per cent).

After six months of dietary intervention, Bhattacharyaa and co-workers report that the fish oil-supplemented mice maintained higher BMD in different bone regions compared to the corn oil-fed mice.

In the fish oil-supplemented mice, bone mineral density increased significantly in distal femoral metaphysis (DFM) by 20 per cent, proximal tibial metaphysis (PTM) by 24 per cent and tibial diaphysis (TD) by 15 per cent, versus baseline. In comparison, BMD increased only minimally in corn oil-fed mice. BMD increased significantly in the femoral diaphysis (FD) bone region in mice groups, but the increase was higher in fish oil-supplemented mice compared to the corn oil-fed mice, 36 versus 25 per cent, respectively.

The beneficial findings amongst the fish oil-fed mice was also accompanied by a decreased activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and lower osteoclast generation in bone marrow cell cultures.

Inflammation is caused by a number of compounds, including cytokines. These compounds also stimulate bone breakdown, a natural part of a body process known as the bone cycle in which they are continuously broken down and rebuilt.

“Inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lower osteoclast generation suggest that higher BMD in FO-fed mice may be associated, in part, with both decreased bone resorption and higher bone formation,” concluded the researchers.

“More studies with n−3 fatty acids and different ratios of n−6/n−3 fatty acids are warranted soon in middle-aged and older animals to establish their mechanism of action in modulating bone mass during aging.”

While the new study results cannot yet be translated to humans, scientists have for some time been warning that the typical Western diet includes more omega-6 fatty acids than in the past, partly due to the reliance on high omega-6 grains like corn to feed livestock, which then alters the fats in the human diet.

The average American dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is approximately 10 to 1.

The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (Elsevier)
June 2007, Volume 18, Issue 6, Pages 372-379
“Effect of fish oil on bone mineral density in aging C57BL/6 female mice”
Authors: A. Bhattacharyaa, M. Rahmana, D. Suna and G. Fernandes

SOURCE: Food Navigator