Omega 3 Fatty Acid News and Research

RSS

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid (EFA), consisting of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). Oily fish, including anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and salmon, are the only known natural sources of Omega-3 EPA/DHA. ALA is found in plants, such as flax and chia. It is important to note that only EPA and DHA contribute to the many health benefits associated with Omega-3. While the body can convert ALA into EPA/DHA, it does so very inefficiently (less than one percent), making it impossible to derive Omega-3-related health benefits from plant sources. Furthermore, although Omega-3 EPA/DHA is vital to overall good health, the human body is not able to produce it on its own, so supplementation is required, either by eating oily fish or foods fortified with Omega-3 EPA/DHA, or by taking fish oil supplements.

Fatty acid supplement can help reduce early preterm births

Cupid was obviously a full-term baby. It's fitting then that a researcher named Valentine and her colleagues will oversee a new multicenter National Institutes of Health study to determine whether an over the counter fatty acid supplement, called DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid), can assist with reducing early preterm births.

24 Mar 2016

New meta-analysis supports link between intake of omega-3 fatty acids and reduction in MDD

According to the World Health Organization, depression is a major cause of disease burden worldwide, affecting an estimated 350 million people. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, in 2014, an estimated 15.7 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.

18 Mar 2016

Omega-3 fatty acids improve cognitive function in older adults

Changes in cognitive function and memory decline form a normal part of aging. However, in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment (the pre-dementia phase of Alzheimer's disease), these changes occur more quickly. There are currently no effective treatments for these diseases.

16 Mar 2016

Excess comorbidity flagged in MS patients

Patients with multiple sclerosis have more comorbidities than would be expected for their age, even at the time of diagnosis, say researchers.

10 Mar 2016

Vertical Pharmaceuticals launches breakthrough prenatal vitamin supplement: OB Complete Gold

OB Complete Gold is a breakthrough innovation in prenatal vitamin supplements that contains the advanced technology OmEGGa DHA, providing a novel egg-based DHA that comes from cage-free hens.

25 Feb 2016

Higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids could boost B vitamins' effect in preventing cognitive decline

While research has already established that B vitamin supplements can help slow mental decline in older people with memory problems, an international team have now found that having higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in your body could boost the B vitamins' effect.

20 Jan 2016

Researchers find lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in people with bipolar disorder

People with bipolar disorder have lower levels of certain omega-3 fatty acids that cross the blood-brain barrier compared to those who do not, according to researchers from Penn State College of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. The finding could have implications for dietary interventions for the disorder.

25 Nov 2015

Multicenter trial compares popular treatments for menopause-related vaginal symptoms

Hot flashes. Night sweats. These are the most common - or at least the most commonly talked about - symptoms of menopause. But one reality of The Change for many women is less discussed yet no less important: problems with vaginal health and sexual function.

6 Nov 2015

New research finds insufficient evidence for use of Omega 3 supplements in treating major depressive disorder

New research out today concludes that there is insufficient evidence for the use of taking an Omega 3 fatty acid supplement in treating major depressive disorder.

5 Nov 2015

Researchers use new software tool to identify genetic overlaps between palmitoleic acid and Crohn's disease

Some research has suggested that omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fish oils, can relieve inflammation in Crohn's disease. But a new study using software developed by Duke scientists hints that we should be paying closer attention to what the other omegas -- namely, omega-6 and omega-7 -- are doing to improve or worsen the disease.

16 Sep 2015

Pivotal Therapeutics reports net loss of $1.2 million for first quarter 2015

Pivotal Therapeutics Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus on Omega-3 therapies for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and overall health, announced its operational highlights and financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2015.

2 Jun 2015

Omega-3 fatty acids improve cognitive flexibility in older adults at risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease

A study of older adults at risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease found that those who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids did better than their peers on tests of cognitive flexibility -- the ability to efficiently switch between tasks -- and had a bigger anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region known to contribute to cognitive flexibility.

20 May 2015

New study finds that walnuts have potential to benefit overall health

Multiple new research abstracts suggest walnuts may have the potential to positively affect several important health factors. From their impact on colon cancer and certain aspects of cognitive aging, to their positive effect on both gut health and vascular health, the research findings presented at Experimental Biology 2015 detail our latest understanding of walnuts' inner workings.

31 Mar 2015

Researchers discover retina protein crucial for vision

Research led by Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence, discovered a protein in the retina that is crucial for vision. The paper reports, for the first time, the key molecular mechanisms leading to visual degeneration and blindness.

5 Mar 2015

Study: Omega-3 fatty acids appear to protect heart function among heart attack survivors

Taking omega-3 fatty acids appeared to lower inflammation and guard against further declines in heart function among recent heart attack survivors already receiving optimal standard care, according to results from a randomized, controlled trial to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's 64th Annual Scientific Session in San Diego.

5 Mar 2015

Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids may optimize brain serotonin concentrations and function

Although essential marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D have been shown to improve cognitive function and behavior in the context of certain brain disorders, the underlying mechanism has been unclear. In a new paper published in FASEB Journal by Rhonda Patrick, PhD and Bruce Ames, PhD of Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, serotonin is explained as the possible missing link tying together why vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids might ameliorate the symptoms associated with a broad array of brain disorders.

27 Feb 2015

Omega-3 could supplement anti-VEGF treatment in AMD

Pilot study findings suggest that taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements could increase the efficacy or reduce the needed frequency of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration.

13 Feb 2015

Researchers discover novel compound that helps curtail progression of temporal lobe epilepsy

Researchers at the LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence have found that a novel compound they discovered helps curtail the onset and progression of temporal lobe epilepsy.

28 Jan 2015

Walnuts may improve cognitive function

Eating walnuts may improve performance on cognitive function tests, including those for memory, concentration and information processing speed according to new research from the David Geffen School of Medicine at The University of California, Los Angeles, led by Dr. Lenore Arab. Cognitive function was consistently greater in adult participants that consumed walnuts, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.

21 Jan 2015

Omega-3 fatty acids decrease risk of getting heart disease

Increasing the amount of omega-3s in your diet, whether from fish or flax, will likely decrease your risk of getting heart disease, according to Penn State nutritionists.

18 Nov 2014