Omega 3 Fatty Acid News and Research

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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.

Certain fatty acids may increase diabetes risk in women, study finds

Women who consume high amounts of certain fatty acids are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, irrespective of body mass index (BMI), according to a new study.

15 Sep 2016

Injecting omega-3 fatty acid reduces brain damage in neonatal mouse model of stroke

Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center found that omega-3 fatty acids reduced brain damage in a neonatal mouse model of stroke.

23 Aug 2016

Study links Omega 6 fatty acid in adipose tissue to lower mortality among older men

In a study from Uppsala University, published in the American journal JAMA Cardiology, the fatty acid linoleic acid (Omega 6) in subcutaneous adipose tissue was linked to lower mortality among older men followed over a 15-year period.

18 Aug 2016

Omega-3 rich diet during pregnancy has no effect on weight of babies

In Europe, almost one in three schoolchildren under the age of ten is overweight, if not obese. In the search for the cause of this phenomenon, fetal programming inside a mother's womb was put under scrutiny as a potential culprit for this "heavy issue".

28 Jun 2016

Blood levels of omega-3s fatty acids linked to lower risk of deadly heart attacks

Blood levels of seafood and plant-based omega-3 fatty acids are moderately associated with a lower risk of dying from heart attacks, according to a new epidemiological study, published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, led by Liana C. Del Gobbo, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the division of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston.

28 Jun 2016

Walnut consumption linked to reduced risk of developing physical function impairments in older women

A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that consuming 1-2 servings of walnuts per week (1/4 cup per serving) was associated with reduced risk of developing impairments in physical function, which helps enable older women to maintain independence throughout the aging process.

23 Jun 2016

ANK3 and other genes may play key role in affecting mood, stress and longevity

The visible impacts of depression and stress that can be seen in a person's face -- and contribute to shorter lives -- can also be found in alterations in genetic activity, according to newly published research.

24 May 2016

Eating seafood once a week may protect against age-related memory loss

Eating a meal of seafood or other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids at least once a week may protect against age-related memory loss and thinking problems in older people, according to a team of researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

11 May 2016

Fructose common in western diet can damage brain genes

A range of diseases -- from diabetes to cardiovascular disease, and from Alzheimer's disease to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- are linked to changes to genes in the brain. A new study by UCLA life scientists has found that hundreds of those genes can be damaged by fructose, a sugar that's common in the Western diet, in a way that could lead to those diseases.

25 Apr 2016

Children of salmon-eating mothers less likely to develop asthma

Children born to mothers who eat salmon when pregnant may be less likely to have doctor diagnosed asthma compared to children whose mothers do not eat it, new research has shown.

6 Apr 2016

Daily walnut consumption positively impacts blood cholesterol levels in older adults

Initial findings from the Walnuts and Healthy Aging study presented at Experimental Biology 2016 (EB) indicate that daily walnut consumption positively impacts blood cholesterol levels without adverse effects on body weight among older adults.

4 Apr 2016

Omega-6 fatty acids can reduce risk of type 2 diabetes

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that high serum omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations are linked to a significantly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

24 Mar 2016

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