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.

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

Walnuts may help prevent Alzheimer's disease, study finds

A new animal study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease indicates that a diet including walnuts may have a beneficial effect in reducing the risk, delaying the onset, slowing the progression of, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.

22 Oct 2014

Recurrence of breast cancer cut by ½ in overweight women who regularly use NSAIDs

Recurrence of hormone-related breast cancer was cut by half in overweight and obese women who regularly used aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), according to data published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

14 Aug 2014

Eating baked or broiled fish once a week is good for the brain

Eating baked or broiled fish once a week is good for the brain, regardless of how much omega-3 fatty acid it contains, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

5 Aug 2014

Researchers create combination drug that controls both tumor growth and metastasis

Researchers at UC Davis, University of Massachusetts and Harvard Medical School have created a combination drug that controls both tumor growth and metastasis. By combining a COX-2 inhibitor, similar to Celebrex, and an epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor, the drug controls angiogenesis (blood vessel formation), limiting a tumor's ability to grow and spread.

14 Jul 2014

U.S. adults not meeting DGA recommended levels for omega-3 fatty acid consumption

A study published in the Nutrition Journal concludes that a large percent of the U.S. adult population is not meeting recommendations for omega-3 fatty acid consumption set for by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

16 May 2014

Rat pups exposed to tobacco smoke are at higher risk of developing metabolic disease

While many parents-to-be are aware that the health of their baby starts before they've actually arrived into the world, recent research reveals that "harm" (i.e., tobacco smoke, dirty air, poor nutrition, even preeclampsia) may not present itself disease-wise until well into adulthood or when a second harmful "hit" triggers the individual's susceptibility.

6 May 2014

Prenatal DHA supplementation does not improve cognitive outcomes in children

Although there are recommendations for pregnant women to increase their intake of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to improve fetal brain development, a randomized trial finds that prenatal DHA supplementation did not result in improved cognitive, problem-solving or language abilities for children at four years of age, according to the study in the May 7 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on child health.

5 May 2014

New findings show combination of statins and omega-3 fatty acid may potentially reduce cardiovascular risk

New findings from an in vitro study, led by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), show that the combination of statins and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, may potentially reduce cardiovascular risk.

2 May 2014