MorEPA OMEGA-3 FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS CHILDREN ADULT

Dietary Cocktail Therapy Treats Alzheimer's

2008-07-12T06:59:53+02:00

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have shown that a dietary cocktail that includes a type of omega-3 fatty acid can improve memory and learning in gerbils - paving the way for a possible beverage-based treatment for Alzheimer's and other brain diseases.

The combination of supplements, which contains three compounds normally found in the bloodstream, is now being tested in Alzheimer's patients.

Previously, the cocktail has been shown to promote growth of new brain connections in rodents.

"It may be possible to use this treatment to partially restore brain function in people with diseases that decrease the number of brain neurons, including, for example, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, strokes and brain injuries. Of course, such speculations have to be tested in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials," said Richard Wurtman, Cecil H. Green Distinguished Professor of Neuropharmacology and senior author of a paper on the new work.

The experimental mixture affects behaviour by increasing the number of synapses in important brain regions.

During the study, researchers found that normal gerbils treated with the mixture - a combination of DHA (a type of omega-3 fatty acid), uridine and choline - performed significantly better on learning and memory tests than untreated gerbils.

They developed the treatment as a new approach to tackling Alzheimer's - restoring the synapses, or connections between brain cells, that leads to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients.

The three dietary supplements under examination are precursors to the fatty molecules that make up cell membranes, including the membranes of brain cells, which form synapses.

In the study, researchers found that gerbils that received all three supplements had up to 70 percent more phosphatides (a type of molecule that forms cell membranes) than control mice, suggesting that new synapses are forming.

"The improvements in cognition observed in normal gerbils in this study and in rats with impaired cognition, in a previous study, correlate perfectly with the evidence of increased brain synapses, as shown biochemically and anatomically," said Wurtman.

"This suggests that treating the animals with the experimental mixture affects behaviour by increasing the number of synapses in important brain regions.

Some of the gerbils in the studies received all three compounds and some received only two.

The improvements in apparent synapse growth and cognitive ability were greatest in the rats given all three.

The study appeared in the July 7 online edition of the Journal of FASEB (Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology).

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Student Wins Fellowship for Breast Cancer Research

2008-07-12T06:43:54+02:00

Guelph - A University of Guelph graduate student has received a $55,000 fellowship from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Ontario Region to study the role of diet during puberty in helping protect against breast cancer.

"I'm extremely excited," said Breanne Anderson, a new master's student in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences. "To know that others also recognize this research as very important and are choosing to invest in it is very encouraging."

Anderson will study the effect of two omega-3 essential fatty acids - docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) - during puberty. DHA, one of the most important omega-3 fatty acids, is a major component of brain and eye tissue; EPA has anti-inflammatory properties.

Previous research has already linked mammary gland development during puberty to mammary carcinogenesis in adulthood, Anderson said. She will study the connection between omega-3 fatty acids and specialized cell membrane structures known as caveolae. Caveolae have a role in regulating cell growth and death, which may be involved in mammary gland development.

"We already know that lipids are important components of caveolae," she said. "Now we want to study the role of two omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, during early development and determine whether they can help prevent breast cancer."

Using rodent models, Anderson and her adviser, Prof. David Ma, will first study the effects of a DHA and EPA enriched diet during different developmental time points on mammary gland development and caveolae structure and function.

The models will include mice which are genetically engineered to produce omega-3 fatty acids, mice that will be fed EPA and DHA supplements, and a control group not fed EPA or DHA . "This will allow us to compare the effects of enriching EPA and DHA in the diet to a ‘gold standard’ genetic model," Anderson said.

Later, the researchers will introduce a mouse model that is predisposed to developing mammary tumours to determine whether the presence of omega-3 fatty acids during puberty leads to greater protection against cancer down the road.

The research is in the preliminary stages, but the goal is to provide a new direction for breast cancer prevention research by investigating the contributions of early development and diet, Anderson said.

Breast cancer remains the highest among all forms of cancer in women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women.

“The knowledge to be gained from primary prevention research has the greatest potential to reduce the number of people who are diagnosed,” said Beth Easton, director of allocations and health promotion at the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

“This type of research focuses on possible causes and risk factors for the disease and is a funding priority for the Foundation. We are proud to support Breanne Anderson’s work which we hope will contribute to a greater understanding of how to stop breast cancer before it starts.”

Ma added that his student is "most deserving" of the fellowship award. "Breanne is a highly motivated student and I have no doubt that she will be successful in her graduate research."

Anderson, a 2005 U of G biomedical sciences graduate, was motivated to pursue graduate studies in breast cancer prevention research after working as a physician's assistant.

"I witnessed many patients diagnosed and dealing with breast cancer, as well as having loved ones affected by cancer, and that is what really pointed me in this direction."

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5 Reasons to Love Omega-3 Fatty Acids

2008-07-12T06:22:04+02:00

The age of nonfat foods seems to be drawing to a close as the benefits of certain fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, make the headlines almost daily. Found mostly in cold-water fish like salmon (here's my new favorite wild salmon recipe), omega-3s do some wonderful things for your body. Here are five of them.

Keeps the aches and pains at bay: Recent studies at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center found that taking a fish-oil supplement for 20 to 30 days relieved chronic back and neck pain. This may be due to omega-3's ability to fight inflammation.

Fights obesity with fat: Omega-3s improve the body's response to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin. Leptin is an hormone that helps regulate not only food intake, but body weight and metabolism as well. Improves your mood: This form of fat has been shown to stabilize and lessen mood swings as well as decrease depression by helping the brain create the feel-good brain chemical serotonin.
There's a couple more reasons so read more.

Reduces exercise induced asthma: In a recent study at Indiana University found that fish-oil supplements helped control exercise-triggered asthma symptoms.

Keeps the heart healthy: One of the well known benefits of omega-3s is for heart health. The fat helps to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, which are both associated with heart disease when the levels are too high. Omega-3s also help lower blood pressure. Plus, these fats fight inflammation, which contributes to heart disease as well.

Fit's Tip: It is difficult to eat the recommended 1,100mg daily. The easiest way to ensure that you are eating enough omega-3s is to take a fish-oil supplement.

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Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements Essential Fatty acids essential for healthy children and adults

2007-04-10T22:17:20+02:00

Crash Course in Omega-3's and Why I Should Take Them.

Omega-3's are a cornerstone of proper growth and development for children and adults, yet receive considerable consumer confusion. According to the International Food Information Council Foundation in the USA, two-thirds of us are concerned about the level and type of dietary fats we consume, yet less than a quarter believed that fats can be healthy (1).

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats (Omega-3 PUFA's)

Omega-3 PUFA's are vital for healthy development of every cell, tissue and organ in the body by working to keep individual cell membranes flexible for proper functioning. They are found in marine foods like fish and shellfish and some plants.

In fish and shellfish, Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids are the major omega-3 PUFAs and are often referred to as “very long chain” PUFA’s. They are found in higher amounts in fatty fish such as halibut, mackerel, herring, salmon, tuna and anchovies. Although plant form of omega-3 (called alpha linolenic acid) can be consumed only a very small percebntaghe of it can be converted to very long chain PUFA within the body (5).

There’s plenty of research to show that very long chain omega 3 is the most beneficial fat for the body. The Physician's Health Study (3) found that increasing omega-3 intake (i.e., one - two servings of fish per week) reduces the risk of sudden cardiac death by more than half. The Italian GISSI study (4) found that the consumption of omega-3 PUFAs resulted in decreased rates of mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke, with particular decreases in the rate of sudden death. It is uncertain exactly how marine omega-3 PUFAs protect the heart, but there is evidence they may stop the heart from beating in an irregular pattern (arrhythmias), reduce the chance of a dangerous blood clot, lower inflammation in the blood vessels as well as reduce blood triglyceride levels. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines have taken notice, recommending at least two servings of fish a week, particularly those rich in the fats EPA and DHA.a>

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