New studies published in recent weeks underscore recommendations from the American Heart Association and other health experts to include Omega-3-rich oily fish in your diet at least two to three times per week.

Already well known for their cognitive and heart health benefits, two new studies suggest that Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), support immune health and overall longevity.

Omega-3 and Immune Function

To test Omega-3’s affect on immune response, researchers used two groups of mice. One group was fed a control diet, and the other was fed a diet supplemented with DHA-rich fish oil for five weeks. B cells were then harvested from several tissues and then stimulated in culture.

Researchers then looked for markers of immune response: B cell activation on the cell surface, B cell membrane changes, and B cell cytokine production. They found that DHA-enriched fish oil enhanced B cell activation and select antibody production, which may support immune function while promoting normal inflammatory processes.

This work confirms similar findings on fish oil and B cells and moves us one step closer to understanding the immune supporting properties of EPA and DHA.

Omega-3 and Longevity

Another study found that people with the most circulating omega-3s in their blood, lived an average of about two years longer than those with the lowest levels.

The findings are based on blood samples drawn from 2,692 U.S. healthy adults over age 65 in 1992 and 1993. By 2008, the end of the follow-up period, 1,625 participants had died.

People who had the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood at the outset were 27 percent less likely to die for any reason over the course of the study, compared to those with the lowest levels. For participants with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids, this worked out to about two extra years of life.

So if high levels of Omega-3s affect lifespan, what about an Omega-3 deficiency? A previous Harvard University study estimated that Omega-3 deficiency can allow between 63,000 and 96,000 preventable deaths per year in the U.S, making it the sixth biggest killer of Americans. Both the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the American Heart Association offer dietary guidelines that can help you increase Omega-3 intake.

Spreading the Word

Evidently the good news about Omega-3 fatty acids as part of a healthy diet is spreading as fish oil tops the list of the most popular supplements among consumers.

And, you’re in luck this month as we’ve put our Omega-3 Max on sale through April 30, 2013.

Sources:

Eureka Alert

Annals of Internal Medicine

NutraIngredients

A new study delving into Omega-3 (fish oil) and it’s affect on our metabolism and brain function provides further support for the recommendation to eat 2-3 servings of oily fish per week. According to their findings, fish oil not only promotes healthy metabolic functions and cardiovascular health, these benefits in turn directly support cognitive function.

It’s studies like these that explain why many doctors highly recommend fish oil for overall health—so much so that it’s one of the most popular supplements in America.

Study Details

For the study, 40 healthy participants between the ages of 51 and 72 received either three grams of fish oil containing 1,500 mg of EPA and 1,050 mg DHA or a placebo for a period of five weeks. After a “wash out” period of five weeks, the groups switched treatments.

Among those receiving fish oil, the researchers reported:

• An inverse association between fish oil consumption and markers for metabolic and cardiovascular health
• Better performance in working memory and cognitive function tests
• The relationship between metabolic and cardiovascular health were also inversely associated with cognitive function.

Fish Oil Sources

If you enjoy seafood, the best sources of fish oil are from the following fish species as they contain the fewest contaminants (mercury and PCBs) while still providing a good source of EPA and DHA:

• Salmon
• Pollock
• Flounder or Sole
• Sardines
• Anchovies
• Herring

Otherwise, the safest way to get the benefits of fish without the risk of mercury is a high quality fish oil supplement.

We stipulate “high quality” as there are significant differences in the quality and potency of fish oil supplements on the market. The best quality fish oil supplements are made from smaller fish that typically contain little or no mercury and PCBs to begin with. Then the oil is purified and concentrated to provide high amounts of EPA and DHA. And finally, as fish oil can spoil, so look for a high quality fish oil supplement that contains an antioxidant to preserve freshness and prevent rancidity (spoilage).

Source:

NutraIngredients

When a prestigious medical journal recently published a meta-analysis of fish oil studies that determined that fish oil was NOT associated with a statistically significant reduction in risk of major cardiovascular events, it seemed to fly in the face of decades of research.

How could this be true? The heart health benefits of fish oil have been well documented since the 1970s.

We were curious about the contradiction in research so we sought out an explanation from one of the most well respected authorities on nutrition and functional foods—The Linus Pauling Institute (LPI).

Their explanation in an article published in the Journal of Lipid Research cleared things up nicely. In a nutshell, LPI professor Donald Jump says the evidence supporting the heart health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids is strong, despite ‘less conclusive’ recent studies. He makes several important points about the recent analysis.

Jump notes that the vast majority of studies included in the analysis were secondary prevention trials, meaning that the recruited subjects had pre-existing CVD or were at increased cardiovascular risk. Thus, supplementation with omega-3 PUFAs may not appear to support cardiovascular health in patients who have CVD and likely taking drug therapy (e.g., statins, aspirin, anti-hypertensive medications).

“When so many people in these studies are taking a regimen of medications to address the same issues that fish oil might also affect, it’s easy to understand why any added benefit from the fish oils is more difficult to detect,” Jump explained.

By contrast, many of the early studies were done before more modern drugs were available. “The studies done several decades ago showed value even for that patient population (those with CVD), but the more recent studies are less conclusive. We believe that one explanation is the effectiveness of current state-of-the-art treatments now being offered,” he added.

However, observational epidemiologic studies have consistently found that increased fish consumption or higher omega-3 PUFA blood levels are associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular events in healthy adults.

Omega-3 Benefits

Beyond cardiovascular health, fish oils are important for visual and neurological development as well as supporting healthy inflammatory balance and cognitive function as we age. Omega-3 PUFAs can be obtained from both food and supplemental sources. If you do not regularly consume fish, the LPI recommends a two-gram fish oil supplement several times per week.

Sources:

Linus Pauling Institute

Journal of Lipid Research

NutraIngredients

This post is for all of the people that avoid fish or fish oil supplements because they don’t like the “fishy” taste of seafood.

Did you know that by avoiding fish or fish oil supplements you may be missing out on essential nutrients that you must get from your diet?

We are referring to the Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The single richest source of both EPA and DHA are the fatty tissues of cold water, oily fish.

What’s the Big Deal?

EPA and DHA are essential to the normal function of your body on many levels--from microscopic cell membranes all the way up to the organ and system level. Studies link EPA and/or DHA to supporting your:  

• brain and nervous system
• bones, muscles, and joints
• cardiovascular health
• immune system

While your body can manufacture EPA from another essential fatty acid found in plants, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the conversion doesn’t happen rapidly which may still leave you deficient in EPA—especially if your diet doesn’t include ALA sources such as walnuts, flax seeds, canola and soybean oil.

So, if you’re like the typical American who doesn’t eat oily fish at least twice a week, you are likely to be deficient in EPA and DHA.

Moreover, if you eat too many “bad fats” like saturated fats from red meat and dairy without the “good fats” like those found in fish, then your risk of cardiovascular problems increase.

The Simple Solution

For many people who don’t have access to high quality seafood or just don’t like the taste of fish, fish oil supplements are the go-to solution. In fact, fish oil is now the #1 supplement among consumers and frequently recommended by doctors and other healthcare providers for their patients.

And with the development of enteric coated fish oil capsules, even those highly averse to fish will not have to risk their health because of finicky taste buds. The capsule coating prevents stomach acids from dissolving the capsule until it reaches the intestines so there’s no fishy aftertaste or “fish burps.”

Fish Oil Basics

Like any natural product, the quality of fish oil can vary and it’s important to know what to look for in a safe and effective fish oil product. We cover the gamut of tips for choosing, storing and taking fish oil in this post, Fish Oil Crowned Most Popular...

Sources:

U.S. News and World Report

University of Maryland Medical Center

The heart health benefits of eating fish and the omega-3 fatty acids it contains are well-documented in over 35 years of research. However, most of these studies focused on men and older people. Now a new study has found that young women can also experience heart-protective benefits from consuming omega-3 rich fish.

Danish researchers found that young women who rarely or never ate fish high in omega-3 had 50% more cardiovascular problems over eight years than those who ate fish regularly.

The risk of cardiovascular disease was also 90% higher for women who consumed little or no fish compared to women who ate fish weekly.

Study Details

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 49,000 Danish pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 49. The women were asked about dietary behaviors and then researchers followed up by checking hospital records for CVD related admissions. Both inpatient and outpatient admission for cardiovascular disease was much more common among women who reported eating little or no fish.

The women who never ate fish had a three-fold higher disease risk compared to women who ate fish every week.

These results were based solely on dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids via fish consumption. Women who took fish oil supplements were excluded from the analyses.

Benefits Now and Later

Encouraging younger generations to eat healthy is a challenge when the benefits may not be evident for 30 or 40 years. However, when it comes to fish and heart benefits, the new study shows that the benefits of omega-3 from fish consumption can be seen in a relatively short time. “We saw a strong association with cardiovascular disease in the women who were still in their late 30's," said lead researcher, Dr Marin Strøm of the Statens Serum Institut, Denmark. Even women who ate fish only a few of times a month benefited, she said.

Women who eat fish should find the results encouraging, but it is important to emphasize that to obtain the greatest benefit from fish and fish oils, women should follow the dietary recommendations to eat fish as a main meal at least twice a week.

Source:

Nutraingredients

A recent study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy reduce the risk of childhood obesity by as much as 32%. The study also found that children with a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids had a two- to four-fold increase in the rate of obesity.

This study adds more evidence to the growing body of research that insufficient intakes of omega-3 fatty acids can have adverse effects. It also underscores the importance of achieving a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet.

Fatty Acid Balance

Omega-3 refers to a group of unsaturated fatty acids (linolenic acied, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 fatty acids are classified as “essential fatty acids” because they cannot be made (or only made in limited quantities) by your body. Therefore, they must be obtained from your diet or in supplement form. Foods such as rapeseed, soybeans, alfalfa, cold-water fish, wild game and walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-6 is another essential fatty acid your body needs but it must be in a balanced ratio with Omega-3 fatty acids to be healthy. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation while some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation.

Most nutritionists suggest that we should consume between a 1-1 and 4-1 omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Dietary sources of omega-6 include vegetable oils such (linoleic acid) and other plant based oils such as evening primrose oil and borage oil (gamma-linolenic acid) or GLA.

Unfortunately, the typical American diet tends to contain 14 - 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, which many physicians consider to be too high on the omega-6 side—and potentially unhealthy. In fact, this extreme imbalance is often blamed for the high rates of obesity, heart disease, cancer and other diseases that are more prevalent in those that consume a “western” diet.

By contrast, the Mediterranean diet has a healthier balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Many studies have shown this diet promotes cardiovascular and over-all health. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, as well as moderate wine consumption.

This research sought to determine whether a mother’s fatty acid consumption affected their child’s chances of being obese. Obesity is defined as weight that exceeds 15 percent of normal weight for height and body type. Morbid obesity exceeds 20 percent of optimum weight. Obesity in adults has been linked a number of serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, varicose veins, dementia, psychological stress, depression, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Study Design:

• The study included 1,649 mother-child pairs.
• Researchers assessed mid-pregnancy intake of omega-3 (DHA and EPA) and omega-6 fatty acids and maternal plasma fatty acid levels. They also measured umbilical cord levels of omega-3 and omega-6.
• The children involved in the study were then assessed at age 3 to determine body mass index (BMI) and skin fold measurements.

Study Results:

Researchers found that about one fifth (1/5) of expectant mothers consumed two or more fish meals per week at mid-pregnancy, but only half of those women achieved the recommended 200 mg of DHA per day. Researchers also found that only three percent of women consumed the recommended intake of DHA in the last month of pregnancy when large amounts of DHA are transferred from the mother to the child to support brain development.
After the follow-up with the children, it was found that the odds of obesity in 3 year olds were between two and four times higher when cord blood had a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

Conclusion:

The odds of childhood obesity were 32 percent lower when maternal intake of omega-3s was high or if the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 was near the recommended levels. Although these findings need to be confirmed with future studies, it appears that increased omega-3 intake and reduced omega-6 intake during pregnancy may lower the risk of future obesity in children.

Sources:

University of Maryland Medical Center

NHI on Demand

University of Maryland Medical Center

PubMed

According to a new study involving post menopausal women, exercise combined with omega-3 fish oil supplementation can increase bone mineral density (BMD) up to 19% and reduce inflammatory markers by as much as 80%.

The 24-week study randomly assigned 79 post-menopausal women to one of four groups:

• a control group that did not receive supplements or an exercise plan
• an exercise plan only group
• an omega-3 supplements only group (1,000 mg omega-3 per day, of which 180 mg was EPA and 120 mg was DHA)
• a combined omega-3 supplements and exercise group

The exercise plan involved walking and jogging three times a week at up to 65% of the maximum heart rate.

Study Results

At the end of the study, researchers found that the combined omega-3/exercise group experienced BMD increases of 15% in the lower back and 19% in the femur (thigh bone).

The combination group also had decreased levels of the pro-inflammatory compounds IL-6 and TNF-alpha by 40% and 80%, respectively.

No increases in BMD or decrease in inflammatory markers were observed in the other three groups.

Linking Inflammation and Bone Health

The researchers found that the decrease in inflammatory compounds correlated with the increase in BMD, suggesting that inflammatory compounds may play a role in the regulation of bone formation. Therefore, a decrease in cytokine production may be beneficial to bone mineral density. Further studies are needed to fully understand the mechanisms at work.

Read more about nutrients for healthy bones here.

Source:

Nutraingredients

Last year, when the independent supplement quality testing lab ConsumerLab.com released its annual survey of the most popular dietary supplements, we weren’t too surprised to learn that fish oil was the winner, nudging multivitamins out of the #1 spot. A whopping 74% of the respondents reported taking fish oil and most of them, 44%, purchased their supplements online.

So why is fish oil first on everyone’s list? Here are just a few reasons:

• Fish Oil provides a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). EPA and DHA are polyunsaturated fats ("good" fats, as opposed to saturated fats which are thought to increase the risk of heart disease). The body can only manufacture limited amounts of EPA and DHA from the essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) -- found in flaxseed oil, canola oil, soy oil and walnut oil.
• A large body of scientific research suggests that higher dietary omega-3 fatty acid intakes, like those found in fish oil are supportive of cardiovascular health.  Thus, the American Heart Association recommends that all adults eat fish, particularly oily fish, at least twice weekly or obtain fish oil from supplements.
• Compelling research in other areas suggest that the essential fatty acids in fish may have many other health benefits.
• Studies reveal that doctors not only recommend fish oil to their patients, they take it themselves. The study, published in Nutrition Journal, found 75 percent of dermatologists say they use dietary supplements and 66 percent recommend them to their patients; 57 percent of cardiologists use supplements and 72 percent recommend them to their patients; and 73 percent of orthopedic specialists use supplements and 91 percent recommend them. More than 25 percent of physicians in each specialty said they had used omega-3/fish body oil.
• If you are among those who just don’t like the taste of fish, or are concerned about PCBs, mercury and other possible contaminants present in some fish, then fish oil supplements may be a better choice for you. (Most supplements undergo molecular distillation or other refining process to remove contaminants. Others use only certain species of fish to ensure that the fish oil meets FDA safety standards.)

With so many fish oil supplements on the market, what should you look for in good quality fish oil? ConsumerLab.com provided these insights based on their experience conducting quality tests on supplements for over a decade:

• When buying supplements containing EPA and/or DHA, keep in mind that products vary significantly in terms of the amounts and ratios of EPA and DHA. Be aware that only about a third of the oil from fish is EPA and DHA, although this may be higher (up to about 85% as EPA and DHA) in a "concentrated" product".
• Second, the ratio of EPA to DHA will vary depending on the source. (For example, menhaden and other small oily fish, tend to have a ratio of EPA to DHA of 1.5:1 so that a capsule claiming 1 gram (1,000 mg) of fish oil, of which 30% is EPA and DHA, provides 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA. Salmon oil naturally contains more DHA than EPA (often several times more) and products made only from algal oil will contain only DHA.
• With a more concentrated product, one may be able to take fewer capsules of the same size.
• Many products also contain vitamin E or other antioxidants to stabilize the oils and prevent them from becoming rancid.

How to take fish oil: More...

The lack of purity and potency -- two variables you must consider anytime you're taking any supplement -- is at the heart of this latest ConsumerLab.com report that cites problems with nearly a third of the fish oil products they tested.

Out of 24 products, three failed because they claimed to contain more of a key omega-3 fatty acid -- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) -- or both in their labeling, than they actually had. Three fish oil products were also flagged for spoilage problems that may cause gastrointestinal problems, including burping. Another was cited for having a faulty enteric coating that released fish oil too soon in a patient's body (in the stomach rather than the intestine).

And, one pet-themed omega-3 product exceeded the limit for PCB contamination -- 3 picograms per 1,000 mg -- set by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA (because the EPA hasn't mandated any safety standard for PCB exposure).

These warnings signs underscore just how important it is for you to carefully consider the facts, before taking any supplement.

If you are looking for a superior fish oil with purity and potency that's 100% guaranteed, try CNCA's EPAmax or enteric coded Omega-3 Max. Both contain a whopping 1200mg of EPA and DHA per serving!

ConsumerLab.com September 28, 2010

Have you been stalking the aisles of your local grocery store in search of healthy substitutes to the fatty ingredients that make your cakes, cookies and breads exceptionally delicious? There may be one on the way very soon in the form of a gel made from chia seeds, a plant species in the mint family that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

South American scientists replaced the eggs or oils with a chia gel (made by soaking chia seeds in water) at different levels (0, 25, 50 and 75 percent) as a fat substitute to determine how much could be used to prepare cakes without affecting their taste.

In comparison to cakes baked without it, 75 patients polled by researchers determined a 25 percent mixture of chia gel performed the best, based on color, texture and taste. Even better, the cakes cooked with chia gel contained 60 additional milligrams of omega-3 fats per 100 milligrams.

Chia seeds have found their way into cookies, cereals, nutritional supplements and bars produced in the U.S., and, yes, even Chia Pets, but not to the baking aisle at your corner grocery store. Not yet, anyway…

Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Vol. 110, No. 6, pp. 946-949, June 2010

Foodnavigator-USA.com June 11, 2010

Considering recent studies I've posted in this space about the potential health problems facing Baby Boomers down the road, I felt the need to hedge a little bit on the question posed above today's post.

Why?

First, a bit more about a survey from the Texas-based consulting research firm Decision Analyst that polled more than 16,000 American grocery shoppers about the reasons in which they choose healthy foods. When it comes to antioxidants, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, using the adjective rich to describe foods (rich in fill in the blank) in comparison to the word added (fill in the blank added) makes a huge difference in the minds of American consumers.

The problem: The "marketing-speak" used by food marketers on occasion to sell you on "magic" ingredients like omega-3 fatty acids or antioxidants may badly blur or inflate the actual health value of the products they sell. So, when 40 percent of consumers say they're more likely to buy a product rich in anything, now I better understand why Baby Boomers (me included) should pay more attention to the entire label, not just the marketing buzzwords.

Yes, there's nothing inherently wrong in making a mental note about nutrient-rich products you've considered buying at the grocery store, just so long as you spend a minute or two doing your homework and comparing labels. This same deliberate approach should also apply to the supplements you take for your health.

NutraIngredients-USA.com March 30, 2010

Decision Analyst March 22, 2010

You know the value of fish oil is finally hitting home with the mainstream when the U.S. Department of Defense is considering using its components -- DHA omega-3 fatty acids and EPA -- to fortify the meals of all active military personnel.

To accomplish this, however, would require U.S. military officials to rescind a standing directive prohibiting the military from providing a supplement or a drug through its food supply chain.

"Increasing omega-3 consumption amongst U.S. troops has incredible potential to improve health and reduce health care costs for U.S. troops," says Douglas MacKay of the Council for Responsible Nutrition. "There is evidence that higher levels of omega-3 fats have multiple health benefits, some of which are important to soldiers."

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NutraIngredients-USA.com February 2, 2010

You may be surprised to learn, thanks to a Harvard University study, diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish oil may be more fatal than those that overdo it on trans fats. Based on 2005 data compiled by the U.S. National Health Center for Health Statistics, the minimum number of American deaths attributed to the lack of omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish oil (72,000) exceeded the amount blamed on the excessive intake of trans fats (63,000). One caveat: the study failed to consider vitamin D or any other nutrients when determining fatality rates, according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition.

Overall, diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish oil ranked sixth among risk factors with smoking tobacco (436,000), high blood pressure (372,000), obesity (188,000) and physical inactivity (164,000) heading the list.

Although the study didn't explain why omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish oil had such an impact on health statistics, it did point out the great need to set a minimum dietary intake for DHA, EPA and other omega-3 components.

Meanwhile, a European Food Safety Authority panel recommended a higher reference intake value for long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (250 mg) than one announced in a previous European Commission report (200 mg).

PLOS Medicine April 2009 Free Full Text Study

NutraIngredients.com July 13, 2009

NutraIngredients-USA.com June 26, 2009