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Australian and New Zealand Fish Oil Products in 2016 Meet Label Omega-3 Claims and Are Not Oxidised

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A new paper confirming that omega-3 supplements in the Australian and New Zealand markets are within oxidation limits and contain the labeled contents of EPA and DHA has been published in Nutrients. The work was funded by the Omega-3 Centre in Australia after a paper from the Liggins Institute was published in Scientific Reports last year alleging that fish oils in the New Zealand market were over-oxidised and had as little as half of the EPA and DHA claimed on the labels.

The Liggins Institute paper caused a media uproar in New Zealand and the results seemed contradictory to what industry participants and market surveillance groups had observed. In order to determine if there was a problem in that market, GOED (Global Organisation for EPA and DHA) funded its own tests, as did the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration and now the Omega-3 Centre. None of these groups’ results substantiated the Liggins Institute’s allegations. The Liggins researchers have said in the media that these results are not valid because they are not peer-reviewed, but now the Omega-3 Centre results have been, and GOED’s tests will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication shortly as well.

The Liggins researchers also published a subsequent study that raised additional questions about oxidised oils. GOED is funding a number of papers in the next year to investigate some of the issues raised.

 

Exceptional Freshness Levels – Protection from fishy smell, taste, and harmful free radicals

Freshness, which ensures product integrity and biological efficacy, may be the single most important quality of fish oils. Nordic Naturals‘ oxygen–free manufacturing process maintains the freshness of fish oil used in our products, with peroxide values (indicators of freshness) well below the EP (European Pharmacopoeia) Standard limits. The lower the peroxide value, the fresher the fish oil. Nordic Naturals’ third-party analysis verifies adherence to strict standards set out by leading international organisations and experts such as GOED, IFOS, WHO and EP.

Maternal DHA Impacts Pregnancy and Subsequent Child Development

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Harris, Stacy, Baker, et al. The omega smart baby project: effect of maternal DHA on infant development. FASEB Journal April 2014 V. 28, No. 1 Supplement 269.1

A randomised placebo controlled trial was conducted to examine the effect of DHA on gestational length and cognitive development. 115 pregnant women were supplemented with 300 mg DHA/d or placebo during pregnancy and thru the first 3 mo of breastfeeding (BF).

Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) were administered at 4 mo and 1y. Dietary DHA intake during pregnancy, was 81.9 +/- 5.8 mg/day (95% CI 72.3,91.5) and increased only slightly during BF. Some took prenatal vitamins with 0– 300 mg DHA per day resulting in total DHA intakes of 80 to 1100 mg/day. RBC and plasma phospholipid DHA at entry (expressed as % total fatty acids) were5.94 +/- 1.52 and 5.04 +/- 1.44 (mean +/- SD), respectively. Breastmilk (BM) % total DHA was .53 +/- .037 (mean +/- sem) at 2 mo and decreased to .35 +/- /039 at 4 mo.

BM DHA was significantly greater in the DHA treatment ( p<.02) and with the highest DHA intake compared to the lowest. BM DHA was lowest in carriers of the minor allele of the delta-5 desaturase gene. Data were analysed by treatment and by DHA intake. DHA supplementation resulted in a 1 wk increase in gestation with a significant (p<.03) 8 d increase in gestational length comparing the highest intake of DHA( > 600 mg/d) to the lowest (< 300 mg/d). BSID cognitive and language scores were 10 points higher with high intake of DHA compared to the lowest (p<.02).

Maternal DHA impacts both pregnancy outcome and subsequent development.

 

Source: http://www.fasebj.org/content/28/1_Supplement/269.1.short

DHA and Human Brain Development

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Brenna JT, Carlson SE. Docosahexaenoic acid and human brain development: evidence that a dietary supply is needed for optimal development. J Hum Evol. 2014 Dec;77:99-106.

Humans evolved a uniquely large brain among terrestrial mammals. Brain and nervous tissue is rich in the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Docosahexaenoic acid is required for lower and high order functions in humans because of understood and emerging molecular mechanisms.

Among brain components that depend on dietary components, DHA is limiting because its synthesis from terrestrial plant food precursors is low but its utilisation when consumed in diet is very efficient. Negligible DHA is found in terrestrial plants, but in contrast, DHA is plentiful at the shoreline where it is made by single-celled organisms and plants, and in the seas supports development of very large marine mammal brains.

Modern human brains accumulate DHA up to age 18, most aggressively from about half-way through gestation to about two years of age. Studies in modern humans and non-human primates show that modern infants consuming infant formulas that include only DHA precursors have lower DHA levels than for those with a source of preformed DHA.

Functional measures show that infants consuming preformed DHA have improved visual and cognitive function. Dietary preformed DHA in the breast milk of modern mothers supports many-fold greater breast milk DHA than is found in the breast milk of vegans, a phenomenon linked to consumption of shore-based foods. Most current evidence suggests that the DHA-rich human brain required an ample and sustained source of dietary DHA to reach its full potential.

 

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24780861

Reduction in Behaviour Problems with Omega-3

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Background:

While limited evidence suggests that omega-3 supplementation may reduce antisocial behaviour in children, studies have not reported on post-treatment follow-up and most treatment periods have been of short duration. This study tests the hypothesis that omega-3 supplementation over 6 months will reduce behaviour problems in children both at the end of treatment and at 6 months post treatment.

 

Methods:

In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, stratified, parallel-group trial, a community sample of 8-16 year old children were randomised into a treatment group (N = 100) and a placebo-control group (N = 100). The supplementation consisted of a fruit drink containing 1 g/day of omega-3 or a placebo consisting of the same fruit drink without omega-3. Participants, caregivers, and research assistants were blinded to group assignment. The primary outcome measures of externalising and internalising behaviour problems were reported by both caregivers and their children in a laboratory setting at 0 months (baseline), 6 months (end of treatment) and 12 months (6 months post treatment), together with the secondary outcome measures of parental antisocial behaviour. Data were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis including all participants.

 

Results:

Significant group × time interactions were observed with the treatment group showing long-term improvements in child behaviour problems. The average post-treatment effect size was d = -.59. Effects were documented for parent reports, but with the exception of proactive and reactive aggression, child-report data were nonsignificant. Parents whose children took omega-3 showed significant post-treatment reductions in their own antisocial and aggressive behaviour. This improvement in caregiver behaviour partly mediated the improvements observed in child behaviour.

 

Conclusions:

Findings provide initial evidence that omega-3 supplementation can produce sustained reductions in externalising and internalising behaviour problems. Results are the first to report improvements in caregiver behaviour, and to establish this improvement as a part-mechanism for the efficacy of omega-3.

 

J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2014 Aug 22.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25146492

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Body’s Response to Pain and Orthopaedic Injury

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Musculoskeletal symptoms and orthopaedic conditions are a common cause of concern for many patients. Concentrated fish oil, providing the omega-3s EPA and DHA, is emerging as a cost effective tool with a favourable safety profile for optimising outcome from traditional treatment strategies. Scientific and clinical evidence shows that EPA and DHA may address all three of the major components of pain and injury: inflammatory response, cellular/tissue structural integrity, and nervous system signalling.

Inflammatory Response
EPA and DHA may significantly modify the class of prostaglandins and leukotrienes produced via COX- and LOX-mediated pathways to encourage a flux away from the 2- and 4- series and towards the 3- and 5- series. In addition, specialised downstream lipid mediators—end products of metabolism from EPA and DHA known as resolvins, protectins, and maresins—are now touted as critical to signalling the termination of acute inflammation toward homeostasis and away from a chronic inflammatory state. Hence, suboptimal EPA and DHA leads to poor tissue repair as a result of insufficient signalling of granulocytes, multi-potent stem cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts.

Cellular / Tissue Structural Integrity
EPA and DHA provide plasma membrane structural support for repairing injured tissue, and provide necessary chemical building blocks for restoring normal function to cell membranes across all tissue types and organ systems. Additionally, by enhancing the novel fibroblast collagen formation, musculoskeletal tissue may undergo structural repair to address a persistent pain generator.

Peripheral and Central Nervous System Signalling
Finally, fish oil may stabilise nerve thresholds and neuroendocrine axes for managing central and peripheral neural pain signalling processes. There is preliminary evidence and rationale for neural pain fiber membrane stabilisation as a result of sufficient EPA and DHA.

Thus, there is powerful construct validity for administering concentrated fish oil to address the biochemical and metabolic processes of musculoskeletal pain and injury.

Supplement Aids Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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A supplement containing a combination of lutein, zeaxanthin, and Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly benefits patients with age-related macular degeneration, according to a study published online March 21, 2013 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

ABSTRACT

Importance: It has been shown that the functionality of the macula lutea depends on the nutritional uptake of lutein and zeaxanthin and that it is inversely associated with the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Additionally, Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) may also be protective.

Objective: To investigate the effect of a 12-month intervention with macular xanthophylls and Omega-3 LC-PUFAs on xanthophylls and fatty acids in plasma, antioxidant capacity, and optical density of the macular pigment of patients with nonexudative AMD.

Design: The LUTEGA study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel clinical trial that was conducted for 12 months.

Setting: University Eye Hospital and Institute of Nutrition, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany.

Participants: A total of 172 individuals with nonexudative AMD.

Intervention: Individuals were enrolled and randomly divided as follows: placebo group, group 1 (a capsule containing 10 mg of lutein, 1 mg of zeaxanthin, 100 mg of docosahexaenoic acid, and 30 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid administered each day), and group 2 (same substances but twice the dose used in group 1). One hundred forty-five participants completed the study successfully.

Main Outcome Measures: Plasma xanthophyll concentrations and fatty acid profiles, optical density of the macular pigment, and antioxidant capacity in plasma (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid [Trolox] equivalent antioxidant capacity and photochemiluminescence).

Results: The concentrations of the administered carotenoids in plasma as well as the optical density of the macular pigment increased significantly in the groups randomized to receive supplementary macular xanthophylls and Omega-3 LC-PUFAs after 1 month of intervention and remained at this level through the end of the study. Use of the double dose resulted in a beneficial alteration of the fatty acid profile in the plasma of patients with AMD in comparison with the dose in group 1. The lipophilic antioxidant capacity in plasma was significantly elevated with the intervention.

Conclusions and Relevance: A supplement containing a fixed combination of lutein, zeaxanthin, and Omega-3 LC-PUFAs during 12 months significantly improved plasma antioxidant capacity, circulating macular xanthophyll levels, and the optical density of the macular pigment.

 

Reference
Macular Xanthophylls and Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Age-Related Macular DegenerationA Randomized Trial
Christin Arnold, Dipl-Troph; Lisa Winter, Dipl-Troph; Kati Fröhlich, PhD; Susanne Jentsch, Dipl-Ing; Jens Dawczynski, MD; Gerhard Jahreis, PhD; Volker Böhm, PhD
JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013;131(5):564-572. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.2851.

LCPUFA Supplementation in Infancy Reduces Heart Rate and Positively Affects Distribution of Attention—Birth to 12 Months

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This study is the first randomized clinical trial of postnatal omega-3 DHA supplementation to measure attention.

DHA and ARA, two nutritional compounds markedly deficient in the American [Western] diet, are derived from:

  • Mothers before birth
  • Breast-feeding, up to age two
  • Some infant formulas

 

DHA and ARA, positively affect:

  • Brain development, infancy into childhood
  • Eye development
  • Nervous system development
  • Immune support

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Omega-3 PUFAs offer an affordable way to reduce effects of traumatic brain, spinal cord injuries

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The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) found in seafood and marine oils called EPA and DHA may offer a simple, affordable way to reduce the effects of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries by decreasing inflammation and nerve cell damage. They may also protect against cognitive impairment that can follow surgery or critical illness. These encouraging findings and more are being presented at the 11th Congress of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) in Stockholm 29 June-1 July, 2014.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), resulting from combat, falls, traffic accidents and sports, is a leading cause of death in children and adults 1-44 years of age. In 2010 alone, there were more than 10 million TBIs worldwide. TBI is associated with long-term complications such as epilepsy, chronic headaches and neuropsychiatric disorders. Spinal cord injury (SCI) from similar causes also results in severe disabilities, impaired sensorimotor function and chronic pain. The consequences of TBI and SCI include reduced blood flow and DHA levels, inflammation, swelling and cell death. Loss of certain types of cells impairs the ability of the brain to repair itself and can affect the nervous system. For both TBI and SCI, there are no specific treatments to protect against such damage.

However, intervention with DHA, EPA and other substances may preserve brain networks and connectivity, maintaining or improving memory, according to Adina Michael-Titus, D.Sc., professor of neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, U.K.

“Research has demonstrated significant neuroprotective effects of DHA and EPA,” she observes. “These omega-3 fatty acids may protect and regenerate nerve cells as well as reduce damaging inflammation. As a result, they have significant potential for the improved treatment of brain and spinal cord injuries.”

Animal studies have shown that the administration of DHA up to two hours after SCI improves neurological function and nerve cell survival, reduces inflammation and decreases oxidative stress. DHA given prior to the injury also promotes cell survival and function. Similar neuroprotective effects have been reported in rats with mild TBI fed DHA and EPA prior to or shortly after injury. Due to these significant results, human trials are now underway.

Niccolò Terrando, Ph.D., assistant professor of physiology and pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, showed in animals how resolvins – molecules naturally produced from omega-3 fatty acids – can protect against cognitive impairment that often occurs in people post-surgery and during critical illness. Treatment with a single dose of a DHA-derived resolvin protected the brain from memory dysfunction after surgery by “resolving” neuroinflammation.

This treatment also improved nerve cell function when given 24 hours after surgery. Major surgery affects brain function at large, contributing to inflammation and memory impairment.

“It was remarkable that the resolvin displayed such unexpected, positive effects on the central nervous system when administered at very low doses systemically,” says Terrando. “This substance, aside from reversing inflammation, may also promote healing and tissue regeneration critical to patient recovery. We hope to translate these promising findings into patient care.”

Even healthy people may benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 PUFAs. Trevor Mori, Ph.D., research professor at the University of Western Australia, examined the effect of 2.4 grams of EPA and DHA per day for seven days and aspirin for two days on blood levels of resolvins in a trial with healthy men and women.

“Short-term dietary supplementation with moderate amounts of these omega-3 PUFAs resulted in measurable levels of potent, inflammation-resolving substances,” Mori notes. “These substances are highly effective in reducing the symptoms and damage from overactive and chronic inflammation. The increase in resolvins after EPA and DHA supplementation may, in part, explain the benefits of these omega-3s in cardiovascular disease.”

 

Source: International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL)

Comparative Bioavailability of Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Four Different Natural Health Products
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Comparison of the degree to which omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) from four (4) different natural health products are absorbed in the body.

 

Study Design:

  • Randomized, Cross-Over Study
  • The bioavailability/absorption of the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturates eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega® soft gels were assessed in comparison with three (3) different natural health products.
  • The four (4) products administered included: 1) Fish oil, providing EPA and DHA in the form of triglycerides (Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega), 2) Fish oil, providing EPA and DHA in the form of ethyl esters (Minami MorEPA Platinum), 3) Krill oil, providing EPA and DHA in the form of phospholipids (Arctic Pure Krill Oil), and 4) Salmon oil (New Chapter’s Whole Omega-3).
  • The degree to which supplementation with each of these four products affected the lipemicr response of 15 healthy participants in the trial was measured by the Lipemic Index™ to a standard reference solution both before and after the treatment period over a 7-month period.

 

Results:

  • The test results clearly illustrate the definitive superiority of Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega supplement.
  • The combined EPA+DHA change and percentage change for Ultimate Omega, MorEPA, krill oil, and salmon oil were 70% vs. 48%, 14%, and 21%, respectively.
  • These results are corroborated by those in which participants taking the Ultimate Omega supplement exhibited improvement in all five of the parameters beyond any improvement in any of the other supplements.

 

Conclusion:

  • From the results, it has clearly been observed that Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega omega-3 supplement, at the prescribed daily dose, is superior to krill oil and salmon oil, at their prescribed doses, in the bioavailability of EPA, and is similar to MorEPA in this regard. However, it is superior to all three comparator products in the bioavailability of DHA and in various other calculated ratios,
    including OmegaScore™.
  • In terms of blood lipid and post-prandial triglyceride results, there were only two small but significant changes in lipid biomarkers, but no significant change in post-prandial triglyceride levels. For the MorEPA group, the logTG value showed a small decrease from Day 0 to Day 28, and for the krill oil group, HDL-C increased from Day 0 to Day 28. There was also an increase in LDL-C for the MorEPA group. None of the significant changes were noted in the Ultimate Omega supplementation group.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24952576
Laidlaw M, et al. A randomized clinical trial to determine the efficacy of manufacturers’ recommended doses of omega-3 fatty acids from different sources in facilitating cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Lipids Health Dis 2014 Jun 21;13:99.

High Fish Plus Fish Oil Intake is Associated with Slightly Reduced Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: The Tromsø Study

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of fish consumption and fish oil supplements on the risk of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) for which there is currently scarce and diverging knowledge.

 

Study Design:

  • Population-based cohort
  • Data was collected over an average of 16 years, documenting 536 cases of VTE.
  • Weekly intake of fish for dinner and intake of fish oil supplements during the previous year were registered in 23,621 persons aged 25–97 years who participated in the Tromsø Study from 1994 to 1995.
  • Incident VTE events were registered throughout follow up (31 December 2010).
  • Cox-regression models were used to calculate hazard regressions (HR) for VTE, adjusted for age, body mass index, sex, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, physical activity, and education level.

 

Results:

  • Participants who ate fish ?3 times/week had 22% lower risk of VTE than those who consumed fish 1–1.9 times/week (multivariable HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.60, 1.01; P = 0.06).
  • Participants who consumed fish ?3 times/week who additionally used fish oil supplements had 48% lower risk than those who consumed fish 1–1.9 times/week but did not use fish oil supplements (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.79; P = 0.002).

 

Conclusion:

  • The addition of fish oil supplements strengthened the inverse association with risk of VTE, adding this to the list of omega-3 benefits for heart health (improvements in blood lipid levels, reduced tendency of thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate improvements, and improved vascular function).
  • Eating fish and taking fish oil supplementation was validated by an expected inverse relation to serum concentration of triglycerides and dose-dependent relation to serum concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
  • In summary, a high weekly intake (?3 times/week) of fish was associated with a slightly reduced risk of VTE, and the addition of fish oil supplements strengthened the inverse effect.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24744307
Hansen-Krone I, et al. High Fish plus Fish Oil Intake Is Associated with Slightly Reduced Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: The Tromsø Study. J Nutr 2014 Jun;144(6):861–7.

Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid and Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

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The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the effect of EPA+DHA, without upper dose limits and including food sources, on blood pressure in RCTs, capturing the substantial volume of randomised controlled trials published in the past 2 years.
Study Design:

  • Random-effects meta-analysis of 70 clinical trials were used
  • Weighted group mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were generated between the EPA+DHA group and placebo.
  • Analyses were conducted for subgroups defined by key subject or study characteristics.

 

Results:

Omega-3 fatty acids can be as effective as or more effective than other lifestyle interventions in lowering blood pressure, including restricting sodium and alcohol intake and increasing physical activity

  • Among all subjects, systolic blood pressure decreased by an average 1.52 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.99 mm Hg.
  • Among those with hypertension, the effect was even greater, with an average reduction in systolic blood pressure of 4.51 mm Hg and an average reduction in diastolic BP of 3.05 mm Hg.
  • Among normotensive subjects, the drop in SBP was an average of 1.25 mm Hg and in DBP, 0.62 mm Hg.
  • In comparison, studies with non-treated individuals with high blood pressure have shown that dietary sodium reduction reduces systolic blood pressure by 2–8 mm Hg, physical activity by 4–9 mm Hg, and alcohol by 2–4 mm Hg.

 

Conclusion:

Given that about 60% of the U.S. adult population is reported to have elevated blood pressure,

  • A decrease of 1.25 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure could prevent a pre-hypertensive from becoming hypertensive, and
  • A decrease of 4.51 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure among those with high blood pressure could prevent an individual from having to take medication to control blood pressure levels or prevent an individual from moving toward a more progressive stage of hypertension.
  • Overall, available evidence from RCTs indicates that provision of EPA+DHA reduces systolic blood pressure, while provision of ?2 grams reduces diastolic blood pressure.
  • Since each 2 mm Hg reduction reduces stroke mortality by 6 percent, coronary heart disease mortality by 4 percent, and total mortality by 3 percent, from a clinical and public health perspective, provision of EPA and DHA may lower BP and ultimately reduce the incidence
    of associated chronic diseases.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24610882
Miller, et al. Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid and Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Hypertens 2014 Mar 6.

EPA+DHA Reduces Systolic Blood Pressure, Meta Analysis

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This Meta-Analysis of recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) has found that omega-3 fatty acids from food or supplements can be as effective or more effective in lowering blood pressure than other lifestyle interventions, including restricting sodium and alcohol intake, and increasing physical activity.

 

Study Design:

  • Meta-Analysis
  • This meta-analysis examined the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), without upper dose limits and including food sources, on blood pressure in 70 randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) published in the last two years.

 

Results:

  • Compared with placebo, EPA+DHA reduced the following in the meta-analyses of all studies combined:
    • Systolic blood pressure (SBP) ?1.52 mm Hg
    • Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ?0.99 mm Hg
  • The strongest effects of EPA+DHA were observed among untreated hypertensive subjects:
    • SBP = ?4.51 mm Hg
    • DBP = ?3.05 mm Hg
    • This result may prevent an individual from requiring medication to control hypertension or may help maintain someone in an earlier stage of progressive hypertension.
  • Normotensive subjects showed some decreases in the following:
    • SBP = ?1.25 mm Hg
    • DBP = ?0.62 mm Hg
    • A decrease of 1.25 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure may prevent a pre-hypertensive from becoming hypertensive.
  • Each 2 mm Hg reduction reduces mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease by 6% and 4%, respectively.
  • Lowered systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure can reduce risk of coronary plaque rupture, stroke, and complications of stroke, including related cognitive decline, thus improving clinical outcomes for higher-risk populations.

 

Conclusion:

  • Collectively, the evidence from this meta-analysis indicates that at a dose of ?2 g/d EPA+DHA may reduce both SBP and DBP, with the strongest benefits observed among hypertensive individuals who are not on antihypertensive medication. In addition, a lower dose (between 1 and 2 g/d) may reduce SBP, but not DBP. From a clinical and public health perspective, EPA+DHA may lower blood pressure and ultimately reduce the incidence of associated chronic diseases and health care cost.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24610882
Miller, et al. Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid and Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled
Trials. Am J Hypertens 2014 Mar 6.

Higher Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Boost Brain Volume

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Shrinking brain volume is a sign of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as a sign of normal aging. This study tested postmenopausal women who were part of the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study. By looking at the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the red blood cells (RBC) and MRIs of the brain, the researchers looked for a correlation between omega-3 fatty acids and improved brain health.

 

Study Design:

  • Observational Study
  • RBC eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and MRI brain volumes were assessed in 1,111 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study.
  • Eight years later, MRI scans were taken to measure their brain volume when they were an average age of 78 years old.

 

Results:

  • Those whose omega-3 fatty acid levels were twice as high, 7.5 percent, had 0.7 percent larger
    brain volume.
  • Those with the higher levels also had a 2.7 percent larger volume in the hippocampus area of the
    brain, which plays an important part in memory and can begin to atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease
    before symptoms even appear.

 

Conclusion:

  • The primary findings of this study were that total normal (non-ischemic) brain and hippocampal
    volumes were directly associated with RBC EPA+DHA levels, (the omega-3 index). A higher
    omega-3 index was correlated with larger total normal brain volume and hippocampal volume
    in postmenopausal women measured 8 years later.
  • While normal ageing results in overall brain atrophy, lower omega-3 index may signal increased risk
    of hippocampal atrophy.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24392330
Pottala, et al. Higher RBC EPA+DHA corresponds with larger total brain and hippocampal volumes: WHIMS-MRI Study. Neurology 2014 Feb 4;82(5):435–42.

Omega-3s Reduce Headache Pain

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Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are precursors to lipid mediators with anti-nociceptive and pro-nociceptive properties, respectively. This study assessed clinical and biochemical effects of targeted alteration in dietary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the treatment of chronic headaches.

 

Study Design:

  • Randomized, Single-Blinded, Parallel-Group Clinical Trial
  • Sixty-seven patients with chronic daily headaches ?4 hours per day, for ?15 days per month, for at least 3 months, and a headache history of ?2 years under a physician’s care for headache management were recruited for this study.
  • Participants were randomly allocated to consume either the low n-6 PUFA/high n-3 LC-PUFA diet or the low n-6 PUFA diet for 12 weeks. They were given specific dietary advice and foods according to their assigned treatment.
  • Investigators calculated the total highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) with ?4 double bonds) in the red blood cells and the proportion of n-6 PUFA in the total HUFA, as well as the n-3 index (the sum of eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]).
  • The investigators examined headache-related clinical outcomes, red blood cell fatty acids, and pro- and anti-nociceptive derivatives of these PUFA families. The primary outcome was headache hours per day.

 

Results:

  • The key finding from this study was the significant marked reduction in chronic headache pain, as observed in fewer headache hours per day, fewer headache days per month, and clinically improved quality of life among chronic headache patients consuming a low n-6 HUFA and high n-3 LC-HUFA diet.
  • There were modest improvements in headache pain with the low n-6 HUFA diet, but none were comparable to the changes with the combined dietary HUFA alterations.
  • The combined dietary changes were also associated with a significant reduction in the consumption of acute and chronic pain medications and RBC arachidonic acid concentrations.

 

Conclusion:

  • Targeted dietary manipulation of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids reduced pain and improved quality of life in this population with chronic headaches, and could represent a novel strategy for treating chronic pain in general.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23886520
Ramsden, et al. Targeted alteration of dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids for the treatment of chronic headaches: a randomized trial. Pain 2013 Nov;154(11):2441–51.

Omega-3s Reduce Mortality Risks in Patients with CV Disease

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Researchers in large-scale epidemiologic studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews of observational investigations:

  • Consistently report protective effects against cardiovascular (CV) disease as a result of omega-3 supplementation.

There are conflicting results, however, from studies regarding omega-3s for secondary prevention of CV outcomes for patients with existing CV disease. Researchers from the University of Milan published meta-analysis results.

Goal: The preventive action of omega-3 fatty acids to patients with CV disease (administered in sufficient doses and for sufficient lengths of time).

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