More health benefits of taking Fish Oil are found

In a study conducted in the National Institute of Aging in Baltimore, Maryland, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids were found to be beneficial in preventing the decline of peripheral nerve function in elderly people. In this follow-up study, involving 384 males and 443 female participants, the participants ranged from 24 to 97 years of age. The result of the study had indicated that low plasma levels of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids may accelerate age-related deterioration of the peripheral nerve function. Initially, the plasma concentration of selected fatty acids was measured at baseline. The function of the peripheral nerves in the participants of the study was assessed during three years of observation. Significant correlations were observed between neuron conduction velocity in the peroneal nerve and plasma levels of linoleic acid and omega-6 fatty acid at baseline. Additionally, lower levels of all of these fatty acids in the plasma were associated with a steeper decline in the neuron conductivity function indices. The study concluded that low levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the plasma were associated with accelerated deterioration of the peripheral nerve function in aging people.

The correlation between the dietary intake of fish oil and platelet aggregation was studied in the University of Edinburgh in England. In this study, involving 28 healthy individuals, dietary supplementation with oil-rich fish was found to reduce platelet aggregation. Platelet aggregation is a sensitive marker of platelet activation, which may contribute to the initiation and progression of blood clot formation. Half the participants in this study were receiving a dietary supplementation of 500 grams of oil-rich fish per week, while the other half, the control, received no dietary intervention at all. Both groups were observed for a period of four weeks. At the end of the observation period, a 35% reduction in platelet aggregates was observed in the group which had taken the dietary supplement compared to the control group. An inverse association was found between platelet aggregation and plasma levels of omega-3 fatty acid. However, four weeks after intervention, platelet aggregation returned back to baseline levels. The conclusion of this study was that dietary intervention with oil-rich fish can reduce platelet aggregation in humans. This result also suggests that reduced platelet activation provides a potential defense mechanism against a cardiovascular event. Based on the results of this study, fish oil supplementation should be strongly considered in individuals with high risk of cardiovascular complications.

A very interesting study was conducted by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburg, School of Medicine. This study involved 55 healthy adults. The study observed the relationship between the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and the volume gray matter in the brain. The participants of the study completed a dietary interview which assessed their intake of omega-3 fatty acid. Individuals taking large amounts of omega-3 fatty acid were found to have a higher volume of gray matter in certain brain areas. These gray matter areas were responsible for emotional arousal and memory. The conclusion of this study was that a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet may positively affect certain areas of the brain responsible for mood and memory. Based on the conclusions of this study, individuals suffering from a variety of emotional disturbances should consider increasing the intake of fish oils.

A pilot study observed the behavioral response of nine children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that received dietary fish oil supplements containing high doses of EPA and DHA (the active ingredients in fish oil). The children were all started on doses of 16.2 grams of EPA/DHA concentrates daily. The dose was adjusted accordingly to the ration of arachidonic acid to EPA which is usually normally found in the population in Japan. Over a period of eight weeks, significantly improved behavior was observed. In that time, levels of EPA and DHA drastically increased. The ratio between arachidonic acid and EPA significantly decreased. A very impressive correlation was found between the reduction of arachidonic acid to EPA ratio and overall severity of the disorder. An evaluation performed by a psychiatrist revealed significant improvement on the level of attention, suppression of hyperactivity and other behavioral parameters after the eight weeks of supplementation with EPA/DHA. The result of this pilot study has suggested that children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder may benefit from supplementation with high doses of EPA/DHA concentrates.

The intake of fish oil and its effect on colorectal polyps and cancer was studied in the St. George Hospital in London, England. In a randomized control study involving 30 patients with a history of colorectal adenomas (benign colorectal polyps with high tendency to transform to malignant tumors), the patients were randomly dosed with 2 grams of highly purified EPA a day for a period of three months. In the group of patients taking EPA, the abnormal proliferation of cancerous cells was found to be significantly reduced and the natural death of abnormal potentially cancerous cells, in a process called apoptosis, was significantly increased. The level of EPA in the colonic mucosa was found to be significantly higher. The main conclusion derived from this study was that taking EPA may significantly reduce the proliferation of potentially cancerous cells. According to the foregoing results, taking fish oil supplementation should be strongly considered by patients with recurring benign colon polyps which may develop into malignant growths.

A randomized placebo-control pilot study was conducted in the Nephrology Dialysis Transplant Unit in Indianapolis, Indiana. The intake of omega-3 fatty acid was found to significantly improve cardiovascular inflammation indices. The patients were randomized to receive either 1.3 gram of a combination of EPA and DHA or a placebo, for a period of twelve weeks. Patients in the supplemented group showed significantly reduced levels of C-reactive protein and triglycerides. Therefore, this form of supplementation was positively correlated with cardiovascular protection. Because of the result of this study, the American Heart Association recommended that certain doses of fish oil can be tolerated by the body and are probably effective in preventing cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients.

In a study involving 250 Japanese males aged between 40 to 49 years of age, without a known history of cardiovascular disease, observations have demonstrated that regular consumption of fish may have a protective effect against early atherosclerosis. Dietary information and lifestyle information were obtained using a questionnaire. The degree of atherosclerosis in the observed patients was determined by using a carotid ultrasound to measure the thickness of the internal layer of the carotid artery. The carotid artery wall thickness was significantly higher in the low fish consumption group as compared with high fish consumption group. This data was quite conclusive even after adjusting for smoking, alcohol consumption, waist circumference, age and use of cholesterol medications. The conclusion of this study was that fish consumption may help protect against early atherosclerosis in middle aged males, probably due to the anti-inflammatory effect of fish oil.

The beneficial effects of long-term fish consumption have been studied in Greece in an epidemiological study involving over 500 subjects from the age of 65 to 100 years old from the Mediterranean Island. The results indicated that consistent, long-term fish consumption is correlated with improved arterial blood pressure, lipid profile and maintenance of normal glucose level. The dietary habit information of the subjects was obtained from a food questionnaire. It was observed that a 100 gram decrease in the intake of fish was associated with a corresponding 19% increase in the risk of developing hypertension, elevated cholesterol or diabetes. The results of this study indicated that long-term fish intake is associated with a lower risk of developing some the most common cardiovascular diseases in elderly people.