Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 11/16/11.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Relation to ACS and Stroke - Medscape, 11/15/11 - "Since the Seven Countries Study[5] in the 1970s and the randomized clinical trial Lyon Heart Study[25] in the 1990s, many studies have supported the beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet on the development of CVD and, particularly, CHD.[6] The CARDIO2000 study, a case-control study with 848 patients with ACS and 1,078 age- and sex-matched control subjects, showed that a 10-unit increase of the MedDietScore was associated with a roughly 30% lower likelihood of having an ACS.[26] Trichopoulou et al[27] showed that adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern was associated with a 33% (95% CI 0.47–0.94) lower mortality from CHD. In addition, recent results of the large-scale, multinational INTERHEART study, including 27,098 participants from 52 countries, highlighted the important role of unhealthy dietary habits as a risk factor for myocardial infarction. Most importantly, the population attributable risk of an unhealthy diet was approximately 27% in men and 26% in women;[28] suggesting that most CHD evens could have been avoided by adopting a healthier dietary pattern. In the present work, the estimated attributable risk for the lowest tertile of adherence to the Mediterranean pattern was 40% for ACS ... Despite the plethora of studies as regards Mediterranean diet and CHD, few studies have examined the role of the diet on the development of stroke. The Nurses' Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 74,886 female participants, showed that adherence to this pattern exerts a protective effect regarding the development of stroke (relative risk of highest compared with lowest quintile: 0.87, 95% CI 0.73–1.02).[13] Furthermore, a recent case-control study of only 48 patients with stroke and 47 age- and sex-matched controls reported that adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a 91% lower likelihood of ischemic stroke (95% CI 0.02–0.40).[14] In addition, results of the INTERSTROKE case-control study suggested that unhealthy dietary habits were associated with a 34% higher likelihood of ischemic stroke (95% CI 1.09–1.65, highest vs lowest tertile), whereas the population attributable risk was 17.3% (95% CI 9.4–29.6).[29] In the present work, similar to the 2 aforementioned studies, it was observed that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower likelihood of having an ischemic stroke event, whereas the estimated attributable risk for the lowest tertile of adherence to the Mediterranean pattern was 37% ... It is widely known that oxidative stress and chronic inflammation play a crucial role for the development of atherosclerosis, influencing endothelial and vascular function. Not surprisingly, the protective role of the Mediterranean dietary pattern regarding CVD has been mainly attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this pattern. The basic components of this diet—olive oil, red wine, fruits and vegetables, and fish—are foods rich in vitamins, antioxidants, polyphenols, phytochemicals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Results of epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have shown that subjects following closer the Mediterranean diet had a higher total antioxidant capacity[11] and lower inflammatory and coagulation markers: C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, homocysteine, white blood cell, and fibrinogen levels.[12, 30] Furthermore, latest studies have shown the beneficial role of this diet on endothelial function.[30] In particular, adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been associated not only with a reduction in endothelial damage and dysfunction but also with improvement in the degenerative activity of the endothelium"

Prostate cancer may be tied to the Pill in water supply - MSNBC, 11/14/11 - "Several studies now have found an association between estrogen exposure and prostate cancer ... Birth control pills often contain a type of estrogen called ethinyloestradiol, which women taking the pills excrete in their urine. The hormone ends up in the water supply, or is taken up by plants or animals that use the water, and then passed up the food chain ... looked at prostate cancer mortality and contraceptive use in 88 countries for their analysis ... results of 'ecological' analyses like this one ... must be interpreted cautiously" - Note:  I mentioned several times about taking a quarter tablet of letrozole every third day.  It would seem like the amount of estrogen from drinking water would be minute compared to the amount of estrogen that is reduced by taking a small amount of letrozole. - See letrozole at OffshoreRX.

The Body Odd - Nice guys are better dancers, study says - MSNBC, 11/14/11 - "The results revealed that the more conscientious and socially agreeable a man's personality, the more likely women were to view him as a good dancer"

High IQ in Childhood May Predict Later Drug Use - WebMD, 11/14/11 - "In the study, women with high IQ scores at age 5 were more than twice as likely to have used marijuana and cocaine by age 30 than those with lower IQs at age 5 ... Men with high IQ scores at age 5 were about 50% more likely to have used speed (amphetamines), 65% more likely to have used ecstasy, and 57% more likely to have used multiple illicit drugs by age 30, compared with those who did not perform as well on IQ tests at age 5"

Cleaning your teeth can cut heart attack risk - MSNBC, 11/14/11 - "According to data compiled by researchers in Taiwan, people who had their teeth professionally scraped and cleaned had a 24 percent lower risk of heart attack and 13 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who never had a dental cleaning"

AMD-like lesions delayed in mice fed lower glycemic index diet - Science Daily, 11/14/11 - "The dietary glycemic index (DGI) measures the rate at which glucose is delivered to the bloodstream after consuming carbohydrates. Higher GI foods including white bread and white potatoes trigger a rapid delivery of glucose that pushes the body to work overtime to absorb, whereas lower GI foods, like whole grain bread and fruits and vegetables, initiate a slower release of glucose that is more easily processed by cells ... Compared to the mice on the lower GI diet, mice on the higher GI diet demonstrated elevated accumulations of debris known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the whole retina, particularly in the cells of the RPE. The RPE plays a crucial role in maintaining vision and its dysfunction results in the gradual central vision loss that is the hallmark of AMD. AGE accumulation has also been linked to tissue damage in other age-related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease"

Latisse for your dome? Drug thickens thin hair - MSNBC, 11/14/11 - "The appeal of using Latisse for hair loss is its ease and convenience, as it seems to only require one drop to the affected area once a day ... The major drawback: It's expensive. Each 2-ounce bottle costs $100 to $150 — and some patients will run through two or three bottles a month"

Unbearable honey - The Daily, 11/13/11 - "More than three-fourths of the honey tested from grocery stores in the U.S. doesn’t meet the international standards to be labeled “honey,” according to an analysis done for Food Safety News ... The results show that the pollen frequently has been removed through a high-tech process called ultra-filtration. Without pollen, the product isn’t considered to be honey by most of the world’s food safety agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration ... Pollen contains enzymes, antioxidants and has well-documented anti-allergenic benefits, experts say. “Stomach ailments, anemia and allergies are just a few of the conditions that may be improved by consumption of unprocessed honey,” ... The Food and Drug Administration agrees that any product that’s been ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen isn’t honey" - Note: This might be an option in the future if you don't mind bees flying though your yard to get to it:

• Honey, at home: Philips urban beehive shrinks your ecological footprint, increases holes on belt - Engadget, 11/10/11
• Philips - Design Probes - Urban beehive
• Electronics Giant Philips Unveils Sleek Urban Beehive - Forbes, 11/7/11
• Philips also has a poop gas-powered kitchen island concept

Troubling smoke signals - The Daily, 11/13/11 - "Out of 3,249 cases of psychological episodes reported to the FDA, 90 percent were linked to the ingredient in Chantix, 7 percent to bupropion, sold under the name Wellbutrin, and 3 percent to nicotine-replacement products"

Pomegranate Juice Lowers Cardiovascular Risk Factors - Medscape, 11/12/11 - "Hemodialysis patients were randomized to receive 100 mL of pomegranate juice (n = 66) or an equivalent-tasting placebo (n = 35) 3 times a week for 12 months ... At 12 months, all components of the lipid profile improved in the pomegranate juice group but not in the placebo group. In the juice group, there were statistically significant decreases in TGs from baseline to 12 months (P = .01), especially in patients with a baseline TG level of at least 200 mg/dL (P < .001). Over the same time period, HDL rose significantly (P = .005) in the juice group. There was no significant change in any of these parameters in the placebo group ... During the study period, there was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure in the juice group overall (P < .006), especially in patients who had a baseline systolic pressure of at least 140 mm Hg (P < .005); this was not the case in the placebo group ... At 12 months, those in the juice group were taking significantly fewer antihypertensive drugs than those in the placebo group (P < .05). In the juice group, 22% of the subjects were taking fewer and 12.2% were taking more antihypertensive drugs; in the placebo group, 7.7% were taking fewer and 34.6% were taking more antihypertensive drugs" - See pomegranate at Amazon.com.

High-Fiber Diet Linked to Lower Colon Cancer Risk - WebMD, 11/11/11 - "Total fiber intake, as well as fiber from whole grains and from cereals, was most strongly linked with a reduction in colorectal cancer risk ... The evidence was weaker for fiber from fruits, vegetables, and legumes"

Smoking Pot Shrinks the Brain - Medscape, 11/11/11 - "It is now accepted by most psychiatrists that smoking cannabis increases an individual's risk of psychosis, and more specifically schizophrenia ... People with a family history of schizophrenia are particularly vulnerable to the psychotomimetic effects of the drug, and are likely at particular elevated risk of developing schizophrenia if they use cannabis ... those participants who had used marijuana showed a reduction in their thalamic volume that was significant on the left side of the thalamus (F = 4.47; P = .04), and highly significant on the right (F = 7.66; P = .008). However, no loss of thalamic volume was noted in those who did not use marijuana during the 2-year period" - Duh!!!  It took all this time to figure out that maryjane shrinks the brain.  I figures that out 45 years ago from observing people that used it.  Yet people must think that American's don't have a small enough brain already so we should legalize it.

Spine Surgery Patients Need Adequate Vitamin D Levels - Medscape, 11/11/11 - "The mean vitamin D level in the study population was 28.6 +/- 13.0 ng/mL, and 27% of the patients were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/mL) ... lthough a previous study showed inadequate vitamin D levels in 43% of patients undergoing orthopedic procedures, this is the first study to look solely at patients undergoing spine surgery ... To maintain bone health and normal calcium metabolism, the Institute of Medicine established a recommended daily allowance for vitamin D of 600 IU" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Eating fish can reduce the risk of diabetes - Science Daily, 11/11/11 - "the consumption of fish is associated with a decreased prevalence of diabetes and lower glucose concentrations whereas the consumption of red meat, especially cured meats is related to increased weight gain and obesity ... Eating red meat in excess is linked to higher cardiovascular risk, higher blood pressure, diabetes and a moderate decrease in life expectancy mainly due to cancer or heart disease. In contrast, fish appears in the Mediterranean diet and has health benefits for the heart"

Depression and chronic stress accelerates aging - Science Daily, 11/9/11 - "The telomere is the outermost part of the chromosome. With increasing age, telomeres shorten, and studies have shown that oxidative stress and inflammation accelerates this shortening. On this basis it has been suggested that telomere length is a measure of biological aging, and telomere length has subsequently been linked to age-related diseases, unhealthy lifestyle, and longevity. The research team shows that shorter telomere length is associated with both recurrent depression and cortisol levels indicative of exposure to chronic stress"

Low-salt diets may raise heart disease risk - MSNBC, 11/9/11 - "Overall, the good and bad consequences of a low-salt diet may cancel each other out, so the diet has relatively little effect on the development of disease .. Graudal and colleagues examined data from 167 studies in which participants were randomly assigned to either a low-salt or high-salt diet. On average, participants were followed for at least four weeks ... The effect was most significant for people with high blood pressure, or hypertension —a low-salt diet reduced their blood pressure by 3.5 percent ... However, a low-salt diet led to a 2.5 percent increase in cholesterol levels, and a 7 percent increase in triglycerides. Further, it also led to increases in hormones that regulate the body's salt levels, which would cause the body to preserve salt, rather than excreting it in the urine" - Note:  This has been going back and forth for years.  I use Morton Lite Salt but don't know myself out trying to stay away from it when it's already in the food I purchase.

16% of Cellphones Have Poop on Them - Mashable.com, 11/9/11 - "Keyboards, on average, are five times dirtier and have 60 times more germs on them than toilet seats. They are 150 times over the acceptable limit for bacteria"

Farmed fish fed vegetable matter may have residual pesticides - Science Daily, 11/8/11 - "half of all the fish we eat comes from fish farms. The problem is that these fish are increasingly being fed vegetable matter, which could lead to a build-up of residual pesticides in them ... To protect consumers, there has to be a way to test fish bred in captivity for pesticide residues, but this has not been possible up to now" - Note:  The article doesn't say the results of the tests though.

Diabetes linked to cognitive impairment in older adults, study suggests - Science Daily, 11/8/11 - "in older patients with diabetes, two adhesion molecules -- sVCAM and sICAM -- cause inflammation in the brain, triggering a series of events that affect blood vessels and, eventually, cause brain tissue to atrophy. Importantly, they found that the gray matter in the brain's frontal and temporal regions -- responsible for such critical functions as decision-making, language, verbal memory and complex tasks -- is the area most affected by these events ... at the age of 65, the average person's brain shrinks about one percent a year, but in a diabetic patient, brain volume can be lowered by as much as 15 percent ... Diabetes develops when glucose builds up in the blood instead of entering the body's cells to be used as energy. Known as hyperglycemia, this condition often goes hand-in-hand with inflammation ... Once chronic inflammation sets in, blood vessels constrict, blood flow is reduced, and brain tissue is damaged" - Note:  See my Inflammation page.  It's a major cause of aging and many other diseases.

Some Probiotics Effectively Reduce Common GI Symptoms - Medscape, 11/8/11 - "Mounting evidence is building a strong case for the use of probiotics, or "good" bacteria, to alleviate common gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as diarrhea, bloating, and inflammation, according to several studies highlighted during a press briefing here at the American College of Gastroenterology 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course ... By giving a specific probiotic orally, we could actually reduce the levels of these proinflammatory cytokines and actually enhance the production of an anti-inflammatory cytokine, which is the exact replication of what we identified in animal models and more basic models ... Plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 rose significantly in healthy volunteers and patients with psoriasis, but not in those who took the placebo for 8 weeks ... Plasma levels of 2 proinflammatory cytokines — tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-6 — dropped in all patients who received B infantis. C-reactive protein levels were also significantly lower in patients with psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and chronic fatigue after treatment with the bacterium than after treatment with placebo" - See probiotics at Amazon.com.

Amino acid-rich supplements boost muscle mass with exercise - Nutra USA, 11/8/11 - "Supplements containing a combination of amino acids and protein before and after resistance training may boost upper body strength by 13% ... The commercial supplements NO-Shotgun and NO-Synthesize by VPX were also associated with a 21% increase in lower-body strength ... The commercial supplements contain a list of ingredients including creatine, arginine, glutamine, beta-alanine, keto-isocaproate (KIC), and leucine, casein and whey protein, branched-chain amino acids, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine, histidine, and methionine ... the primary active ingredients are whey protein, creatine, leucine, beta-alanine, and KIC" - [Abstract] - See BCAA products at Amazon.com.

Abstracts from this week's Doctor's Guide Nutrition/Dietetics plus abstracts from my RSS feeds (Click here for the journals, the PubMed ones at the top):

Dietary total antioxidant capacity and gastric cancer risk in the european prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study - Int J Cancer. 2011 Nov 9 - "A high intake of dietary antioxidant compounds has been hypothesized to be an appropriate strategy to reduce gastric cancer (GC) development. We investigated the effect of dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in relation to GC in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) study including 23 centers in 10 European countries ... Dietary antioxidant intake is associated with a reduction in the risk of GC for both FRAP (adjusted HR 0.66; 95%CI (0.46-0.95) and TRAP (adjusted HR 0.61; 95%CI (0.43-0.87) (highest vs. lowest quintile). The association was observed for both cardia and non cardia cancers. A clear effect was observed in smokers with a significant reduction in GC risk for the 5(th) quintile of intake for both assays (highest vs. lowest quintile: adjusted HR 0.41; 95%CI (0.22-0.76) p for trend <0.001 for FRAP; adjusted HR 0.52; 95%CI (0.28-0.97) p for trend <0.001 for TRAP) but not in never smokers. In former smokers the association with FRAP intake was statistically significant (highest vs. lowest quintile: adjusted HR 0.4; 95%CI (0.21-0.75) p<0.05); no association was observed for TRAP"

Hypothalamic gene expression in ω-3 PUFA-deficient male rats before, and following, development of hypertension - Hypertens Res. 2011 Nov 10 - "Dietary deficiency of ω-3 fatty acids (ω-3 DEF) produces hypertension in later life ... Animals were fed experimental diets that were deficient in ω-3 fatty acids, sufficient in short-chain ω-3 fatty acids or sufficient in short- and long-chain ω-3 fatty acids, from the prenatal period until 10 or 36 weeks-of-age. There was no difference in blood pressure between groups at 10 weeks-of-age; however, at 36 weeks-of-age ω-3 DEF animals were hypertensive in relation to sufficient groups. At 10 weeks, expression of angiotensin-II(1A) receptors and dopamine D(3) receptors were significantly increased in the hypothalamic tissue of ω-3 DEF animals. In contrast, at 36 weeks, α(2a) and β(1) adrenergic receptor expression was significantly reduced in the ω-3 DEF group. Brain docosahexaenoic acid was significantly lower in ω-3 DEF group compared with sufficient groups. This study demonstrates that dietary ω-3 DEF causes changes both in the expression of key genes involved in central blood pressure regulation and in blood pressure. The data may indicate that hypertension resulting from ω-3 DEF is mediated by the central adrenergic system" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Homocysteine and the risk of nursing home admission and mortality in older persons - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011 Nov 9 - "In men, no significant associations were observed. In women, after adjustment for confounding, the highest quartile of homocysteine was associated with a significantly higher risk of NH admission compared with the first quartile (hazard ratio (HR)=2.97, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.36-6.49). Both women in the third and the fourth quartile of homocysteine had a significantly higher mortality risk (HR=1.70, 95% CI=1.08-2.65 and HR=1.91, 95% CI=1.22-3.00, respectively) compared with the first quartile"

Prediction of all-cause mortality by B group vitamin status in the elderly - Clin Nutr. 2011 Nov 7 - "Survivors had higher vitamin B-1 and niacin intakes and pyridoxal-phosphate and folate concentrations. Controlled for confounders, and relative to the lowest tertile of vitamin B-1 or B-6 intakes, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for tertile 3 were 0.74 (0.58-0.95) and 0.74 (0.57-0.97); both p for trend values were <0.05. Further adjustment for dietary diversity led to insignificant findings. For pyridoxal-phosphate, compared to those with deficiency levels, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for adequacy was 0.52 (0.38-0.71) with p for trend <0.0001 and unchanged with dietary diversity adjustment ... Higher vitamin B-1 and B-6 intakes and plasma pyridoxal-phosphate were associated with lower risk of mortality up to 10 years and could be achieved by increased dietary diversity"

Vitamin D Deficiency and Supplementation and Relation to Cardiovascular Health - Am J Cardiol. 2011 Nov 7 - "Serum vitamin D measurements for 5 years and 8 months from a large academic institution were matched to patient demographic, physiologic, and disease variables. The vitamin D levels were analyzed as a continuous variable and as normal (≥30 ng/ml) or deficient (<30 ng/ml). Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazard modeling were performed. Of 10,899 patients, the mean age was 58 +/- 15 years, 71% were women (n = 7,758), and the average body mass index was 30 +/- 8 kg/m(2). The mean serum vitamin D level was 24.1 +/- 13.6 ng/ml. Of the 10,899 patients, 3,294 (29.7%) were in the normal vitamin D range and 7,665 (70.3%) were deficient. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with several cardiovascular-related diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and diabetes (all p <0.05). Vitamin D deficiency was a strong independent predictor of all-cause death (odds ratios 2.64, 95% confidence interval 1.901 to 3.662, p <0.0001) after adjusting for multiple clinical variables. Vitamin D supplementation conferred substantial survival benefit (odds ratio for death 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.277 to 0.534, p <0.0001)" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Soy intake is associated with lower lung cancer risk: results from a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Nov 9 - "A total of 11 epidemiologic studies that consisted of 8 case-control and 3 prospective cohort studies were included. A significantly inverse association was shown between soy intake and lung cancer with an overall RR of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.92). Findings were slightly different when analyses were restricted to 5 high-quality studies (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.99). In a subgroup meta-analysis, a statistically significant protective effect of soy consumption was observed in women (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.93), never smokers (RR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.76), and Asian populations (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.98)"

Cholesterol-lowering efficacy of a microencapsulated bile salt hydrolase-active Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 yoghurt formulation in hypercholesterolaemic adults - Br J Nutr. 2011 Nov 9:1-9 - "Over the intervention period, subjects consuming yoghurts containing microencapsulated L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 attained significant reductions in LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) of 8.92 % (P = 0.016), total cholesterol (TC) of 4.81 % (P = 0.031) and non-HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) of 6.01 % (P = 0.029) over placebo, and a significant absolute change in apoB-100 of - 0.19 mmol/l (P = 0.049). Serum concentrations of TAG and HDL-C were unchanged over the course of the study. Present results show that consumption of microencapsulated BSH-active L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 yoghurt is efficacious and safe for lowering LDL-C, TC, apoB-100 and non-HDL-C in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. The efficacy of microencapsulated BSH-active L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 yoghurts appears to be superior to traditional probiotic therapy and akin to that of other cholesterol-lowering ingredients"

Effects of Low-Sodium Diet vs. High-Sodium Diet on Blood Pressure, Renin, Aldosterone, Catecholamines, Cholesterol, and Triglyceride (Cochrane Review) - Am J Hypertens. 2011 Nov 9 - "The effect of sodium reduction in: (i) Normotensives: Caucasians: systolic BP (SBP) -1.27 mm Hg (95% confidence interval (CI): -1.88, -0.66; P = 0.0001), diastolic BP (DBP) -0.05 mm Hg (95% CI: -0.51, 0.42; P = 0.85). Blacks: SBP -4.02 mm Hg (95% CI: -7.37, -0.68; P = 0.002), DBP -2.01 mm Hg (95% CI: -4.37, 0.35; P = 0.09). Asians: SBP -1.27 mm Hg (95% CI: -3.07, 0.54; P = 0.17), DBP -1.68 mm Hg (95% CI: -3.29, -0.06; P = 0.04). (ii) Hypertensives: Caucasians: SBP -5.48 mm Hg (95% CI: -6.53, -4.43; P < 0.00001), DBP -2.75 mm Hg (95% CI: -3.34, -2.17; P < 0.00001). Blacks: SBP -6.44 mm Hg (95% CI: -8.85, -4.03; P = 0.00001), DBP -2.40 mm Hg (95% CI: -4.68, -0.12; P = 0.04). Asians: SBP -10.21 mm Hg (95% CI: -16.98, -3.44; P = 0.003), DBP -2.60 mm Hg (95% CI: -4.03, -1.16; P = 0.0004). Sodium reduction resulted in significant increases in renin (P < 0.00001), aldosterone (P < 0.00001), noradrenaline (P < 0.00001), adrenaline (P < 0.0002), cholesterol (P < 0.001), and triglyceride"

Resveratrol prevents Streptozotocin-induced diabetes by inhibiting the apoptosis of pancreatic β-cell and the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase - Endocr J. 2011 Nov 8 - "Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene; RSV) is one kind of polyphenolic phytoalexin that has many effects on metabolic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of RSV pretreatment on β-cell. Male Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200-230 g were divided into 4 groups: (1) RSV; (2) streptozotocin (STZ, 70 mg/kg, intraperitoneally); (3) STZ after 7 days pretreatment with RSV; and (4) STZ pretreated with nicotinamide. Fasting glucose concentration was measured and an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was performed 72 h after STZ injection to determine the diabetic condition. The pancreas was removed 3, 6, 36, and 48 h after STZ injection. STZ induced diabetes in all rats not given RSV pretreatment, whereas none of the RSV-pretreated rats developed diabetes. Pretreatment with RSV inhibited apoptosis and reduced the activation of caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). However, expression of the total length PARP was not affected by pretreatment. Our findings suggest that RSV protects β-cells from STZ simultaneously with inhibiting the activation of PARP" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

Pioglitazone may accelerate disease course of slowly progressive type 1 diabetes - Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2011 Nov;27(8):951-3 - "The enrolled SPIDDM patients were randomly allocated to a pioglitazone or metformin group. When the haemoglobin A1C level was more than 8% on two consecutive occasions, the case was considered to reach the end point ... By 4 years post-intervention, all patients had reached the end point in the pioglitazone group, whereas only 20% of patients had reached the end point in the metformin group" - Related studies:

• Drug prevents Type 2 diabetes in majority of high-risk individuals - Science Daily, 3/23/11 - "A pill taken once a day in the morning prevented type 2 diabetes in more than 70 percent of individuals whose obesity, ethnicity and other markers put them at highest risk for the disease ... The team also noted a 31 percent decrease in the rate of thickening of the carotid artery, the major vessel that supplies blood to the brain ... The 72 percent reduction is the largest decrease in the conversion rate of pre-diabetes to diabetes that has ever been demonstrated by any intervention, be it diet, exercise or medication ... pioglitazone, which is marketed as Actos® ... It is the most efficacious method we have studied to date to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes ... This particular medication does two things -- improves insulin resistance and improves beta cell function, which are the two core defects of diabetes"
• Comparison of the effects of pioglitazone and metformin on insulin resistance and hormonal markers in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and early diabetes - Hypertens Res. 2007 Jan;30(1):23-30 - "pioglitazone was superior to metformin for the improvement of insulin resistance and adiponectin ... Early intervention with pioglitazone or metformin therapy may reduce the incidence of future cardiovascular disease in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance or early diabetes"
• Pioglitazone Cuts Risk of Progression to Diabetes - Clinical Psychiatry News, 7/08 - "People with impaired glucose tolerance were 81% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a 3-year period if treated with pioglitazone ... Patients were randomized to treatment with placebo or 30 mg/day pioglitazone. If the drug was tolerated after 1 month, the dose could be increased up to 45 mg/day"
• Pioglitazone Reduces Conversion From Impaired Glucose Tolerance to Diabetes - Medscape, 6/8/08 - "There was a weight gain of 3.9 kg in the pioglitazone group vs about 0.8 kg in the placebo group ... Over a mean follow-up of 2.6 years, pioglitazone markedly decreased, by 81%, the conversion rate of IGT to type 2 diabetes. IGT individuals who had the worst level of beta cell function and who were the most insulin resistant were the individuals who were most likely to develop type 2 diabetes, whether they were in the pioglitazone group...or the placebo group. Pioglitazone was quite safe and quite efficacious"

Relation Between Blood Pressure and Vascular Events and Mortality in Patients With Manifest Vascular Disease: J-Curve Revisited - Hypertension. 2011 Nov 7 - "Recent studies have challenged the notion that "lower is better" for blood pressure in relation to vascular events and mortality in patients with vascular disease, whereas practice guidelines currently recommend to lower blood pressure to <130/80 mm Hg ... For this purpose, 5788 patients with symptomatic vascular disease enrolled in the Secondary Manifestations of Arterial Disease Study were followed-up for the occurrence of new vascular events (ie, myocardial infarction, stroke, or vascular death) and all-cause mortality. During a median of 5.0 years (interquartile range: 2.6-8.1 years), 788 patients experienced a new vascular event, and 779 died. Overall, the covariate-adjusted relationship between mean baseline systolic, diastolic, or pulse pressure and the occurrence of vascular events followed a J-curve with increased event rates above and below the nadir blood pressure of 143/82 mm Hg. A similar nonlinear relationship was found for diastolic pressure and all-cause mortality. Elevated blood pressure was not associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with recently diagnosed coronary artery disease, ≥65 years, and having >60 mm Hg pulse pressure. Importantly, especially in these subgroups, low blood pressure could also be a symptom rather than a cause of disease. Blood pressure level below and above 143/82 mm Hg is, thus, an independent risk factor for recurrent events in patients with manifest vascular disease"

Comparative effects of six probiotic strains on immune function in vitro - Br J Nutr. 2011 Nov 7:1-12 - "The present study compared the immunomodulatory properties of six probiotic strains of different species and two genera in a human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) model in vitro. Live cells of lactobacilli (Lactobacillus casei Shirota, L. rhamnosus GG, L. plantarum NCIMB 8826 and L. reuteri NCIMB 11951) and bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 and B. bifidum MF 20/5) were individually incubated with PBMC from seven healthy subjects for 24 h. Probiotic strains increased the proportion of CD69+ on lymphocytes, T cells, T cell subsets and natural killer (NK) cells, and increased the proportion of CD25+, mainly on lymphocytes and NK cells. The effects on activation marker expression did not appear to be strain specific. NK cell activity was significantly increased by all six strains, without any significant difference between strains. Probiotic strains increased production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α to different extents, but had no effect on the production of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 or TNF-β. The cytokines that showed strain-specific modulation included IL-10, interferon-γ, TNF-α, IL-12p70, IL-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1. The Lactobacillus strains tended to promote T helper 1 cytokines, whereas bifidobacterial strains tended to produce a more anti-inflammatory profile. The results suggest that there was limited evidence of strain-specific effects of probiotics with respect to T cell and NK cell activation or NK cell activity, whereas production of some cytokines was differentially influenced by probiotic strains" - See probiotics at Amazon.com.

HDL-cholesterol and prediction of coronary heart disease: Modified by physical fitness?: A 28-year follow-up of apparently healthy men - Atherosclerosis. 2011 Oct 17 - "High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and physical fitness (PF) ... The highest HDL quartile was associated with lower risk of CHD (HR: 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43-0.74), fatal CHD (HR: 0.56, CI: 0.36-0.86), fatal CVD (HR: 0.64, CI: 0.46-0.88) and all-cause death (HR: 0.80, CI: 0.65-0.99) compared to the lowest quartile. Adjustments for PF or changes in PF over 8.6 years did not change the results except for all-cause death, which was not significantly different between HDL quartiles. We found no interaction between HDL and PF"

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

• I just bought another solar dryer.  It's got a 5 star rating and doesn't take up floor space: Leifheit 83150 Telegant 100 Mounted Clothes Dryer
• # 2 in glassware.  Also a 5 star rating:  Bormioli Rocco Sorgente Cooler Glasses, Set of 4, Gift Boxed

Health Focus (Omega-3):

Specific Recommendations:

• Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com - This is my first pick.  Don't be fooled by cheap fish oil capsules.  Omega-3 is the sum of the sum of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA), not the total fish oil that it says on the label.  Ref. x
• fish oil products at Amazon.com
• DHA products at Amazon.com
• Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com
• Krill Oil products at Amazon.com
• RxOmega-3 products at Amazon.com
• Vital Choice Seafood

General Information:

• An Evidence-Based Medicine Approach to the Appropriate Selection of Supplementation with Omega-3 Fatty - PowerPak.com, 6/1/07 - "Fish oils EPA and DHA appear to result in different physiologic effects than their precursor, the plant-derived ALA.12-14 Biosynthesis of EPA or DHA from ALA is limited. Although dietary consumption of ALA alone will prevent EFA deficiency, emerging scientific evidence indicates that for optimum health or body function, the fish oils EPA and DHA should also be ingested regularly, either from dietary or supplement sources. Use of ALA supplementation alone, even with high dose or long-term consumption, does not result in lowered triglyceride concentrations seen with EPA or DHA, nor does it demonstrate similar in vitro susceptibility to oxidation of LDL cholesterol"
• The Heart-Healthy Benifits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids - John Hopkins University School of Medicine, 6/05 - "Fish-oil supplements appear to have much lower levels of toxins than fish. In a study of 5 over the-counter fish-oil preparations, levels of PCBs and organochlorines were below the detectable limit in all of the supplements ... Because consumption of this amount of fish in secondary prevention is difficult for most individuals, dietary supplementation is generally needed and should be recommended. The dose in secondary prevention should be at least 875 mg of EPA + DHA per day. This dose can generally be obtained by taking 2 capsules of concentrated fish oils (at least 50% EPA + DHA) per day. For example, such a preparation would contain 500 mg of EPA + DHA per each 1000-mg fish-oil capsule"
• Omega 3: Implications in Human Health and Disease - PowerPak.com - "It should be noted, however, that flaxseed or flaxseed oil does not contain EPA or DHA. Thus flaxseed and fish oil are not interchangeable sources of omega 3 fatty acids per se" - I believe the same holds true for canola oil - Ben
• Omega 3: Implications in Human Health and Disease -PowerPak.com -"The omega 6 LA comprises 7% to 9% of our daily caloric intake, while the omega 3 LNA makes up about 0.7% of energy. It is therefore estimated that the dietary ratio of LA to LNA ranges from 10 to 20:1, at which level the metabolism of LNA is strongly suppressed. Again, this is far more than the recommended ratio of 2.3:1 ... From an evolutionary perspective, a significant change in the diet has occurred in a very short time. The diet of our ancestors in the Paleolithic period (400,000 to 45,000 years ago) was lower in fat and balanced in omega 6 and omega 3—a ratio of 1:1, or 10- to 20-fold lower than today's standard."

News & Research:

• You are what you eat: Low fat diet with fish oil slows growth of human prostate cancer cells, study suggests - Science Daily, 10/25/11 - "Men who ate a low-fat diet with fish oil supplements for four to six weeks before having their prostate removed had slower cancer-cell growth in their prostate tissue than men who ate a traditional, high-fat Western diet ... The short-term study also found that blood obtained from patients after the low-fat, fish oil diet slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells in a test tube, while blood from men on the Western diet did not slow cancer growth ... Preclinical studies suggest that lowering dietary omega-6 fatty acids from corn oil and increasing omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil decreases the risk of prostate cancer development and progression," the study states. "We found this diet intervention resulted in a decrease in omega-6 vs. omega-3 fatty acid ratios in benign and malignant prostate tissue and a decrease in malignant cell proliferation"
• Boosting mental performance with fish oil? - Science Daily, 10/21/11 - "overall, taking either of two different types of fish oil supplement for three months had no consistent impact on mental function in 18 -- 35-year-olds, however they did find evidence of reduced mental fatigue and faster reaction times. Contrary to popular belief, these results suggest that taking omega-3 or fish oil supplements may not have an immediate or measureable impact on mental performance in healthy young adults, possibly due to the fact that this population is already performing at its mental peak or that higher doses or longer than 12 weeks supplementation are required ... Interestingly, in the second of these studies it was found that taking DHA-rich fish oil over the same time period did increase blood flow to active areas of the brain during performance of similar mental tasks. The researchers claim these findings could have implications for mental function later on in life, as evidence suggests regularly eating oily fish or taking omega-3 supplements may prevent cognitive decline and dementia, and increased blood flow to the brain may be a mechanism by which this occurs"
• Omega-3 fatty acids shown to prevent or slow progression of osteoarthritis - Science Daily, 10/17/11 - "New research has shown for the first time that omega-3 in fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis ... omega-3-rich diets fed to guinea pigs, which naturally develop osteoarthritis, reduced disease by 50 per cent compared to a standard diet ... Furthermore, there was strong evidence that omega-3 influences the biochemistry of the disease, and therefore not only helps prevent disease, but also slows its progression, potentially controlling established osteoarthritis ... The only way of being certain that the effects of omega-3 are as applicable to humans as demonstrated in guinea pigs is to apply omega-3 to humans. However, osteoarthritis in guinea pigs is perhaps the most appropriate model for spontaneous, naturally occurring osteoarthritis, and all of the evidence supports the use of omega-3 in human disease ... Most diets in the developed world are lacking in omega-3, with modern diets having up to 30 times too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Taking omega-3 will help redress this imbalance and may positively contribute to a range of other health problems such as heart disease and colitis"
• Omega-3 may ease depression symptoms, slash dementia risk: RCT - Nutra USA, 9/23/11 - "recruited 50 people over the age of 65 to participate in their six-month double-blind, randomized controlled trial ... Participants received daily supplements of EPA- or DHA-rich fish oil, or the omega-6 linoleic acid (LA, 2.2 grams per day). The EPA-rich supplement provided 1.67 grams of EPA and 0.16 grams of DHA, while the DHA-rich supplement provided 1.55 grams of DHA and 0.40 grams of EPA ... compared with the group receiving the LA supplements, the EPA-rich supplement group displayed higher scores on the Geriatric Depression Scale ... On the other hand, the DHA group displayed improvements in verbal fluency ... These results indicate that DHA-rich and EPA-rich fish oils may be effective for depressive symptoms and health parameters, exerting variable effects on cognitive and physical outcomes" - [Abstract]
• Omega-3 supplements show benefits against anxiety: Human data - Nutra USA, 9/14/11 - "the Ohio State researchers recruited 68 medical students to participate in their parallel group, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The med students were given either placebo capsules or omega-3 capsules containing 2085 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 348 mg DHA (docosahexanoic acid) ... Results showed a 14% reduction in levels of the production of pro-inflammatory interleukin 6 (IL-6), as well as a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms in the omega-3 group, compared to the placebo group ... Proinflammatory cytokines promote secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), a primary gateway to hormonal stress responses; CRH also stimulates the amygdala, a key brain region for fear and anxiety. Accordingly, alterations in inflammation could also influence anxiety" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.  Note:  CRH increases cortisol.  See:
  
• Maternal omega-3 intake may influence childhood allergy - Nutra USA, 9/12/11 - "Omega-3 fatty acids may aid the development of the infant gut and improve how gut immune cells respond to bacteria and foreign substances, making the baby less likely to suffer from allergies in the long term, according to new research in pigs ... These findings suggest that feeding fatty acids of the omega-3 family during pregnancy and lactation impact newborn intestinal barrier function ... such changes “are likely to reduce the risk of developing allergies in later life" ... The end result is that the baby's immune system may develop and mature faster – leading to better immune function and less likelihood of suffering allergies ... the pig intestine is an excellent model of the human gut, however, so they are hopeful that the findings can be extrapolated" - [Abstract]
• Omega-3 Effective for Treating Child ADHD - Medscape, 9/8/11 - "In an evaluation of 10 trials with 699 total children with ADHD, investigators found that those who received omega-3 supplements had a "small but significant" improvement in symptom severity compared with those who were given placebo. This effect was also significant in the children who received supplements that specifically contained higher doses of eicosapentaenoic acid ... Omega-3 supplements that included higher doses of eicosapentaenoic acid were also significantly associated with lowering ADHD symptoms ... There were no significant differences found for any dose of docosahexaenoic acid or α-linolenic acid, or between omega-3 monotherapy vs augmenting traditional ADHD medications with omega-3" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Marine, but not plant, omega-3s may boost heart health for women: Study - Nutra USA, 9/7/11 - "High intakes of long chain omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n-3) was associated with a 38% reduction in the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in women, but not men ... Much attention has been paid to the conversion of ALA to the longer chain EPA, with many stating that this conversion is very small. Indeed, between 8 and 20 per cent of ALA is reportedly converted to EPA in humans, and between 0.5 and 9 per cent of ALA is converted to DHA ... high intakes of long chain omega-3s ranging from 0.45 to 11.2 grams per day were associated with a 38% reduction in IHD risk for women only" - [Abstract]
• Fish oil's impact on cognition and brain structure identified in new study - Science Daily, 8/17/11 - "Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital's Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center have found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements ... compared to non-users, use of fish oil supplements was associated with better cognitive functioning during the study. However, this association was significant only in those individuals who had a normal baseline cognitive function and in individuals who tested negative for a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease known as APOE4. This is consistent with previous research ... The unique finding, however, is that there was a clear association between fish oil supplements and brain volume ... In other words, fish oil use was associated with less brain shrinkage in patients taking these supplements during the ADNI study compared to those who didn't report using them"
• Omega-3 Supplements May Lower Anxiety - Medscape, 7/22/11 - "In a small randomized controlled trial of medical students, those who received omega-3 supplements for 3 months showed a 20% reduction in anxiety scores and a 14% reduction in stimulated interleukin 6 (IL-6) production ... Chronic inflammation has been linked to a broad spectrum of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis ... A total of 68 first- and second-year medical students (56% male; mean age, 23.65 years) were enrolled and randomized to receive 3 times daily either omega-3 supplement capsules (consisting of 2085 mg of EPA and 348 mg of DHA, n = 34) or fish-flavored placebo capsules (n = 34) for 12 weeks ... We chose the 7:1 EPA/DHA balance because of evidence that EPA has relatively stronger anti-inflammatory and antidepressant effects than DHA"
• Earlier the better for omega-3 benefits for brains & hearts? - Nutra USA, 7/4/11 - "the older animals did benefit from fish oil supplementation, but the benefits were limited to diastolic function, or the filling of the heart with blood following contraction (systolic) ... The younger animals had better spatial memory than the older animals, and the fish oil supplements were not associated with any reversal of the age-related memory deficits or increases in inflammation in the brain, wrote the researchers" - [Abstract]
• DHA and EPA Have Differential Effects on LDL-Cholesterol - Medscape, 5/22/11 - "EPA inhibited lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) formation by 42% and 54% in vesicles with normal and elevated cholesterol levels, respectively. DHA, on the other hand, inhibited LOOH by 28% in vesicles with elevated cholesterol levels only. The separate effects of EPA, DHA, and EPA/DHA were enhanced when used in combination with statin therapy, including atorvastatin, atorvastatin metabolite, simvastatin, or rosuvastatin. The most potent antioxidant capacity was observed with EPA and the active metabolite of atorvastatin"
• Heart failure risk lower in women who often eat baked/broiled fish - Science Daily, 5/24/11 - "In a large-scale analysis, women who ate the most baked/broiled fish (five or more servings/week) had a 30 percent lower risk of heart failure compared to women who seldom ate it (less than one serving/month) ... dark fish (salmon, mackerel and bluefish) were associated with a significantly greater risk reduction than either tuna or white fish (sole, snapper and cod) ... eating fried fish was associated with increased heart failure risk. Even one serving a week was associated with a 48 percent higher heart failure risk"
• Omega-3 may reduce depression symptoms in the elderly: Study - Nutra USA, 5/18/11 - "According to findings published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, depressed women who received daily supplements containing 2.5 grams of omega-3 experienced significant reductions in their symptoms ... In addition, researchers from the University of Pavia also report that omega-3 supplements providing a daily EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) dose of 1.67 grams and a daily DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) dose of 0.83 grams reported improvements in the ‘quality of life’" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish oil boosts responses to breast cancer drug tamoxifen, researchers find - Science Daily, 4/6/11 - "omega-3 fatty acids -- abundant in fish -- could be a safe and beneficial booster for tamoxifen therapy ... [in rats] Omega-3 fatty acids produced a greater expression of genes related to cellular specialization, or differentiation -- a sign of lower cancer severity -- compared to corn oil. The combination of fish oil and tamoxifen reduced the expression of genes linked to tumor growth and spreading ... If a tumor was being treated with tamoxifen, the addition of an omega-3 fatty acid diet seemed to make the tumor, at least at the molecular level, more benign and less aggressive and responsive to tamoxifen"
• Eskimo study suggests high consumption of omega-3s in fish-rich diet reduces obesity-related disease risk - Science Daily, 3/24/11 - "A study of Yup'ik Eskimos in Alaska, who on average consume 20 times more omega-3 fats from fish than people in the lower 48 states, suggests that a high intake of these fats helps prevent obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease ... The fats the researchers were interested in measuring were those found in salmon, sardines and other fatty fish: docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA ... in participants with low blood levels of DHA and EPA, obesity strongly increased both blood triglycerides (a blood lipid abnormality) and C-reactive protein, or CRP (a measure of overall body inflammation). Elevated levels of triglycerides and CRP increase the risk of heart disease and, possibly, diabetes ... While genetic, lifestyle and dietary factors may account for this difference ... it is reasonable to ask, based on our findings, whether the lower prevalence of diabetes in this population might be attributed, at least in part, to their high consumption of omega-3-rich fish"
• Omega-3 fatty acid intake linked with reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration in women - Science Daily, 3/14/11 - "Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues collected data on 38,022 women who had not been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration. Information on women's eating habits was obtained via questionnaire at the beginning of the study and included information on intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) [Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish], and arachidonic acid and linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acids). During ten years of follow-up, additional questionnaires tracked the women's eye health, with specific focus on diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration ... women who consumed the most DHA compared with women who consumed the lowest amount had a 38 percent lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Similar results were observed for higher intake of EPA and for higher consumption of both types of acid together ... consumption of one or more servings of fish per week, when compared to less than one per month, was associated with a 42 percent lower risk of age-related macular degeneration ... For omega-6 fatty acids, higher intake of linoleic acid but not arachidonic acid was associated with an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, however this association was non-significant after adjustment for other risk factors and fats"
• Fish oil fights weight loss due to chemotherapy - Science Daily, 2/28/11 - "supplementing the diet with fish oil may prevent muscle and weight loss that commonly occurs in cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy ... Researchers suspect that supplementing the diet with fish oil -- which contains omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid -- may help patients maintain or gain muscle ... Patients who did not take fish oil lost an average of 2.3 kilograms whereas patients receiving fish oil maintained their weight. Patients with the greatest increase in eicosapentaenoic acid concentration in the blood following fish oil supplementation had the greatest gains in muscle. Sixty-nine percent of patients in the fish oil group gained or maintained muscle mass. Comparatively, only 29 percent of patients in the standard care group maintained muscle mass, and overall, patients in this group lost 1 kilogram of muscle. No difference in total fat tissue was observed between the two groups" - Note: 2.3 kilograms equals 5.1 pounds.  See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Good diets fight bad Alzheimer's genes: Diets high in fish oil have a beneficial effect in patients at risk, researcher says - Science Daily, 2/15/11 - "APOE comes in two forms, a "good" APOE gene and a "bad" APOE gene, called APOE4. He has developed animal models to investigate the effects of diet and environment on carriers of APOE4, the presence of which is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's. It appears in 50% of all Alzheimer's patients, and in 15% of the general population which due to APOE4 is the population which is at risk of getting the disease ... The good news? In preliminary results, the researchers are exhilarated to find that a diet high in Omega 3 oils and low in cholesterol appears to significantly reduce the negative effects of the APOE4 gene in mouse models"
• How omega 3s help to prevent several forms of blindness - Science Daily, 2/9/11 - "The cost of omega-3 supplementation is about $10 a month, versus up to $4,000 a month for anti-VEGF therapy ... In the new study, they document another protective mechanism: a direct effect on blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) that selectively promotes the growth of healthy blood vessels and inhibits the growth of abnormal vessels ... In addition, Smith and colleagues isolated the specific compound from omega-3 fatty acids that has these beneficial effects in mice (a metabolite of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, known as 4-HDHA), and the enzyme that produces it (5-lipoxygenase, or 5-LOX). They showed that COX enzymes are not involved in omega-3 breakdown, suggesting that aspirin and NSAIDs -- taken by millions of Americans -- will not interfere with omega-3 benefits ... Finally, the study demonstrated that 5-LOX acts by activating the PPAR-gamma receptor, the same receptor targeted by "glitazone" drugs such as Avandia, taken by patients with type 2 diabetes to increase their sensitivity to insulin. Since these drugs also increase the risk for heart disease, boosting omega-3 intake through diet or supplements might be a safer way to improve insulin sensitivity in patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes"
• Fish Oil May Reduce the Risk of Kidney Stones - Medscape, 2/3/11 - "Five days of supplementation with EPA and DHA didn't alter urinary oxalate excretion. But after 30 days of supplements, urinary oxalate excretion dropped from 0.277 to 0.238 mmol/24 hours ... Similarly, after 5 days there was no change in relative supersaturation of calcium oxalate (RS CaOx), a proxy for the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation. But after 30 days, RS CaOx decreased by 23%"
• Deficiency of dietary omega-3 may explain depressive behaviors - Science Daily, 1/30/11 - "The dietary ratio between omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid omega-3 increased continuously over the course of the 20th century. These fatty acids are "essential" lipids because the body cannot synthesize them from new ... the researchers studied mice fed a life-long diet imbalanced in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They found that omega-3 deficiency disturbed neuronal communication specifically. The researchers observed that only the cannabinoid receptors, which play a strategic role in neurotransmission, suffer a complete loss of function. This neuronal dysfunction was accompanied by depressive behaviours among the malnourished mice"
• Eating poorly can make you blue: Trans-fats increase risk of depression, while olive oil helps avoid risk - Science Daily, 1/26/11 - "the participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food, and naturally present in certain whole milk products) "presented up to a 48% increase in the risk of depression when they were compared to participants who did not consume these fats," ... In addition, the study demonstrated a dose-response relationship, "whereby the more trans-fats were consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced in the volunteers," ...Furthermore, the team, ... also analyzed the influence of polyunsaturated fats (abundant in fish and vegetable oils) and of olive oil on the occurrence of depression. "In fact, we discovered that this type of healthier fats, together with olive oil, are associated with a lower risk of suffering depression,""
• Fish Oil Lowers Cortisol and Body Fat Levels - Vital Choice, 12/13/10 - "Black tea is shown to rapidly normalize cortisol levels after stress ... Fish oil has also been found to improve body composition in preliminary clinical studies … an outcome attributed to various physiological effects of omega-3s ... In tests performed at the end of the six-week study, members of the fish oil group showed significantly lower cortisol levels" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Not All Omega-3s Equal When It Comes to Antidepressant Effects - Medscape, 12/8/10 - "In fact, only eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) — and not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — is associated with mood improvement in patients with depression" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• New evidence for eye-protective effects of omega-3-rich fish, shellfish - Science Daily, 12/1/10 - "Our study corroborates earlier findings that eating omega-3-rich fish and shellfish may protect against advanced AMD"
• Fish Oil to Fend Off Psychosis: New Evidence - Medscape, 10/28/10 - "the intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids was associated with a decreased relative risk for psychotic-like symptoms ... Two of 41 (4.9%) of those receiving the active agent transitioned to psychosis, compared to 11 of 40 (27.5%) in the placebo group, which represented a statistically significant difference. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids also reduced the severity of positive, negative, and general symptoms, and improved functioning compared to the placebo condition ... the concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in red blood cells were negatively correlated with hostility scores (the higher the level of those omega-3 fatty acids, the lower the severity of hostility) ... On the other hand, the concentration of arachidonic acid was positively correlated with hostility scores. This and related studies may have clinical implications in terms of either dietary modifications that could be beneficial to people with schizophrenia, or the use of specific polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements among such patients"
• Consuming polyunsaturated fatty acids may lower the incidence of gum disease - Science Daily, 10/26/10 - "There was an approximately 20% reduction in periodontitis prevalence in those subjects who consumed the highest amount of dietary DHA. The reduction correlated with EPA was smaller, while the correlation to LNA was not statistically significant" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Got fish? Nutrition studies explore health benefits - Science Daily, 10/8/10 - "DHA protected the animals against two harmful side effects of CLA: CLA-induced insulin resistance and CLA-induced non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease. In contrast, EPA offered only partial protection against CLA-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and provided no protection against insulin resistance"
• Why fish oils work swimmingly against inflammation and diabetes - Science Daily, 9/2/10 - "Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance ... omega-3 fatty acids activate this macrophage receptor, resulting in broad anti-inflammatory effects and improved systemic insulin sensitivity ... It's just an incredibly potent effect ... omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response"
• Excessive intake of omega 6 and deficiencies in omega 3 induce obesity down the generations - Science Daily, 7/26/10 - "Chronic excess of linoleic acid (omega 6), coupled with a deficiency in alpha-linoleic acid (omega 3), can increase obesity down the generations ... In the past forty years, there has been a steady rise in obesity over the generations in Western societies. During the same period, the diet in industrialized countries has seen a quantitative increase in the calories ingested (lipids account for 35 to 40% of food intake), high levels of linoleic acid (omega 6) and low levels of alpha-linoleic acid (omega 3). Indeed, the amount of omega 6 consumed during the past forty years has rocketed (+250%) while that of omega 3 has fallen by 40%, thus destabilizing the omega 6/omega 3 ratio when compared with the recommended intakes. While the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) recommends an omega 6/omega 3 ratio of 5/1, actual consumption is 15 omega 6 for 1 omega 3. In the USA, this ratio can even reach 40 omega 6 for 1 omega 3 ... researchers exposed four generations of mice to a Western-style diet, characterized by these same omega 6/omega 3 ratios. As a result, they saw a gradual increase in fat mass over several generations"
• Fish oil may reduce risk of breast cancer - Science Daily, 7/8/10 - "asked 35,016 postmenopausal women who did not have a history of breast cancer to complete a 24-page questionnaire about their use of non-vitamin, non-mineral "specialty" supplements in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study ... Regular use of fish oil supplements, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, was linked with a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer. The reduction in risk appeared to be restricted to invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type of the disease"
• Treating depression with Omega-3: Encouraging results from largest clinical study - Science Daily, 6/21/10 - "Initial analyses failed to clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of Omega-3 for all patients taking part in the study. Other analyses, however, revealed that Omega-3 improved depression symptoms in patients diagnosed with depression unaccompanied by an anxiety disorder. Efficacy for these patients was comparable to that generally observed with conventional antidepressant treatment"
• Omega-3 intakes may improve diabetic kidney health - Nutra USA, 4/12/10 - "Albumin is the most abundant protein in human serum and in people with kidney problems the protein leaks from the kidney into the urine. A level of 30 mg per 24 hours is reportedly representative of sufficient function ... people with a higher average intake of omega-3s had albumin excretion levels 22.7 mg per 24 hours lower than people with the lowest average intakes of omega-3" - [Abstract]
• Omega-3: Healthy no matter what? - Science Daily, 4/6/10 - :"Rancid fish oil smells bad and tastes so awful that no-one would want to swallow it. But if the fish oil is in capsules, it is impossible to smell if it is rancid or not. That is why it is important for us to examine whether rancid fish oil is less beneficial to health, or, at worst, harmful to anyone who takes it ... One of the possible negative impacts of ingesting rancid fish oil to which Frøyland is referring is what is known as oxidative stress in the cell membrane, i.e. where oxidants break down the cell membrane ... fish oil from capsules caused oxidation of the cell membrane, even when antioxidants had been added and when the capsules still had over a year left before their expiration date. Juice containing omega-3, on the other hand, produced no oxidation ... The fish oil in Smartfish products comes from the company Marine Harvest Ingredients AS and is manufactured from the discards from salmon production -- within an hour of the salmon being slaughtered" - That's why I don't buy cheap band X brands when I buy supplements. - Ben
• Trans Fats May Promote Endometriosis: Study - Medscape, 3/24/10 - "women in the highest quintile of omega-3 fatty acid consumption were 22% less likely to develop endometriosis than women in the lowest quintile"
• Omega 3 curbs precancerous growths in those prone to bowel cancer, study suggests - Science Daily, 3/17/10 - "randomly assigned to six months of treatment with 2 g daily of a new highly purified form of the omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) EPA. The other 27 were given the same amount of a dummy treatment (placebo) ...number of polyps increased by almost 10% among those treated with the placebo, but fell by more than 12% among those treated with the EPA capsules, representing a difference of almost 22.5% ... Similarly, polyp size increased by more than 17% among those in the placebo group but fell by more than 12.5% in those taking the EPA capsules, representing a difference of just under 30% ... the effects of EPA were similar to those produced by celecoxib, which is used to help curb the growth of new and existing polyps in patients with FAP ... celecoxib has been associated with harmful cardiovascular side effects in older patients" - See See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• In defence of omega-3 - Nutra USA, 3/4/10
• Omega-3 may boost lung function during sport - Nutra USA, 3/3/10 - "Amateur Iranian wrestlers, and not the Hulk Hogan kind, experienced improvements in numerous measures of lung capacity, including lung volume [forced vital capacity (FVC)] and airflows [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)], and found significant improvements following 12 weeks of supplementation and training ... At the end of the study, improvements in FEV1 of 41 per cent and FVC of 53 per cent, in the omega-3 supplements and training group as well as four other measures, compared to the other groups" - [Abstract]
• Very high omega-3 intakes linked to big health benefits - Nutra USA, 2/18/10 - "High levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) were associated with lower levels of triglycerides, as well as higher levels of HDL cholesterol ... Raised levels of the fatty acids were also associated with decreased levels of markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced in the liver and is a known marker for inflammation. Increased levels of CRP are a good predictor for the onset of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease" - [Abstract]
• Omega-3 may combat mouth bacteria, boost oral health - Nutra USA, 2/10/10 - "The study, sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health, found that all six compounds showed cent 50 per cent inhibitory activity for concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 micrograms per millilitre"
• Omega-3 may boost kidney health in diabetics: Study - Nutra USA, 2/3/10 - "Our results showed a significant decrease in serum creatinine level after fish-oil supplement in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients"
• Fish oil may reduce the risk of psychotic disorders in high-risk individuals - Science Daily, 2/1/10 - "For 12 weeks, 41 individuals were assigned to take daily fish oil capsules containing 1.2 grams of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and 40 were assigned to take placebo; a total of 76 (93.8 percent) completed the intervention. By the end of the study, two (4.9 percent) in the omega-3 group and 11 (27.5 percent) in the placebo group had transitioned to psychotic disorder. The difference between progression to psychosis was 22.6 percent ... Polyunsaturated fatty acids also significantly reduced symptoms and improved functioning compared with placebo" - [WebMD] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s: Rat study - Nutra USA, 2/1/10 - "This study, for the first time, reported […] a clear correlation between the decrease in acetylcholine release and memory deficit, [and] E-EPA improves memory by attenuating the reduction of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression ... In this study, our findings add further evidence that E-EPA may improve memory by the modulation of acetylcholineand neurotrophin functions" - [Abstract]
• Krill oil – hope or hype for the omega-3 market? - Nutra USA, 1/7/10 - It's a four minute audio. - See Krill Oil products at Amazon.com.
• High Omega-3 Levels May Slow Aging in Heart Patients - WebMD, 1/19/10 - "Heart disease patients with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids appear to age more slowly than those with the lowest blood levels ... Farzaneh-Far and his colleagues looked at a marker of biological age -- the rate of shortening of telomeres, structures at the end of a chromosome involved in its replication and stability. As the telomeres shorten over time, the eventual result is cell death, scientists believe ... In the new study, the higher the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the patients evaluated, the slower the rate of telomere shortening ... patients with the lowest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids exhibited a rate of telomere shortening 2.6 times faster than patients with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids" - [Science Daily]
• Fish oil given intravenously to patients in intensive care has many benefits, study finds - Science Daily, 1/18/10 - "A randomised controlled trial of fish oil given intravenously to patients in intensive care has found that it improves gas exchange, reduces inflammatory chemicals and results in a shorter length of hospital stay"
• Review supports omega-3 for liver health - Nutra USA, 1/6/10 - "A review of four human studies found that the fatty acids could improve liver health and function, and increase insulin sensitivity in people suffering from fatty liver, a condition that is usually symptomless but said to increase the risk for liver inflammation, and ultimately results in liver failure"
• A Fish Tale That You Can Believe: Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Their Benefits - Medscape, 12/28/09 - Good video summarizing the studies on the benefits of omega-3 fish oil.
• Moderate Fish Consumption May Lower Risk in Patients with a History of Heart Failure - Science Daily, 12/18/09 - "Including fish in a balanced diet has long been associated with the prevention of heart disease, and scientists now believe that it can help preserve heart function in patients who have experienced heart failure. A new study in the Journal of Food Science reports that moderate fish consumption can help reduce the risk of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in post acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients"
• Sea of science deepens for fish heart benefits - Nutra USA, 12/16/09 - "left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) ... moderate fish consumption, defined as , was associated with 53 per cent reduction in the risk of developing LVSD compared to no/rare consumption of fish ... In addition, moderate fish consumption was associated with a lower inhibition of the nitric oxide synthase, an enzyme which produces nitric oxide – a potent vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow"
• Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce risk of colon cancer - Science Daily, 12/7/09 - "Patients who consumed more long-chain omega-3 fatty acids had a reduced risk of distal large bowel cancer. Compared to the lowest quartile, fat intake in the highest quartile was linked with a 39 percent reduced risk of cancer"
• How fish is cooked affects heart-health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids - Science Daily, 11/17/09 - "If you eat fish to gain the heart-health benefits of its omega-3 fatty acids, baked or boiled fish is better than fried, salted or dried"
• Fish Oil May Protect Against Stroke From Ruptured Carotid Artery Plaques - Science Daily, 11/1/09 - "unstable carotid artery plaques – those in danger of rupturing and leading to a stroke – contain more inflammation and significantly less omega-3 fatty acids than asymptomatic plaques ... This suggests that increasing the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in carotid artery plaques could either prevent strokes or improve the safety of treatment. This may be accomplished by increasing dietary intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids"
• Why Fish Oils Help With Conditions Like Rheumatoid Arthritis How They Could Help Even More - Science Daily, 10/28/09 -"New research from Queen Mary, University of London and Harvard Medical School has revealed precisely why taking fish oils can help with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis ... researchers describe how the body converts an ingredient found in fish oils into another chemical called Resolvin D2 and how this chemical reduces the inflammation that leads to a variety of diseases"
• Omega-3 deficiency may be hurting our hearts - MSNBC, 10/23/09 - "Studies show that these special fatty acids accumulate in the brain and can aid children with learning disabilities, reduce violence in prison populations, and even improve everyday mood ... How could omega-3s possibly be this powerful? Scientists believe it's because Americans are suffering from a widespread deficiency. A recent study conducted by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, found that the absence of these fatty acids in our diet is responsible annually for up to 96,000 premature deaths in this country"
• Men who consumed more than 0.39 grams of PUFAs per day had an associated risk of ACS 27 per cent lower than men who consumed less than 0.39 grams per day - Nutra USA, 10/16/09 - "Men who consumed more than 0.39 grams of PUFAs per day had an associated risk of ACS 27 per cent lower than men who consumed less than 0.39 grams per day" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 may prevent age-related sight loss - Nutra USA, 10/8/09 - "a meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent ... Over 12 years of study, the researchers found that intakes of omega-3, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire, were related to both wet and dry AMD risk ... Indeed, participants with the highest omega-3 intakes, equivalent to about 0.11 per cent of their total energy intakes, had a 30 per cent lower risk of developing both types than people with the lowest intakes"
• Health Advice: Do Omega-3 Supplements Affect Mood? - US News and World Report, 9/18/09 - "Researchers have shown that depressed patients have, on average, lower levels of omega-3 in their blood than nondepressed individuals; furthermore, they have found evidence that greater severity of depression is linked to lower levels of omega-3. A number of well-controlled depression treatment studies have found therapeutic benefits following omega-3 supplementation. Omega-3 fatty acids also benefit patients with cardiovascular disease, and there is a very well-known association between depression and cardiovascular disease that may reflect a common factor for both: deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids"
• There's Nothing Fishy About Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Dry Eye Syndrome - Medscape, 9/1/09 - "the essential omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) found in fish oil and alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) in flax seed oil, are also thought to improve evaporative dry eye. Omega-3 fatty acids are believed to competitively inhibit the production of proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. With fewer proinflammatory compounds available, the ocular tear film is thought to be able to better promote a healthy ocular surface. A higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids has been associated with a decreased incidence of DES in women"
• How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease? - Science Daily, 9/1/09 - "a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• More omega-3, less omega-6 for colorectal protection - Nutra USA, 8/12/09 - "the dietary total omega-6 to omega-3 PUFA ratio was strongly associated with colorectal cancer risk ... Compared to women with the lowest ratio, women with the highest ratio of omega-6 to -3 had a relative risk 95 per cent higher" - [Abstract]
• Daily Omega-3s Recommended for Heart - WebMD, 8/3/09 - "omega-3 fatty acids' strongest protective effect appears to be in people with established heart disease after a heart attack. In these people, a daily dose of DHA and EPA is associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of heart-related death ... But researchers say healthy people can also benefit from including omega-3s in their diet. Research shows a diet rich in omega-3s can also reduce the risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), heart attack, sudden cardiac death, and heart failure"
• Omega-3 may prevent blindness in the elderly: Study - Nutra USA, 7/23/09 - "A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may prevent the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) ... mice fed a high omega-3 fatty acid diet displayed a slower development of lesions in their retina, compared to animals fed a low omega-3 diet. Furthermore, some of the mice in the omega-3 group displayed some reversion of the lesions" - [Abstract] - [Science Daily] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 Supplements Provide Mixed Results as Antidepressant - Medscape, 7/8/09 - "There is a large body of epidemiological data to support a link between omega-3 and depression ... For example, 8 of 11 epidemiological studies evaluating the association between depression and fish consumption report a statistically significant inverse association. In other words, less fish means more depression"
• Oily fish may reduce dementia risk: Transcontinental study - Nutra USA, 7/8/09 - "Almost 15,000 people aged 65 or over were surveyed. After adjusting for various confounders and pooling the data from all the sites, the researchers report that they observed a dose-dependent inverse association between dementia and fish consumption" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Rat study: Krill beats fish omega-3s in battling metabolic dysfunctions - Nutra USA, 6/30/09
• Omega-3 deficiency causes 96,000 US deaths per year, say researchers - Nutra USA, 6/26/09 - "this new study validates that Omega-3 EPA/DHA is more than just part of a healthy diet...it's a matter of life and death ... We know that daily doses of Omega-3 EPA/DHA can help with many conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, and we're committed to increasing consumer awareness about the drastic Omega-3 EPA/DHA deficiency in the Western diet"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Protect Against Progression Of Age-related Macular Degeneration - Science Daily, 6/18/09 - "we observed participants with early stages of AMD in the placebo group benefited from higher intake of DHA, but it appears that the high-dose supplements of the antioxidants and/or the minerals somehow interfered with the benefits of DHA against early AMD progression ... The antioxidant supplements did not seem to interfere with the protective effects of DHA and EPA against progression to advanced stages of AMD. Participants who consumed higher amounts of DHA and EPA appeared to have lower risk of progression to both wet and dry forms of advanced AMD" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 plus AREDS supplement works for eye health: Study - Nutra USA, 6/16/09 - "Increased intake of DHA was associated with a 27 per cent reduction in the progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), while EPA was linked to a 26 per cent reduction" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Depression In Coronary Heart Disease? - Science Daily, 6/9/09 - "The prevalence of depression ranged from 23% in participants in the lowest tertile of omega –3 fatty acids (< 3.1% of total blood fatty acids) to 13% in participants in the highest tertile ( >4.3% of total blood fatty acids; p for trend = 0.004). Each unit decrease in EPA + DHA was inversely associated with depressive symptoms as a continuous variable, and these associations persisted after adjustment for age, sex and race. Similarly, each SD decrease in EPA + DHA was associated with significantly greater odds of depression as a dichotomous variable (Patient Health Questionnaire score >10)" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 may improve blood pressure during weight loss - Nutra USA, 6/2/09 - "Consumption of fatty fish like salmon, or fish oil supplements, may reduce blood pressure during an energy-restricted diet"
• Omega Fatty Acid Balance Can Alter Immunity And Gene Expression - Science Daily, 5/29/09 - "Anthropological evidence suggests that human ancestors maintained a 2:1 w6/w3 ratio for much of history, but in Western countries today the ratio has spiked to as high as 10:1. Since these omega fatty acids can be converted into inflammatory molecules, this dietary change is believed to also disrupt the proper balance of pro- and anti- inflammatory agents, resulting in increased systemic inflammation and a higher incidence of problems including asthma, allergies, diabetes, and arthritis ... many key signaling genes that promote inflammation were markedly reduced compared to a normal diet, including a signaling gene for a protein called PI3K, a critical early step in autoimmune and allergic inflammation responses"
• Eating Fish, Nuts And Olive Oil May Be Associated With Reduced Risk Of Age-related Blindness - Science Daily, 5/15/09 - "Individuals who consumed higher levels of trans-unsaturated fats—found in baked goods and processed foods—were more likely to have late AMD, whereas those who consumed the most omega-three fatty acids were less likely to have early AMD. "Olive oil intake (100 milliliters or more per week vs. less than 1 milliliter per week) was associated with decreased prevalence of late AMD," the authors write. "No significant associations with AMD were observed for intakes of fish, total fat, butter or margarine.""
• Mediterranean Diet May Boost Eye Health - WebMD, 5/11/09 - "people who ate one serving of fish per week had a 31% lower risk of early signs of AMD. Those who ate one to two servings of nuts rich in omega-3 fatty acids had a 35% lower risk" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Eating Fatty Fish And Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce Risk Of Heart Failure - Science Daily, 4/28/09 - "men who consumed approximately 0.36 grams a day were 33% less likely to develop heart failure than men who consumed little or no marine omega-3 fatty acids"
• Fatty Fish May Lower Heart Failure Risk - WebMD, 4/22/09 - "Study participants who got the equivalent of 0.36 grams of omega-3 a day from fish had a 33% reduction in heart failure risk"
• Eating Fatty Fish And Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce Risk Of Heart Failure - Science Daily, 4/21/09
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Benefit Cancer Patients Undergoing Major Operations - Science Daily, 4/10/09 - "A randomised controlled trial showed omega-3 fatty acids given as part of an oral nutritional supplement resulted in the preservation of muscle mass in patients undergoing surgery for oesopahageal cancer, a procedure normally associated with significant weight loss and quality of life issues ... Patients given the standard supplement without omega 3 lost a significant amount of weight comprising 100% muscle mass. In fact 68% of patients suffered ‘clinically severe’ weight loss post surgery in the standard group (without omega 3) versus only 8% in the omega 3 group"
• Resolvins Have Potential To Resolve Periodontal Inflammation And Restore Tissue Health - Science Daily, 4/4/09 - "These results support the hypothesis that both EPA- and DHA-derived Resolvins have therapeutic potential in resolving periodontal inflammation and restoring the tissues' health" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• ALA-DHA conversion negligible, say fatty acids experts - Nutra USA, 3/25/09 - "Alpha-linolenic acid, (ALA) does not convert to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at levels that confer any physiological benefit ... Each type of omega-3 has distinct nutritional functions. Nevertheless, seafood/algal omega-3s – also known as long-chain omega-3s – are more potent than terrestrial plant sources of omega-3s and boast certain critical functions that terrestrial plant-based omega-3s simply cannot perform"
• Fatty Fish May Cut Prostate Cancer Risk - WebMD, 3/24/09 - "Men in the study who ate one or more servings of fatty fish a week were found to have a 63% lower risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer than men who reported never eating fish"
• Really? - The Claim - Fish Oil Supplements Can Contain Mercury - NYTimes.com, 3/23/09 - "The concern is a common one, but studies have found that most of the widely available supplements contain little or no mercury, dioxins or PCBs. For one thing, most companies use species of fish that are lower on the food chain, like cod and sardines, which accumulate less mercury. And many companies distill their oils to help remove contaminants"
• Teenage Boys Who Eat Fish At Least Once A Week Achieve Higher Intelligence Scores - Science Daily, 3/9/09 - "Eating fish once a week was enough to increase combined, verbal and visuospatial intelligence scores by an average of six per cent, while eating fish more than once a week increased them by just under 11 per cent"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Medical Complications Of Obesity, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 2/12/09 - "Our study shows for the first time that lipids called protectins and resolvins derived from omega-3 fatty acids can actually reduce the instance of liver complications, such as hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance, in obese people" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Novel Benefits Of Fatty Acids In Arteries Shown - Science Daily, 2/11/09 - "a diet rich in fish oils can prevent the accumulation of fat in the aorta, the main artery leaving the heart. The beneficial actions of fish oil that block cholesterol buildup in arteries are even found at high fat intakes ... the fatty acids contained in fish oil markedly inhibit the entry of "bad," or LDL, cholesterol into arteries and, as a result, much less cholesterol collects in these vessels ... Dr. Deckelbaum advises those interested in increasing omega-3 intakes do so by either increasing fish intake or by using supplements that contain the "long-chain" fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which are found in cold water fish" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Novel Benefits Of Fatty Acids In Arteries Shown - Science Daily, 2/5/09 - "Now, a CUMC research team led by Richard J. Deckelbaum, M.D., Director of the Columbia Institute of Human Nutrition, has found that a diet rich in fish oils can prevent the accumulation of fat in the aorta, the main artery leaving the heart. The beneficial actions of fish oil that block cholesterol buildup in arteries are even found at high fat intakes"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Ease Depressive Symptoms Related To Menopause - Science Daily, 1/28/09 - "Their study, published in the February issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, presents the first evidence that omega-3 supplements are effective for treating common menopause-related mental health problems ... Test results before and after the eight-week period indicate that omega-3s significantly improved the condition of women suffering symptoms of psychological distress and mild depression ... Women with hot flashes also noted that their condition improved after consuming omega-3s. At baseline, the number of daily hot flashes was 2.8 and dropped by an average of 1.6 in the group taking omega-3s and by 0.5 in the control group" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• A Little Wine Boosts Omega-3 In The Body: Novel Mechanism For A Healthier Heart Found - Science Daily, 12/5/08 - "moderate alcohol drinking acts like a 'trigger', boosting the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in our body ... the association was stronger between wine drinking and omega-3 fatty acids levels. This suggests that components of wine other than alcohol is associated with omega-3 fatty acids concentration. We may guess this effect can be ascribed to polyphenols"
• Oily fish may boost prostate cancer survival rate: Study - Nutra USA, 11/24/08 - "The prospective cohort study with 20,167 men also found that men who ate five portions of fish per week had a 48 per cent improved survival rate from the disease than men who consumed only one portion per week" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Diabetes Patients: Fish May Help Kidneys - WebMD, 11/4/08 - "fish consumption lowers abnormal levels of protein in the urine in people with diabetes ... Abnormal amounts of protein appear in the urine when the kidneys are damaged; it's a key indicator of kidney disease ... Leslie Spry, MD, a kidney specialist in Lincoln, Neb., who serves as a National Kidney Foundation spokesman, says he typically doesn't tell patients to eat more fish but recommends fish oil supplements to control triglycerides (blood fats)" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• High-fat Diet Could Promote Development Of Alzheimer's Disease - Science Daily, 10/28/08 - "the main neurological markers for Alzheimer's disease are exacerbated in the brains of mice fed a diet rich in animal fat and poor in omega-3s"
• Eating Fish in Infancy Lowers Eczema Risk - WebMD, 9/24/08 - "Babies in a newly published study whose diets included fish before the age of 9 months were 24% less likely to develop eczema by their first birthdays than babies who did not eat fish"
• More fish during pregnancy boosts child development: Study - Nutra USA, 9/22/08 - "The children of mothers who had higher intakes of fish during pregnancy were found to have higher development scores than children of women with low fish intake" - [Abstract]
• 8 natural pain relievers - MSNBC, 9/14/08 - "Capsaicin: For arthritis, shingles, or neuropathy ... InflaThera or Zyflamend: For arthritis ... Aquamin: For osteoarthritis ... SAM-e (S adenosylmethionine): For osteoarthritis ... Fish oil: For joint pain from arthritis or autoimmune disorders ... Methylsulfonyl-methane (MSM): For osteoarthritis"
• Flaxseed Oil Pills vs. Fish Oil Pills - WebMD, 9/12/08 - "As expected, blood levels of EPA and DHA rose in the fish oil group, and ALA rose in the flaxseed oil group. EPA levels also rose in the flaxseed oil group, but only at the higher doses (2.4 to 3.6 grams per day). The researchers write that it's "quite attainable" to get that much ALA from foods without taking supplements ... Since flaxseed oil doesn't contain EPA, the firefighters' bodies must have converted some of the ALA into EPA. That didn't seem to happen at the lower doses of flaxseed oil ... DHA was a different story. The flaxseed oil group didn't get any increase in DHA levels; DHA only rose in the fish oil group"
• Eating Fish While Pregnant, Longer Breastfeeding Lead to Better Infant Development - Doctor's Guide, 9/10/08 - "Both higher fish consumption and longer breastfeeding are linked to better physical and cognitive development in infants"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Mixed Findings for Elderly - WebMD, 9/5/08
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids, but Not Statin Therapy, Cuts Mortality and Hospitalizations in Heart Failure - Medscape, 9/3/08 - "Speaking to the media, Tavazzi said the advantage of n-3 PUFA, as documented by the primary end points, is that they appear to have a beneficial effect on the mechanisms leading to the progression of heart failure. Although the exact reasons are unknown, omega-3 fatty acids could possibly exert favorable effects on inflammatory processes, such as reductions in endothelial activation and cytokine production, as well as influence platelet aggregation, blood pressure, heart rate, ventricular function, and autonomic tone"
• Effects Of N-3 PUFA In Patients With Symptomatic Chronic Heart Failure: The GISSI-HF Results - Science Daily, 8/31/08 - "undertook a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial in 357 cardiology sites in Italy. They enrolled 6 975 patients with chronic heart failure of New York Heart Association class II-IV, assigned to n-3 PUFA 1 g daily or placebo. Patients were followed up for a median of 3•9 years ... In a per-protocol analysis performed in about 5000 full complier patients, the relative risk of death was reduced by 14% (p 0.004). Safety was excellent"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids, But Not Statin Therapy, Cuts Mortality and Hospitalizations in Heart Failure - Medscape, 8/31/08 - "The long-term administration of omega-3 fatty acids reduced all-cause mortality and admission to the hospital for cardiovascular reasons, while there was no effect on these end points with 10-mg rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca)"
• Fish oil helps patients with chronic heart failure - MSNBC, 8/31/08 - "Comparing the results from both studies, the researchers concluded that fish oil is slightly more effective than the drug because the oil performed better against a placebo than did Crestor ... Both studies were paid for by an Italian group of pharmaceuticals including Pfizer Inc., Sigma Tau SpA and AstraZeneca PLC"
• Eat Oily Fish At Least Once A Week To Protect Your Eyesight In Old Age - Science Daily, 8/8/08 - "people who habitually consume oily fish at least once a week compared with less than once a week are 50% less likely to have wet AMD. There was no benefit from consumption of non oily white fish. There was a strong inverse association between levels of DHA and EPA and wet AMD. People in the top 25% of DHA and EPA levels (300 mg per day and above) were 70% less likely to have wet AMD" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Eating Fish May Reduce the Risk for Subclinical Brain Abnormalities - Medscape, 8/7/08 - "Dietary intake of tuna and other fish appear to lower the prevalence of subclinical infarcts and white-matter abnormalities ... We also found that broiled and baked fish appeared to be beneficial, while fried fish was not ... The findings add to prior evidence suggesting fish with higher eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid content appear to have clinically important health benefits" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Fish May Boost Memory, Prevent Stroke - WebMD, 8/4/08 - "Researchers reporting in tomorrow’s issue of Neurology have found that older adults whose diets include three or more weekly helpings of baked or broiled tuna and other fish high in omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to develop "silent" brain lesions that can lead to cognitive decline and vascular stroke"
• Fish Oil, Red Yeast Rice Cut Cholesterol - WebMD, 7/23/08 - "We followed them for a three-month period ... The LDL declined 42% in the supplement group and 39% in the Zocor group ... The supplement group also lost an average of 10 pounds in 12 weeks, but there was no significant weight loss in the medication group. Triglyceride levels, while on average normal in both groups at the start, decreased by 29% in the supplement group but just 9.3% in the medication group -- a significant difference" - See red yeast rice at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Alpha-linolenic acid reduces risk of nonfatal MI - theheart.org, 7/9/08 - "ALA is an intermediate-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that is often overshadowed by the more famous long-chain members of the n-3 family, namely EPA and DHA acids that are found in fish oils ... ALA intake, g/day ... 1.79 ... Relative risk of MI ... 0.43 ... The relationship between ALA and myocardial infarction was nonlinear ... We see a dose effect, but only up to about 0.7% of adipose tissue, which corresponds to about 1.8 g/day. Increasing intake further was not associated with increased protection" - See flax seed at Amazon.com.
• Milestones in Prenatal Nutrition: The Emerging Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Medscape, 7/2/08
• Lowering Blood Cholesterol With Fish Oil And Red Yeast Rice Instead Of Statins - Science Daily, 7/8/08 - "The alternative treatment group participants received daily fish oil and red yeast rice supplements ... The statin group participants received 40 milligrams (mg) of Zocor (simvastatin) daily ... The researchers noted that there was a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in both groups. The alternative treatment group experienced a 42.4 percent reduction, and the statin group experienced a 39.6 percent reduction. Members of the alternative therapy group also had a substantial reduction in triglycerides, another form of fat found in the blood, and lost more weight" - See red yeast rice at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Potential Role Of Fish-based Fatty Acids In Resolving, Preventing Asthma - Science Daily, 6/24/08 - "a molecule produced by the body from omega-3 fatty acids helps resolve and prevent respiratory distress in laboratory mice"
• Failure To Bridle Inflammation Spurs Atherosclerosis - Science Daily, 6/18/08 - "When a person develops a sore or a boil, it erupts, drawing to it immune system cells that fight the infection. Then it resolves and flattens into the skin, often leaving behind a mark or a scar ... A similar scenario plays out in the blood vessels. However, when there is a defect in the resolution response -- the ability of blood vessels to recover from inflammation -- atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries can result ... Some natural mediators that 'cool' this inflammation are derived from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids"
• Pilot study gives sign of fish oil for insulin sensitivity - Nutra USA, 6/18/08 - "The supplements they were given contained 440mg of DHA and 660mg of EPA ... They saw evidence of increased insulin sensitivity through a reduction in the plasma glucose response, and a mean reduction in serum triglycerides and total cholesterol ... What was significant, however, was the reduction in diastolic blood pressure. Clinically significant reductions in all other biomarkers associated with coronary heart disease risk and mortality" - There's no write-up in the abstract.
• Oily Fish Can Protect Against Rheumatoid Arthritis, But Smoking And Psychosocial Stress Increase Its Risk - Science Daily, 6/13/08 - "For the first time, the intake of oily fish has been demonstrated to have a protective effect against the development of RA, reducing an individual's risk by 20-30%"
• Eating Fatty Fish Can Help Aging Eyes - WebMD, 6/10/08
• Eating Fish And Foods With Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked To Lower Risk Of Age-related Eye Disease - Science Daily, 6/9/08 - "When results from all nine studies were combined, a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a 38 percent reduction in the risk of late (more advanced) AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD ... "Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid in particular, form an integral part of the neural retina," the layer of nerve cells in the retina"
• Fish-Oil Supplements Plus Regular Aerobic Exercise Benefit Overweight Patients - Medscape, 5/22/08 - "FO [fish oil] supplements and regular exercise both reduce body fat and improve cardiovascular and metabolic health ... Increasing intake of n-3 FAs could be a useful adjunct to exercise programs aimed at improving body composition and decreasing cardiovascular disease risk"
• Omega-3 linked to lower colorectal cancer risk - Nutra USA, 5/16/08 - "In terms of fish intake, the highest average intake was associated with a 40 per cent reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer. In addition, this link was relevant for both colon and rectal cancers"
• Omega-3 carrier key to boosting children's attention: study - Nutra USA, 5/15/08 - "Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) scores ... In terms of attention measures, both omega-3 supplemented groups produced increased in TOVA scores, with an increase of 94 per cent in the PL-omega-3 group and 37 per cent in the fish oil group" - [Abstract]
• Diets With High Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratios Enhance Risk for Depression, Inflammatory Disease - Medscape, 4/25/08 - "Whereas the early hunter-gatherers had a dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 2:1 to 3:1, this ratio is now 15:1 to 17:1 in North America today ... It is believed that these dietary changes might be related to increases in inflammatory-related diseases, including depression and cardiovascular disease ... at higher levels of depressive symptoms, as the omega-6:omega-3 ratio increased, there was a marked increase in proinflammatory cytokine levels ... compared with the study participants who did not have syndromal depression, the 6 participants who had depression had significantly higher omega-6:omega-3 ratios and higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines"
• Dietary Fish Oil Has Antiarrhythmic Effects in Ischemic Heart Disease - Medscape, 4/22/08 - "This stabilizing effect may be one way in which fish oil reduces mortality in patients with coronary artery disease"
• Omega-3 EPA may benefit depressives, says study - Nutra USA, 4/7/08 - [Abstract] - "were randomly assigned to receive a daily EPA supplement (1000 mg, supplied by Minami Nutrition, Belgium), or 20 mg fluoxetine daily, or a combination of the two for two months ... At the end of the study, data from the 48 people who finished the study showed a 50 per cent reduction in HDRS scores for people in the EPA group, a 56 per cent reduction in people in the fluoxetin group, and a 81 per cent reduction in people in the combined intervention group"
• Mom's fish intake may boost child's brain power - MSMBC, 4/1/08 - "Preschoolers whose mothers regularly ate low-mercury fish during pregnancy may have sharper minds than their peers ... Oily fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in fetal and child brain development. The problem is that fatty fish are more likely to be contaminated with mercury, a metal that is toxic to brain cells, particularly in fetuses and young children"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Be Useful for Cardioprotection - Medscape, 3/18/08 - "To date, the strongest evidence showing a CV benefit from omega-3 fatty acid intake derives from 3 large controlled trials in which a total of 32,000 participants were randomized to a control group or to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing DHA and EPA. In these trials, the supplemented group had a 19% to 45% reduction in CV events vs the control group ... Patients with hypertriglyceridemia should consume 3 to 4 g/day of DHA and EPA, which can lower triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%"
• Fish Diet May Cut Sudden Coronary Death - WebMD, 3/12/08 - "Men who reported eating an average of 6 grams of fatty fish daily -- that's two servings, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's serving-size guidelines -- were 55% less likely than men who ate no fatty fish to die of sudden coronary death ... The researchers chalk up the results to the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Cardiovascular Benefits Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reviewed - Science Daily, 3/12/08 - "The most compelling evidence for the cardiovascular benefit provided by omega-3 fatty acids comes from three large controlled trials of 32,000 participants randomized to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing DHA and EPA or to act as controls ... These trials showed reductions in cardiovascular events of 19 percent to 45 percent ... keeping fish oil capsules in the freezer ... may help reduce burping and upset stomach symptoms" - I've always done the freezer thing and haven't had any problem with the burp even on an empty stomach.  Also note that it's the DHA and EPA that count.  I have friends that buy cheap fish oil capsules that have very low DHA and EPA (omega-3) and they think they are getting a great deal.  I take Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.  They've got the highest percentage of omega-3 that I've found.
• Typical North American Diet Is Deficient In Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Science Daily, 3/7/08 - "the typical North American diet of eating lots of meat and not much fish is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids and this may pose a risk to infant neurological development ... the women who ate lots of meat and little fish were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies didn't do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who weren't deficient. The results were noticeable as early as two months of age"
• Farmed Fish Fed Cheap Food May Be Less Nutritious For Humans - Science Daily, 2/26/08 - "Vegetable oils have been shown to stimulate the appetite and feed intake of fish, and to increase growth rate and carcase quality ... Marine oils are rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), which have been shown to have beneficial effects on heart and circulatory system disease in man ... heart patients with atherosclerosis (disease of the cardiac arteries) were placed on three different diets, using salmon meat containing varying amounts of fish oil and vegetable oil. It was shown that the fat composition of the salmon meat affected the fatty acid profile of the patients’ blood and that the advantageous marine omega-3 fatty acids increased markedly in those patients that ate fish fed on feed containing pure fish oils. It was also shown that in these patients the levels of marker substances for heart and vessel disease were much better than in patients eating fish fed pure rapeseed oil"
• Consumption of fish/fish oil associated with specific heart-rate variability parameters - theheart.org, 2/21/08 - "fish and omega-3 fatty-acid consumption are associated with "more optimal" values of various heart-rate variability (HRV) indices" - [Abstract]
• Essential Fatty Acid Accelerates Treatment Response in Early Psychosis - Medscape, 1/22/08 - "For the primary and secondary prevention of emerging psychotic disorders, physicians should "keep an open mind towards neuroprotective substances, such as omega-3 fatty acids or other experimental neuroprotective substances,""
• Alpha-Linolenic Acid May Lower Risk of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy - Medscape, 1/7/08 - "Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid found in many vegetable oils, including flaxseed, walnuts, and canola oil ... Relative to adults in the lowest quintile of alpha-linolenic acid intake (< 0.61 g/day), the multivariate-adjusted odds of having peripheral neuropathy was 0.54 for subjects in the fourth quintile (1.35 - 2.10 g/day) of intake and 0.40 for adults in the fifth quintile (2.11 g/day or higher)" - See flax seed at Amazon.com.
• More support for omega-3 and weight management - Nutra USA, 12/21/07 - "Laboratory mice fed a high fat diet and supplemented with eight per cent fish oil gained less weight and metabolised more fat than their murine counterparts not receiving the supplement" - [Abstract]
• How Much Fish Is Enough? - Medscape, 12/19/07 - "the American Heart Association recommends the equivalent of 1 gram of active omega-3 compounds (eicosapentaenoic [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acids [DHA]) ingested daily.[3] This amount can be obtained by consuming a 4-ounce serving of white albacore tuna, 2 to 3 ounces of salmon (pink or red), 2 ounces of herring, and 2 to 3 ounces of sardines daily. Alternatively, significantly higher quantities of shellfish would need to be consumed, including 8 or more ounces of crab, shrimp, and lobster daily.[3] For significant TG-lowering effects (20% reduction and greater), the amount of EPA/DHA required is considerably higher (ie, 2 to 4 grams daily) and exceedingly difficult to obtain unless a person consumes vast quantities of fish every day. Therefore, patients with CHD can get the omega-3 fatty acids needed from a diet rich in oily fish. Similarly, patients with TG levels in the borderline-elevated range (150-199 mg/dL) may reduce TG levels by approximately 10% with consumption of fish equivalent to 1 gram of EPA/DHA. However, with higher TG levels, and especially when levels exceed 500 mg/dL, a diet rich in fish is most likely to be insufficient for reducing TG levels to an acceptable range"
• Omega-3 shows benefits for fat loss in diabetics - Nutra USA, 12/13/07 - "either daily supplements of fish oil (three grams, providing 1.8 grams of omega-3) or placebo (paraffin oil) for two months ... At the end of the study, Kabir and co-workers report significant reductions in total fat mass and the diameter of fat cells beneath the surface of the skin (subcutaneous adipocytes) in the omega-3, but not the placebo, group ... risk factors for plaque formation in the arteries (atherogenic markers), such as triacylglycerol levels and the ration of triacylglycerol to HDL ('good') cholesterol, were significantly lower as a result of omega-3 supplementation" - [Abstract]
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protect Against Parkinson's, Study Says - Science Daily, 11/26/07 - "Omega-3 fatty acids protect the brain against Parkinson's disease ... omega-3 fatty acids--in particular DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a specific type of omega-3--had replaced the omega-6 fatty acids already present in the brains of the mice that had been given omega-3 supplementation" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• The Ethyl Ester vs. Triglyceride Form of Fish Oils - Dr. Murray's Natural Living, 11/21/07 - "Some fish oil products are made by synthesizing the free fatty acids back to a triglyceride form while others, including the pharmaceutical forms, maintain the purified oil in the ethyl ester (EE) form. Some companies selling fish oils claim that the triglyceride form is more natural, has better stability, and is better absorbed than the EE form. None of these claims is true. The recombined triglycerides are not necessarily in their natural form, they are not more stable, and they certainly are not better utilized by the body. My personal opinion is that the EE form actually possesses some advantages: ... The specific fish oil product that I recommend is RxOmega-3 Factors from Natural Factors" - See RxOmega-3 products at Amazon.com.
• Fish for brain health supported by trio of studies - Nutra USA, 11/14/07 - "These recent reports are novel in that they address the association of n-3 fatty acid intake and cognitive function in non-demented individuals and, thus, present a shift in the attention to earlier stages of cognitive decline with the hope of preventing progression to states of dementia and disability before they become irreversible"
• Eating Fish, Omega-3 Oils, Fruits And Veggies Lowers Risk Of Memory Problems - Science Daily, 11/13/07 - "people who regularly consumed omega-3 rich oils, such as canola oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil, reduced their risk of dementia by 60 percent compared to people who did not regularly consume such oils ... people who ate fish at least once a week had a 35-percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and 40-percent lower risk of dementia, but only if they did not carry the gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer's, called apolipoprotein E4, or ApoE4 ... Given that most people do not carry the ApoE4 gene, these results could have considerable implications in terms of public health"
• Omega-3 Fish Oil Improves Lupus Symptoms, Shows Possible Cardiovascular Benefits - Doctor's Guide, 11/12/07 - "They received 3 grams of omega-3 fish oils, daily, for 24 weeks ... Low dose dietary supplementation with omega-3 fish oils in SLE not only has a therapeutic effect on disease activity but also improves endothelial function and reduces oxidative stress and may, therefore, confer cardiovascular benefits" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Got omega-3? Not so much - USATODAY.com, 11/11/07 - "Most mayonnaise is made with soybean oil, which is a source of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). But that kind of omega-3 fat, found most abundantly in flaxseed, has not been proven to convey the same health benefits as DHA plus EPA ... if the label just says omega-3 and makes no mention of DHA and EPA, there's a good chance it's ALA"
• Eat Fish, Get Smarter? - WebMD, 11/8/07 - "Most participants ate fish, and the more fish they ate, the better their test scores were -- up to a point ... Test scores leveled off for people who ate more than about 2.5 to 2.8 daily ounces of fish" - Note:  The article includes a total of three studies.
• Staving Off Alzheimer's Disease With The Right Diet, Prescriptions - Science Daily, 11/7/07 - "Fish oil elevated the level of a protein that prevents the formation of amyloid, the tell-tale protein found in Alzheimer's. Caffeine reversed memory impairment in animal models of the disease. In addition, environmental copper reduced the clearance of amyloid, from the brain to blood ... scientists have identified ways that essential omega-3 fatty acid -- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or fish oil -- can help prevent Alzheimer's ... DHA also reduced pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid in brains of Alzheimer's model mice, consistent with the anti-inflammatory effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are associated with reduced Alzheimer's in people" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish Oil Supplements May Ease Lupus - WebMD, 11/7/07 - "Fish oil supplements may help improve the symptoms of lupus ... the supplements also improve blood flow and blood vessel function in people with lupus who are known to be at increased risk for heart disease"
• Fish May Be Adjunct for Postpartum Depression - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/07 - "The only study of omega-3 fatty acid supplements given specifically for postpartum depression was a dose-ranging study in 16 women. It found significant and similar reductions in depression in each of three dosage groups; patients received between 500 mg and 2.8 g per day of supplement capsules for 8 weeks"
• Omega-3 to cut colon cancer: meta-analysis - Nutra USA, 10/25/07 - "the highest consumption of fish oil was associated with 12 per cent reduction in the incidence of colorectal cancer" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Reduced With Alpha-Linolenic Acid-Enriched Diet - Doctor's Guide, 10/17/07 - "The survival rate was 25.52% in the control group versus 63.09% in the ALA group at the end of the 12-month period" - Note:  ALA is the shorter chain omega-3 found in vegetable sources such as flaxseed.
• Baby Formula WIth Fish Oil Added May Help Infants - Science Daily, 10/11/07 - "The researchers noticed that in the piglets that were fed the control formula, fewer proteins were produced in their body over time and, at the same time, their insulin became less effective at lowering blood sugar levels. But piglets that drunk the test formula showed increased protein production and their insulin was as effective at using the proteins in the test formula for their growth as when they were born"
• Vitamin C May Slow Skin Wrinkling - WebMD, 10/8/07 - "After adjusting for other factors likely to influence skin aging, such as sun exposure and smoking, vitamin C and linoleic acid were independently associated with skin aging ... After digestion, linoleic acid is converted to DHA and EPA -- two fatty acids" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com. - Note:  I'm not sure that is correct.  Linoleic acid is an omega-6, which is not converted to DHA and EPA.  Most Americans get about ten time too much omega-6 already.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Borderline Personality Disorder - Clinical Psychiatry News, 10/07 - "Omega-3 fatty acids may be effective for reducing aggression and depression in females who suffer with moderate BPD. The results are consistent with prior findings on the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depression (Evidence-Based Psychiatric Medicine, CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY NEWS, May 2005, p. 28)"
• Report: Fighting Depression And Improving Cognition With Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Life Extension Magazine, 10/07 - "subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1200 mg EPA plus 900 mg DHA, or placebo, for 12 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, the group receiving omega-3 fatty acids had significantly greater improvements compared with the placebo group in scores for depression, suicidality and daily stresses"
• Omega-3 May Lower Type 1 Diabetes Risk - WebMD, 9/25/07 - "Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fats may help keep high-risk children from developing type 1 diabetes"
• Omega-3 may boost blood vessel elasticity - study - Nutra USA, 9/21/07 - "fish oil supplementation improved large artery elasticity, compared to placebo (15.51.5 versus 12.83.7 ml.mm.Hg-1 x 10, respectively)"
• Omega-3 Can Prevent Blindness In Premature Mice: Hospital Treatment Soon? - Science Daily, 8/18/07 - "Mice that ate omega-3 initially lost fewer blood vessels in their retinas than mice that ate omega-6, and they evinced only half as much abnormal vessel growth. Their retinas also showed lower inflammatory activity"
• More Fish Oil, Less Vegetable Oil, Better For Your Health - Science Daily, 7/26/07 - "using more fish oil than vegetable oil in the diet decreases the formation of chemicals called prostanoids, which, when produced in excess, increase inflammation in various tissues and organs"
• Different omega-3 may offer different colorectal protection - Nutra USA, 7/11/07 - "Increased intake of EPA was associated with a 41 per cent reduction in risk, while DHA was associated with a 37 per cent reduction in risk, comparing highest against lowest average intakes" - [Abstract]
• Omega-3s May Help Prevent Blindness - WebMD, 6/25/07
• Can Blindness Be Prevented Through Diet? - Science Daily, 6/24/07 - "Increasing intake of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, found in popular fish-oil supplements, may protect against blindness resulting from abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye ... Mice on the omega-3 diet, rich in DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and its precursor EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), had less initial vessel loss in the retina than the omega-6-fed mice: the area with vessel loss was 40 to 50 percent smaller"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help Slow Prostate Cancer Growth - Science Daily, 6/21/07
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Lower Genetic Risk for Prostate Cancer - Medscape, 6/21/07 - "Overall, diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduced prostate tumor growth, slowed histopathological progression, and increased survival, the researchers write. The 12-month survival rate was 60% for mice fed a diet high in omega-3, 10% on the low–omega-3 diet, and 0% on the high–omega-6 diet. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is 1:1, and mice fed diets with this ratio of fatty acids were able to delay both the formation and progression of prostate tumors and prolong their survival"
• Omega-3 Supplements Can Help With Alzheimer's Symptoms, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 6/21/07 - "There was no observable difference in therapeutic effect between the patients receiving the omega-3 and the placebo group. However, when the researchers took into account which of the patients carried the susceptibility gene APOE4 and which did not, an appreciable difference appeared. Carriers of the gene who had received active treatment responded positively to the omega-3 as regards agitation symptoms, while non-bearers of the gene showed an improvement in depressive symptoms"
• Omega-3s May Lower Blood Pressure - WebMD, 6/4/07 - "Participants with the highest intake of omega-3 fatty acids tended to have the lowest blood pressure"
• Eating Fish May Preserve Eyesight - WebMD, 5/15/07
• Higher Intake Of Fish And Vitamin D Levels Linked To Lower Risk Of Age-related Macular Disease - Science Daily, 5/14/07 - "Individuals who have higher dietary intake of foods with omega-3 fatty acids and higher fish consumption have a reduced risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration, while those with higher serum levels of vitamin D may have a reduced risk of the early stages of the disease"
• Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids Have Positive Effect On Muscle Mass, Study Shows - Science Daily, 5/9/07 - "In mammals, the ability to use nutrients from food and convert them into muscle proteins decreases with age. Though the exact cause of this phenomenon is still unclear, insulin resistance of aging muscle cells has been suggested as a possible answer ... omega-3 fatty acids are known to improve glucose metabolism in people and animals showing insulin resistance ... After five weeks, animals with the marine omega-3 diet showed increased sensitivity to insulin which, in turn, improved protein metabolism"
• Preventing Breast Cancer? - Dr. Weil, 5/3/07 - "Take 2 grams of fish oil a day. High omega-3 fatty acid intake significantly reduces your risk of breast cancer"
• Fish Oil May Help Kidney Disease Sufferers - Science Daily, 4/30/07 - "daily doses of fish oil in the form of a tablet or liquid had been shown to decrease inflammation - a common problem in people with kidney disease"
• Fish-diabetes pollution link may boost supplements - Nutra USA, 4/13/07 - "the risk of pollutants from oily fish, such a methyl mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs) have led to some claims to reduce fresh fish intake, especially for pregnant women who may damage the development of their babies ... Most extracted fish oils are molecularly distilled and steam deodorised to remove contaminants ... The study, led by Professor Duk-Hee Lee observed a link between POP levels and diabetes"
• Fish Oil: Getting to the Heart of It - Medscape, 4/12/07 - "A food-based approach to increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids is preferable. However, for those with known CHD, the increased dose required to lower triglycerides could be as much as 4 g/day. Consuming fish 2.5 to 3 times a week would provide a combined intake of about 500 mg EPA and DHA/day.[21] It is unrealistic to think that these high daily doses could be achieved through diet alone, resulting in a requirement for supplementation"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Protect Heart - WebMD, 3/29/07 - "2.8% of those taking EPA along with statins experienced a major coronary event, compared with 3.5% of those only taking statins ... That's a 19% difference"
• Supplement 'boosts' brain power - BBC News, 3/12/07 - "they were given two capsules a day of the VegEPA supplement, which contains an omega-3 fatty acid called EPA ... Tests done at the end of the three-month study found the children showed an increase in reading age of well over a year, their handwriting became neater and more accurate and they paid more attention in class ... In three months you might expect to see a small NAA increase ... But we saw as much growth as you would normally see in three years"
• Omega-3 in fish oils might ease depression - USA Today, 3/6/07 - "The more DHA a person consumed, the more gray matter there was in three areas of the brain linked to mood: the amygdala, the hippocampus and the cingulate, Conklin says. Seriously depressed people tend to have less gray matter in these areas" [WebMD]
• Balancing Omega-3 and Omega-6? - Dr. Weil, 2/22/07 - "Many nutrition experts believe that before we relied so heavily on processed foods, humans consumed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in roughly equal amounts. But to our great detriment, most North Americans and Europeans now get far too much of the omega-6s and not enough of the omega-3s. This dietary imbalance may explain the rise of such diseases as asthma, coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer, autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases, all of which are believed to stem from inflammation in the body. The imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may also contribute to obesity, depression, dyslexia, hyperactivity and even a tendency toward violence"
• Omega-3 and joint health – more support - Nutra USA, 1/31/07 - "randomly assigned 24 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), also known as Bechterews disease, to receive either high-dose (4.55 g) or low-dose (1.95 g) daily supplement of omega-3 (Epax 5500 TG) ... The patients in the high-dose group exhibited a significant decrease in disease activity according to the Bath Ankylosing Disease Activity Index, which was not seen in the low-dose group" - [Abstract]
• Fish Oil for Moms May Benefit Babies - WebMD, 12/21/06 - "children of mothers who took fish oil supplements scored significantly higher on tests of hand-eye coordination than those who took olive oil supplements"
• More support omega-3 may protect against colorectal cancer - Nutra USA, 11/22/06 - "A diet rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 85 per cent"
• Soy, Fish May Cut Cancer Risk - WebMD, 11/14/06 - "men who ate the most fish -- and that was five or more servings per week of fish -- compared to the least fish -- less than one time per week -- had a 40% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer"
• Omega fatty acids to stop mental decline, says study - Nutra USA, 10/31/06 - "ARA plus DHA supplementation produced significant improvements in the immediate memory and attention RBANS scores (eight and five points, respectively)"
• Omega 3 Fatty Acid Prescribing Behaviors - Medscape, 10/25/06 - "Fish oil intake, through diet or supplementation, is recommended by the AHA and can potentially reduce mortality in patients with CVD. Despite this, family physicians do not often advise increasing dietary fish intake to their patients with CVD. Improving physician awareness of fish oil's benefits on sudden death and simplifying the message should be explored further as potential strategies to increase physician recommendation of this important advice"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Slow Cognitive Decline In Some Patients With Very Mild Alzheimer's Disease - Science Daily, 10/11/06 - "For six months, 89 patients (51 women and 38 men) took 1.7 grams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and .6 grams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), while 85 patients (39 women and 46 men) took placebo ... among a subgroup of 32 patients with very mild cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study, those who took the fatty acids experienced less decline in six months compared with those who took placebo"
• New Study Finds Omega-3's in Fatty Fish Can Reduce Risk of Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 9/26/06 - "At least one portion of fatty fish a week during the period (1987-2004) reduced the risk of renal cancer by 74 per cent compared with those who never ate fatty fish"
• Fatty Fish Fight Cancer - WebMD, 9/19/06 - "Those who consistently ate lots of fatty fish over a 10-year period had a 74% lower risk of kidney cancer" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Why You Need More Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Life Extension Magazine, 9/06
• Protection for Aging Eyes - New Hope Natural Media Online, 8/31/06 - "A 40% reduction in the incidence of early age-related macular degeneration was associated with eating fish at least once a week; eating fish at least three times per week even reduced the incidence of late-stage age-related macular degeneration"
• Fish Oils May Be Lifesavers - WebMD, 8/30/06 - "Sudden death risk dropped 6.4% with adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake, compared with 3.3% for implantable defibrillators, and less than 1% with easy access to AEDS"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids after Myocardial Infarction - Medscape, 8/30/06 - "OMACOR, containing 900 mg of highly purified n-3 PUFA (eicosapentaenoic acid, 46%; decosahexaenoic acid, 38%) ... The incremental number of life-years saved by OMACOR during the 4 years' follow-up was 0.054 per patient, or 54 per 1000 patients"
• Altering Fatty Acid Levels In Diet May Reduce Prostate Cancer Growth Rate - Science Daily, 8/1/06 - "tumor cell growth rates decreased by 22 percent and PSA levels were 77 percent lower in the group receiving a healthier balance of fatty acids compared with the group that received predominantly omega-6 fatty acids"
• Fatty Fish Helps Heart Keep Its Rhythm - WebMD, 7/28/06 - "suggests eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids regularly acts directly on the heart's electrical function, which regulates the heart rate and keeps it from beating too fast or too slow"
• Fish Oil May Help Save Your Eyes - WebMD, 7/10/06 - "men with the highest fish consumption (at least two weekly servings) were 45% less likely to have AMD than those with the lowest fish consumption (less than one weekly serving)"
• A Safer Alternative to NSAIDs? - Physician's Weekly, 7/3/06 - "omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) may be as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relieving neck and lower back pain without the risk of harmful complications"
• Omega-3s may help depressive kids - pilot study - Nutra USA, 6/23/06 - "seven out of ten children in the omega-3 group and none of the children in the placebo group had depression score reductions of 50 per cent or more"
• Hypertriglyceridemia - Medscape, 6/1/06 - "Omega-3 fatty acids (4 g per day) will reduce triglyceride levels by 30%"
• MIT Research Offers New Hope For Alzheimer's Patients - Science Daily, 4/27/06 - "The three compounds in the treatment cocktail - omega-3 fatty acids, uridine and choline - are all needed by brain neurons to make phospholipids, the primary component of cell membranes"
• Does Eating Salmon Lower the Murder Rate? - New York Times, 4/16/06 - "enrolled 231 volunteers at a British prison in his study; one-half received a placebo, while the other half received fatty acids and other supplements. Over time, the antisocial behavior (as measured by assaults and other violations) of the inmates who had been given the supplements dropped by more than a third relative to their previous records"
• Fish Oil May Help Ease Back Pain - WebMD, 4/6/06 - "88% of patients said they would keep taking fish oil supplements"
• Fish Oil May Help Protect Against Retinal Degenerative Diseases - Science Daily, 4/6/06
• Omega-3s could stop liver cancer cells growth - Nutra USA, 4/3/06 - "Both omega-3 fatty acids had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect"
• Study: Benefits of Omega-3s Fishy - WebMD, 3/24/06
• In search of those omega-3 fatty acids -  San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/7/06 - "Fish oils from supplements or dietary sources can reduce triglycerides by 20 percent to 50 percent ... Studies have used triglyceride-lowering doses of 1 to 4 grams (1,000 mg to 4,000 mg) daily"
• In a Bad Mood? Eat Your Fish - WebMD, 3/3/06 - "People in our study who had low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to report mild to moderate symptoms of depression, more moodiness, and more impulsivity ... people with higher blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more agreeable"
• Fish oils cool anger levels - Nutra USA, 1/23/06 - "The 13 patients who received the fish oil showed a clinically significant and progressive decrease in their POMS anger subscale scores"
• Oily fish makes 'babies brainier' - BBC News, 1/20/06 - "mothers with the lowest intake of the essential fatty acid had children with a verbal IQ six points lower than the average ... Low intake of the crucial fatty acid also appeared to lead to more problems of social interactions - such as an inability to make friends"
• Fish Oil Reduces Airway Inflammation Caused by Exercise-Induced Asthma - Doctor's Guide, 1/10/06 - "the post-exercise lung function of participants -- adults with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma -- improved by about 64% and their use of emergency inhalers decreased by 31% when they consumed a diet supplemented with fish oil, rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), for three weeks"
• Have a Daily Dose of Omega-3 - US News, 12/26/05 - "Farmed salmon are raised on fish oil pellets derived from local fish, which are often contaminated with cancer-causing PCB s. The most recent study, in the November issue of the Journal of Nutrition, reports that contaminant levels in farmed salmon from certain regions increase the risk of cancer enough to outweigh benefits"
• Fish Oil Prevents Potentially Deadly Heart Rate Variability - Science Daily, 12/15/05 - "In this randomized controlled trial, fish oil supplementation prevented the reduction in heart rate variability associated with the same-day exposure to indoor particulate matter"
• Fish Oil May Treat Lung Disease - WebMD, 12/12/05 - "People in the omega-3 group had two advantages. They had a significant drop in lung inflammation. They also walked farthest in the six-minute walking test"
• Cortisol, Stress, and Health - Life Extension Magazine, 12/05 - "Supplements to reduce high cortisol levels secondary to stress ... Vitamin C: 1000-3000 mg/day ... Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids):1-4 gm/day ... Phosphatidylserine: 300-800 mg/day ... Rhodiola rosea: 100-200 mg/day, standardized extract ... Ginseng: 100-300 mg/day, standardized extract ... Ginkgo biloba: 100-200 mg/day, standardized extract ... DHEA: 25-50 mg/day (any hormone supplementation should be monitored by your physician)"
• Fatty Acids May Protect against Cardiovascular Disease - Doctor's Guide, 11/21/05 - "After 4.5 years of follow-up, patients taking EPA were 19% less likely to have adverse coronary events compared to controls"
• The Nude Mouse Tale: Omega-3 Fats Save The Life Of A Terminal Cancer Patient - Science Daily, 11/14/05 - "In 2000 he was told by his doctor he had only a few months to live ... But five years later, he is still alive, and has even gained a little weight ... It was a nutritional intervention, drastically increasing the patient’s intake of omega-3 fatty acids"
• Fish Oil Supplements Improve Lipid Risk Factors in Obese Children - Medscape, 11/14/05 - "given 3 g of a daily fish oil supplement ... After 12 weeks, the researchers found that triglyceride levels in the control group did not significantly differ from baseline. In contrast, triglyceride levels in children treated with fish oil significantly decreased. However, differences in other lipid measures were not statistically significant"
• The Perricone Weight Loss Program - Life Extension Magazine, 11/05 - "The reason that traditional low-calorie diets fail is that they lack omega-3s, which are essential for healthy metabolism. If you follow the anti-inflammatory diet and ensure the intake of plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, you will successfully lose weight"
• Oxidation Negates Fish Oil's Many Benefits - mercola.com, 10/31/05
• Fish Oil Improves Endothelial Function of Healthy Subjects - Doctor's Guide, 10/27/05 - "fish oil supplementation resulted in a significant increase in endothelium-dependent brachial artery flow mediated vasodilation (EDV) and endothelium-independent nitroglycerin mediated vasodilation (EIDV)"
• Fatty Acid Supplementation for ADHD - Medscape, 10/26/05 - "finally studies are emerging that are evaluating these possible benefits. One such study found significant improvements in reading, spelling, and behavior in a cohort of children who received dietary supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.[1] In addition, studies of infants fed infant formula with fatty acid supplementation have suggested cognitive enhancement into the second year of life"
• Dietary Fat Intake Linked To Dry Eye Syndrome In Women - Science Daily, 10/24/05 - "a high intake of omega 3 fatty acids, often referred to as a 'good' fat, commonly found in fish and walnuts, is associated with a protective effect. Conversely, a higher ratio of omega 6, a fat found in many cooking and salad oils and animal meats, compared to omega 3 in the diet, may increase the risk of dry eye syndrome"
• Eating Fish Associated with Slower Cognitive Decline - Doctor's Guide, 10/12/05 - "Consuming fish at least once a week was associated with a 10% per year slower rate of cognitive decline in elderly people ... consumption of one omega-3 fatty acid in particular, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is important for memory performance in aged animals" - See DHA products at iHerb.
• Balance of Essential Fats May Prevent Bone Loss After Menopause - Doctor's Guide, 7/13/05 - "After 12 weeks, rats with the lowest ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in their diet experienced significantly less bone loss than rats in the other dietary groups ... A 5-to-1 dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids led to a conservation of bone mineral content that we didn't see with a 10-to-1 ratio"
• Omega-3, Omega-6 Fatty Acids Can Affect Bone Loss - CBS 2 Chicago, 7/12/05 - "eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids -- found in walnuts and salmon -- may prevent bone thinning. While excess amounts of omega-6 -- found in grains and beef -- may actually promote bone loss ... a low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 appears to be best"
• Getting Enough Omega-3? - Dr. Weil, 7/14/05
• Fish Help the Heart by Fighting Inflammation - WebMD, 7/5/05 - "compared with those who said they didn't eat fish, those who ate at least 10.5 ounces of fish per week had 33% lower C-reactive protein and 33% lower tumor necrosis factor-alpha (another indicator of inflammation) levels as well as much lower levels of other signs of inflammation"
• Omega-3 Offers Hope For New Anti-breast Cancer Drugs - Science Daily, 6/8/05 - "Compounds of Omega-3 fatty acids and propofol reduce the ability of breast cancer cells to develop into malignant tumours, inhibiting cancer cell migration by 50% and significantly reducing their metastatic activity ... Propofol is a potent anti-oxidant known to inhibit cancer cell migration by only 5-10%"
• Modern diet may be causing depression - Nutra USA, 5/26/05 - "The finding lends itself nicely to the theory that increased omega-3 fatty acid intake may shift the balance between the two fatty acid families in the brain, since it has been demonstrated in animal studies that increased omega-3 fatty acid intake may result in decreased brain arachidonic acid"
• Omega-3 Boosts Mood Throughout Pregnancy - Clinical Psychiatry News, 5/05 - "In a small, open-label, flexible-dose study of 15 patients using doses up to 2.8 g/day of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, patients showed a mean decrease on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) of 39% and a mean decrease of 34% on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depression - Clinical Psychiatry News, 5/05 - "English investigators conducted a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of EPA doses of 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 mg/day in addition to unchanged standard treatment in 70 patients with persistent depression. The 1,000-mg group showed a significant decrease in depression as compared with placebo, but the other groups showed little evidence of efficacy ... The bulk of evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is effective in treating depression in patients with low omega-3 diets"
• Breast Cancer Protection Starts in the Womb - WebMD, 4/20/05 - "Mothers who choose foods packed with omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and while nursing and then feed their kids such a diet after weaning may reduce the risk of breast cancer in their daughters by nearly 90%, early research in mice indicates"
• High-Dose Omega-3 Oils Used to Treat Non-Surgical Neck and Back Pain - Doctor's Guide, 4/20/05 - "this could be the answer to the adverse effects seen with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors, which have been associated with potentially catastrophic adverse effects ... 88% percent said they were pleased enough with the outcomes that they planned to continue using the fish oils"
• Fish, Soy Oil Supplements May Cut Heart Death - WebMD, 4/11/05 - "participants were randomly assigned to take fish oil supplements or soy oil pills (2 grams daily for both groups) for 11 weeks ... Both groups significantly increased their heart rate variability while taking the supplements. Greater heart rate variability reduces the risk of dangerous irregular heart beats or sudden death"
• Fish Oil May Fight Alzheimer's Disease - WebMD, 3/22/05 - "Brain imaging showed that the high-DHA diet cut brain plaque by 40%. The largest drops were seen in brain areas vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease ... The high-DHA diet also delivered the biggest drop (70%) in levels of beta-amyloid protein in the brain, a building block of plaque"
• The Mechanism of Action of Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Medscape, 3/16/05 - "omega-3 fatty acids play a significant role in secondary prevention post-myocardial infarction. The mechanisms through which two of these omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexanoic acid, exert their action appear to be distinct and adjuvant to the available standard secondary prevention therapies"
• Eating Oily Fish May Reduce Inflammation - Science Daily, 3/24/05 - "This research group recently identified a new class of aspirin-triggered bioactive lipids, called resolvins, the activity of which may in part explain the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids"
• Oily fish helps cut inflammation - BBC News, 3/13/05 - "We always suggest that people with arthritis eat two or three portions of oily fish a week, or take 1,500mg fish oil capsules a day"
• Low Fatty Acid Levels, Dementia Associated in Large Study - Clinical Psychiatry News, 3/05 - "The n-3 fatty acids are an important component of the neuronal membrane, influencing membrane fluidity and all the related functions, such as signal transduction and enzyme function ... Subjects with dementia had the lowest n-3 fatty acid plasma concentrations ... Subjects with dementia had the highest plasma concentrations of saturated fatty acids"
• Applications of Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Medscape, 3/1/05 - "Fish saves lives, and physicians must recognize this potential life-saving treatment choice in patients with cardiovascular disease. In addition, family physicians can safely offer patients an alternative therapeutic approach for difficult-to-treat conditions such as hypertriglyceridemia and rheumatoid arthritis. For those without cardiovascular disease, including young mothers and women, it is reasonable to recommend 650 to 1000 mg of low-risk fish oils per day through dietary approaches as suggested by the National Institutes of Health working group, AHA, and the FDA—easily achieved by 1 to 2 fatty fish meals per week"
• Antidepressant Foods - Forbes.com, 2/10/05 - "The Omega-3 diet showed results after one month, and uridine was effective as long as the rats were fed enough of it. But when given both together, within ten days the rats who were eating the good foods behaved as well as those on medications ... Uridine fuels mitochondria, and paired with the lubricating effect of the Omega-3s, helps them make more energy more efficiently"
• Omega-3s to enter weight loss category? - Nutra USA, 1/25/05 - "The fish oil concentrates not only caused weight reduction in the mice but they also appeared to stop the animals from gaining weight when given free access to food"
• Arthritis Patients Can Seek Natural Pain Relief - CBS Chicago, 1/15/05 - "They placed 120 patients on fish oil supplements. About 59 percent of reported decreased joint pain, and 68 percent were able to discontinue prescription drugs entirely"
• Fish oil supplements slow ageing of brain - Nutra USA, 12/21/04 - "People who eat oily fish or take fish oil supplements score 13 per cent higher in IQ tests and are less likely to show early signs of Alzheimer’s disease ... The brains of fish oil users seemed to be faster. There was a strong relationship between mental test scores and the omega-3 content in the blood"
• Fish Oil Could Help Crohn's Disease - WebMD, 12/10/04
• Low-Fat Diet May Protect Against Alzheimer's - WebMD, 12/7/04 - "mice fed a low-fat diet rich in the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and soy, produced more of a protein that helps eliminate the amyloid peptides that cause plaque in the brain"
• The high five for hypertension - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 12/04 - "Co-enzyme Q10 ... Omega-3 fatty acids ... Garlic ... L-arginine ... Calcium"
• Alpha-Linolenic Acid Intake Inversely Associated With Cardiac Events - Medscape, 11/11/04 - "women who consumed the highest levels of ALA — defined as approximately 1.5 g per day — "had a 46% lower risk of sudden cardiac death than women who consumed the least amount of [ALA], which was just over half a gram a day ... 1.5 g equals "about two capfuls of flaxseed oil or a handful of walnuts"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Good For The Heart, And (maybe) Good For The Brain - Science Daily, 11/8/04 - "There is mounting evidence that a diet containing omega-3 fatty acids, already known to help prevent cardiovascular disease, may also prevent depression"
• ConsumerLab.com - Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA and DHA) from Fish/Marine Oils review - ConsumerLab.com, 10/6/04 - "None of the products were found to contain detectable levels of mercury ... none of the products contained unsafe levels of PCBs ... none of these supplements contained unsafe levels of dioxins"
• Fish Oil's Breast Cancer Benefits May Vary - WebMD, 9/23/04
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Get New Health Claim - WebMD, 9/8/04 - "The FDA now says it will allow foods and supplements containing eiscosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids to carry a qualified health claim that says eating the product may reduce the risk of heart disease"
• Fish Containing N-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Risk of AF - Medscape, 7/19/04 - "Intake of fatty fish containing N-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but fish sandwiches or fried fish are not protective"
• Omega-3s appear to protect against prostate cancer - Nutra USA, 6/23/04 - "alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-6 fat, may raise the risk of advanced prostate cancer ... Men with the highest quintiles of EPA and DHA combined had an 11 per cent lower total prostate cancer risk and advanced prostate cancer risk was 26 per cent lower"
• Fish Oil Prevents Deadly Irregular Heartbeats - WebMD, 4/30/04 - "If these and other trials confirm the anti-arrhythmic properties of these [omega-3 acids], fish oil may become a less toxic and more appetizing alternative to traditional anti-arrhythmic"
• Salmon and Cod Liver Oil Contamination: Key Point - Rely on Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil for Your Omega-3 Fatty Acid Needs - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 4/21/04 - "To reduce your chances of eating salmon and other fish that is tainted with chemical toxins: ... Eat wild Alaskan salmon as opposed to farm-raised salmon ... Limit your intake of fresh water fish ... Eat smaller, young fish ... The specific product that I recommend is RxOmega-3 Factors from Natural Factors"
• Improving Omega-3 Oils - ffnmag.com, 1/04
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Vital to a longer, healthier life - Life Extension Foundation, 12/03 - "While an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of roughly 2:1 is optimal, most Americans consume far more omega-6s than omega-3s, yielding a ratio skewed at least 10:1 in favor of omega-6s. Some estimates put the ratio as high as 40:1 ... Because omega-6s break down into arachidonic acid in the body, and arachidonic acid is converted to highly inflammatory chemicals, a huge increase in the availability of arachidonic acid translates into a huge increase in the potential for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases"
• Get Hooked On Fish - Wellness Insider, 11/25/03 - "Fish is a good source of omega 3s. Elderly individuals who consume fish three times per week can almost cut their risk in half for developing Alzheimer's disease"
• Fish Oil May Help Elite Athletes - WebMD, 11/14/03
• Recent Clinical Studies on Fish Oils - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 11/12/03
• Fish And N-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease - Life Extension Foundation, 11/03 - "A new study, from the Rush-Presbyterian, St. Lukes Medical Center, in Chicago, shows that people who consumed at least one serving of fish a week dramatically reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s disease, compared to those who rarely or never ate fish. Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids had a similar risk-lowering effect"
• Diet and Exercise - Medscape, 9/9/03 - "Consumption of the omega-3 fatty acids is inversely related to the incidence of atherosclerosis and the risk of sudden death[1,2] and stroke.[3] In high doses, omega-3 fatty acids may reduce blood triglyceride levels, but in dietary amounts, they have little effect on blood lipids. Even in modest amounts, however, omega-3 fatty acids reduce platelet aggregation, impairing thrombogenesis. They may also have antiarrhythmic and plaque-stabilizing properties"
• Inflammation Syndrome a Red-Hot Topic - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 9/03 - "What are some of the key anti-inflammatory supplements? ... At the top of the list are omega-3 fish oils, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, an omega-6 fat that behaves more like an omega-3) and vitamin E. Several studies have shown that natural vitamin E supplements lower CRP levels by 30 percent to 50 percent"
• The Omega Principle - WashingtonPost.com, 8/19/03 - "Omega-3s, dubbed the "happy" fats in some quarters, are under investigation for treating depression, bipolar disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease and even the so-called baby blues, or postpartum depression ... there are many profound neurological disorders that are known to be caused by lipid problems ... The brain itself, is, in fact, about 60 percent fat ... while the body can manufacture saturated fat, cholesterol and even some unsaturated fat -- it is incapable of producing two of the fatty acids that are most vital ... there has been an 1,000-fold increase in [consumption of] omega-6 fatty acids ... Flooding brains and bodies with a diet rich in omega-6 fatty acids theoretically could give an unfair advantage to these molecules, allowing them to block omega-3s from getting inside cells" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Eating Fish Lowers Heart Rate - WebMD, 8/12/03 - "This current study involves more than 9,700 men -- all between 50 and 59 years old -- who had no signs of heart disease. Researchers kept track of them from 1991 to 1993, documenting their heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other heart disease risk factors ... Fish eaters had the lowest heart rates. It's important information because even small reductions in heart rate can make a difference in sudden heart death"
• Beyond the Mediterranean Diet: The Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease - Medscape, 8/1/03 - "The current US consumption of n-3 fatty acids is significantly below recommended levels and new American Heart Association recommendations suggest consuming at least two fish meals per week. Although additional trials are needed, the favorable safety profile and existing clinical trials suggest n-3 fatty acids should be considered a new important adjunct to existing cardiovascular prevention strategies"
• Is Your Salmon Safe? - WebMD, 7/31/03 - "bought 10 salmon filets in grocery stores in Washington, D.C.; Portland, Ore.; and San Francisco. Lab analysis showed "high" PCB levels in seven of the 10 samples"
• Fish Once a Week Cuts Alzheimer's Risk - WebMD, 7/21/03 - "Weekly fish eaters had a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer's than people who rarely or never ate fish ... The beneficial effects of [fatty acids] from fish may be counterbalanced by toxins ... A high antioxidant/low saturated fat diet pattern with a greater amount of fish, chicken, fruits, and vegetables and less red meat and dairy products is likely to lower the risk of AD, as well as that for heart disease and stroke ... Furthermore, B vitamin supplements, containing vitamins B12 and B6 and folic acid, lower plasma total homocysteine levels, possibly decreasing the risk of stroke, heart disease and perhaps Alzheimer's disease"
• New Research Supports Omega-3's Benefits - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 7/03 - "Research keeps piling up to support omega-3 use for a whole host of purposes, from brain food to arrhythmia prevention. In fact, Andrew Weil, M.D., the alternative medicine promoter and guru, recommends omega-3s for no fewer than 20 conditions on his Web site"
• Essential Fatty Acid Beneficial for Women with Personality Disorder - New Hope Natural Media, 7/3/03 - "30 women with moderately severe BPD between the ages of 18 and 40 received 500 mg twice a day of EPA or a similar looking placebo for eight weeks ... Compared with the placebo group, average aggression and depression scores decreased in the EPA treatment group by 44% and 22%, respectively ... a purified EPA product, called ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA), was used in this study. This product is not yet commercially available" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Pretty in Pink: Atlantic Salmon Under Fire - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 6/03 - "farm-bred salmon—which accounts for 95 percent of Atlantic salmon—is naturally gray. Wild salmon, on the other hand, derives its familiar pink hue from its diet of small crustaceans. So salmon farmers add a dye to their fish feed mix, making it indistinguishable from wild salmon and more appealing to consumers ... Many consumers, however, seek to avoid farm-raised salmon because of concerns about its exposure to antibiotics and PCBs, its higher fat content and its lower omega-3 profile. Research also suggests that canthaxanthin, the most common colorant, may cause an accumulation of pigments in the retina, resulting in impaired vision"
• Fish May Fight Pregnancy Depression Risks - Intelihealth, 5/21/03 - "the more omega-3 fatty acids a woman consumed in seafood during the third trimester, the less likely she was to show signs of major depression at that time and for up to eight months after the birth"
• Fish Oil Benefits Your Eyes - WebMD, 5/8/03 - "Why might fish oil protect eyes from age-related macular degeneration? One component of fish oil is docosahexaenoic acid -- DHA for short. It's one of the omega-3 fatty acids linked to other health benefits. Interestingly, DHA builds up in the eye near light-sensing nerve cells ... Those whose diets had the most fish oil were less likely to have dry eye syndrome than those whose diets had the least fish oil"
• Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce Risk of AMD - Medscape, 5/6/03 - "Dietary omega-3 fatty acids but not beta-carotene supplementation is associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) ... omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce the risk of dry eye syndrome in women" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Fatty Acids Added To Infant Formula May Cut Later Heart Disease Risks - Doctor's Guide, 5/1/03 - "Several studies have reported lower blood pressure in adults whose diet was supplemented with omega 3 fatty acids, but no published studies have looked at the effect of LCPUFA supplementation on blood pressure in children ... The LCPUFA group had significantly lower mean blood pressure: mean difference -3.0 mm Hg, and mean difference of -3.5 mm Hg diastolic"
• Fortified Formulas Promote Healthy Heart - WebMD, 5/1/03
• Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plus Fish Oil Effective for Rheumatoid Arthritis - New Hope Natural Media, 5/1/03 - "An anti-inflammatory diet and fish oil supplements are both helpful for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but combining them has an even greater effect ... The anti-inflammatory diet improved joint pain, swelling, and overall ability to function by 14%, while the Western diet did not improve symptoms or functioning. Benefits were observed with the addition of fish oil, bringing total improvement to 17% in those eating a Western diet and 37% in those eating the anti-inflammatory diet. Furthermore, the need for anti-inflammatory medications was significantly reduced for those receiving fish oil on both diets, although the group eating the anti-inflammatory diet had greater medication reduction. Medication usage increased for those on the Western diet plus placebo"
• Eating Fish Lowers Heart Disease Risk in Women With Diabetes - WebMD, 3/31/03 - "Women with type 2 diabetes who ate fish once a week were 40% less likely to develop heart disease than those who rarely ate it, and eating fish almost every day was associated with a two-thirds reduction in risk ... It is believed that omega-3 fatty acids abundant in the fat of many fish reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering triglyceride levels, improving blood vessel function, and reducing blood-clot formation"
• Lipid Benefits With Monounsaturated-Fatty-Acids Diet In Healthy People - Doctor's Guide, 3/14/03 - "A moderate supplementation of long-chain n-3 fatty acids in healthy individuals reduces both fasting and post-prandial triacylglycerol concentrations but increases LDL cholesterol, irrespective of the type of diet"
• New Fish Oil Guidelines Endorse Use of Supplements - Clinical Psychiatry News, 1/03 - "the American Heart Association (AHA) has recommended that these patients [documented coronary heart disease] consume about 1g of omega-3 fatty acids per day ... In a major departure, the AHA also said, for the first time, that a recommended nutrient could alternatively be consumed as a supplement"
• The Importance of Pharmaceutical Grade Marine Lipids - Dr. Murray's Newsletter, 1/22/03 - "A diet that is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, results in altered cell membranes. Without a healthy membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, vital nutrients, and electrolytes. They also lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones. They simply do not function properly. Cell membrane dysfunction is a critical factor in the development of virtually every chronic disease, especially cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease ...RxOmega-3 Factors from Natural Factors is an example of this revolutionary new source of long-chain fatty acids"
• Fish Oil Soothes Personality Disorder - WebMD, 1/17/03 - "a new study shows daily fish oil supplementation can significantly reduce their symptoms without the negative side effects associated with other treatments" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• BPD Patients Respond To Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Psychiatric News, 1/17/03 - "recruited women for their study through ads placed in Boston newspapers. The ads asked questions such as, "Are you extremely moody? Do you often feel out of control? Are your relationships painful and difficult?" ... In an eight-week study period, 20 of the 30 subjects received daily two 500 mg capsules of an omega-3 fatty acid called E-EPA (ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid). The remaining 10 subjects received a placebo daily—two capsules containing mineral oil ... They found that while depression and aggression levels had declined in the placebo group from the start of the study to the end, they had dropped even more so in the treatment group ... the omega-3 fatty acid used—E-EPA—"may be a safe and effective form of monotherapy for women with moderately severe borderline personality disorder." ... Perhaps it works, at least in part, through its ability to lead to [cell] membrane stabilization [in the brain] ... the brain is made up of at least 60 percent lipids"
• E-EPA Helpful in Borderline Personality Disorder - Medscape, 1/16/03
• Fatty Acid Effective against Depression - New Hope Natural Media, 1/9/03 - "E-EPA is a chemically modified form of EPA ... the best results were achieved with the smallest amount of E-EPA tested ... The authors of the study speculated that taking too much E-EPA might cause an imbalance between the two major classes of essential fatty acids: the omega-3 class (which includes EPA) and the omega-6 class (which includes linoleic and arachidonic acids ... E-EPA is not widely available at the present time"
• Combating Skin Aging - Life Extension Magazine, 1/03 - "The oral ingestion of fish, flax or perilla oil provides abundant quantities of the omega-3 fatty acids that are so beneficial to the health and appearance of the skin"
• Eicosapentaenoic Acid Enhances Vasodilatation in Coronary Artery Disease Patients - Doctor's Guide, 12/30/02 - "The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid EPA has been shown to improve endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in atherosclerotic arteries"
• Study in 43,000 men touts benefits of even a little fish - USA Today, 12/24/02 - "Men who ate about 3 to 5 ounces of fish one to three times a month were 43% less likely to have a stroke during 12 years of follow-up ... Omega-3 fatty acids, found in most fish, have been shown to lower levels of blood fats linked to cardiovascular disease and to help keep blood from clotting"
• Evidence-based Products - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 12/02 - "3g EPA/d and 3g DHA/d (ROPUFA) increased systemic arterial compliance in 38 dyslipidemic men and women, resulting in reduced pulse pressure and total vascular resistance ... Results showed that ROPUFA increased SAC—36 per cent with EPA and 27 per cent with DHA—compared with placebo"
• Heart Risks Tied Directly To Mercury In Nine-Country Study - Doctor's Guide, 12/2/02 - "High mercury content in some fish may diminish the cardioprotective effects associated with consumption of omega-three fatty acids fish ... While the toenail mercury level was directly associated with risk of myocardial infarction, the fish oil level was inversely associated with this risk"
• Losing Out on Omega-3s? - Dr. Weil, 11/26/02 - "Omega-3s can be destroyed by air, light and heat, which is why the less exposure and processing that fish undergo between being caught and ending up on your plate, the better"
• Fatty acids from fish can ward off heart attacks - Intelihealth, 11/19/02 - "Studies now suggest that components of fish oil, called omega-3 fatty acids, can save the lives of people with heart disease ... The heart association also cited recent research indicating that even people with healthy hearts can benefit from a diet rich in such fish as salmon, bluefish, Arctic char, mackerel and swordfish ... fish can reduce a man's risk of dying from a heart attack by 80% ... omega-3 fatty acids can cut a woman's risk of death by heart attack by 33% ... Fatty fish can contain significant levels of mercury"
• Those With Heart Disease Should Eat Fish - Intelihealth, 11/19/02 - "Various studies of fish or supplements showed a 4 percent to 30 percent reduction in triglycerides, but a doctor's care is advised because large doses can present a risk of bleeding in some people ... People can get the recommended 1 gram per day of DHA and EPA combined by eating a 3- to 4-ounce serving of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, trout or white tuna ... Harris said people who take supplements should read the labels and make sure they are getting at least 1 gram of DHA and EPA. With a typical supplement, you need about three capsules to get this amount"
• Supplementation with Fatty Acids Helps Schizophrenic Patients - New Hope Natural Media, 11/14/02 - "E-EPA is a derivative of the dietary fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid, commonly abbreviated as EPA" - I was wondering what the difference between E-EPA and EPA was.  To bad it doesn't tell you what percentage of EPA that E-EPA is so that you could interpolate it to the following study:
  • Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoate Could Be Effective In Persistent Depression - Doctor's Guide, 10/31/02 - "They say there were beneficial effects on items rating depression, anxiety, sleep, lassitude, libido and suicidality"
• Hold The Mercury - CBS News, 11/5/02 - "89 percent of patients with a fish-heavy diet had blood-mercury levels exceeding that deemed safe by the government"
• Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoate Could Be Effective In Persistent Depression - Doctor's Guide, 10/31/02
• Eating Fish Cuts Risk Of Dementia - Intelihealth, 10/25/02
• Eating Fish Cuts Risk of Dementia - WebMD, 10/24/02 - "Those who ate fish or seafood at least once a week had a significantly lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia during the seven-year study period ... The fatty acids in fish oils provide protection for arteries, which could improve blood flow to the brain. In addition, the fatty acids may reduce inflammation in the brain. They may also have a specific role in brain development and regeneration of nerve cells, the authors suggest"
• Further Evidence Of Fish Consumption Link To Lower Alzheimer Risk - Doctor's Guide, 10/24/02
• Breast Cancer Answers: Strategies Show Promise In Mice - Intelihealth, 10/23/02 - "Another study found that young female mice who ate lots of fish oil had lower breast cancer rates"
• Study Records Elevated Mercury - Intelihealth, 10/19/02 - "A study of Californians who loaded their lunch and dinner menus with fish shows 89 percent wound up with elevated mercury levels in their bodies ... Of that group, 63 people had blood mercury levels more than twice the recommended level and 19 showed blood mercury levels four times the level considered safe. Four people had mercury levels 10 times as high as the government recommends"
• Fish Oil Eases Depression - WebMD, 10/18/02 - "people who added a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids to their regular antidepressant treatment had significant improvement in symptoms, including anxiety, sleeping problems, sadness, decreased sexual desire, and suicidal tendencies ... Previous studies have suggested that depressed people have lower-than-normal levels of a fatty acid known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), which plays an important role in maintaining normal brain function"
• Fish Oil May Help Relieve Stubborn Depression - Reuters, 10/17/02 - "Daily supplements of an omega-3 fatty acid--found in fish and fish oil--may help alleviate the symptoms of depression in patients who do not respond to standard antidepressant medications, new research findings suggest ... Previous researchers have suggested that the balance of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain may become skewed in people with depression, and earlier studies have shown that fish oil supplements can help alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or manic depression"
• More Antioxidants, Less Fat May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk - Clinical Psychiatry News, 10/02 - "Data are now strong enough to recommend a dietary strategy for reducing Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk that includes low fat intake and high consumption of fish and antioxidants, along with vitamin E, folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B12 supplements"
• Herbs for ADD? - Dr. Weil, 10/8/02 - "Dr. Newmark does recommend a dietary supplement, omega-3 fatty acids, for all children with ADHD because levels of omega-3s in the plasma and red blood cells of children with ADHD are lower than in normal children"
• Keep The Engine Oiled - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 10/02 - "Remember, that's not 3 g of fish oils, but 3 g of the specific essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid" - Something I've been saying all along.  The fish oil doesn't count.  The omega-3 is the sum of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA).  See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Can I Stop My Hair from Thinning? - Dr. Weil, 9/13/02 - "Make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids ... supplement your diet with GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) in the form of black currant oil or evening primrose oil"
• EPA Useful Add-on Therapy in Schizophrenia - Medscape, 9/9/02 - "After 12 weeks of treatment, the EPA group had significantly greater reduction of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total scores and of dyskinesia scores than the placebo group ... We regard these results as remarkable, considering the refractory nature of schizophrenia in the subjects" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Fish Oil May Augment Atorvastatin As Treatment For Dyslipidemia In Obese, Insulin-Resistant Men - Doctor's Guide, 8/7/02 - "fish oils significantly decreased plasma levels of triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein-apoB, decreased the very low density lipoprotein-apoB secretion rate ... combined treatment with atorvastatin and fish oils decreased very low density lipoprotein-apoB secretion and increased the fractional catabolic rate of apoB in each lipoprotein fraction , as well as the percent conversion of very low density lipoprotein to low density lipoprotein" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Omega-3 May Cut Bipolar Symptoms in Pregnancy - Clinical Psychiatry News, 8/02 - "From studies on animals, scientists now know that omega-3 fatty acids provide for normal brain and central nervous system development. Depriving animals of these compounds is associated with abnormalities in offspring ... Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to dampen signal transduction pathways associated with the pathophysiologic characteristics of bipolar disorder, similar to medications such as lithium and valproate. Omega-3 fatty acids also boost the brain's levels of serotonin ... fish oil supplement capsules carry no danger for pregnant women, according to an FDA spokesperson" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Systemic Arterial Compliance - Medscape, 7/26/02
• Fishing for a Healthy Heart? - Healthscout, 7/26/02
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Prevent Heart Disease By Improving Arterial Elasticity - Intelihealth, 7/25/02 - "The research focused on the effects of two forms of omega-3 fatty acid--eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)--on systemic arterial compliance, a measure of the degree of large artery elasticity. Increased stiffness in the large arteries can lead to systolic hypertension and increased pulse pressure (the difference between diastolic and systolic pressure), both factors that may contribute to increased coronary risk. Thirty-eight middle-aged men and women with elevated plasma total cholesterol consumed an EPA supplement, a DHA supplement, or a placebo during a 7-week dietary intervention. In contrast to the placebo group who showed no change, systemic arterial compliance rose 36% in the EPA group and 27% in the DHA group, while there was a trend toward reduced systolic and pulse pressure. Both omega-3 fatty acid supplement groups experienced significant declines in plasma total triacylglycerol concentrations"
• Arginine and Fish Oil May Help Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy - Life Extension Magazine, 7/02
• Omega-3 Fish Oils - Fats That Are Good for Everyone - Life Enhancement Magazine, 7/02
• Essential Fatty Acids Improve Thought Process and Behavior in Children with ADHD - New Hope Natural Media Online, 6/13/02 - "ADHD is characterized by impulsive behavior, lack of concentration, restlessness and, in some cases, learning disabilities ... The children were given either a supplement containing 186 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 480 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 96 mg of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), 864 mg of linoleic acid, and 60 IU of vitamin E per day, or a placebo ... the children who took the essential fatty acid supplement had significant improvement in symptom scores related to learning and behavior"
• Sizing up omega-3 - USA Today, 5/1/02 - "The omega-3 picture is muddled by theories about omega-6 fatty acids found in vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, cottonseed and sunflower oils. Simopoulos says people in the USA consume too many of these oils and need to eat a more balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. She doesn't support eating soybean oil, she says, because it's too high in omega-6"
• Eating Away At High Cholesterol Levels - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 4/02
• Fish Oil May Fight Diabetes - WebMD, 4/23/02
• Experiments Strengthen Link Between Fish Oil, Mental Problems - Intelihealth, 4/18/02 - "Infant monkeys fed baby formulas supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids - the ones found in "fish oil" - were stronger and more alert even at less than a week old than monkeys given standard baby formula ... Harvard researchers gave two groups of persons who had recently been hospitalized with depression diets that were high in omega-3 and omega-6, respectively. The results were so dramatic that after three months, the scientists were directed by a research oversight committee to stop the experiment and allow all the subjects to take omega-3"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines In Heart Transplant Patients - Doctor's Guide, 4/11/02 - "gave 25 stable heart transplant patients two capsules of omega-3 fatty acid daily - each capsule contained 500 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ... The results suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increased concentrations of the anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-10, from 119 to 268 pg/mL (p=0.00008). There were reductions in systemic levels of pro-inflammatory IL-12, from 473 to 376 pg/mL (p=0.001), and IL-6, from 695 to 569 pg/mL (p<0.0001)" - Why is it important for everyone to keep inflammation in check?  See:
  • Scientists Examine Long-Term Risks And Gains Of Painkillers - Intelihealth, 1/22/02 - "The studies reflect scientists' growing interest in the idea that a common condition, inflammation, may underlie many chronic and debilitating diseases - like Alzheimer's, heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes - and that drugs that fight inflammation may have a role in preventing or delaying those diseases, or at least slowing them down"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines In Heart Transplant Patients - Doctor's Guide, 4/11/02
• Fish Oils Curb Sudden Cardiac Death Risks in Men - Doctor's Guide, 4/11/02
• Fish Oil May Help Your Heart - Intelihealth, 4/10/02
• Fish Oil Fights Heart Disease - WebMD, 4/9/02
• The benefits of fish without the fish?  - CNN, 4/8/02
• Fish Oil Supplements Protect Heart - WebMD, 4/8/02 - "A daily fish oil supplement may help heart attack survivors reduce their risk of sudden death by as much as 42% ... taking one gram daily of omega-3 fatty acids significantly reduced the risk of death in people who had heart attacks ... the researchers found these benefits were not related to common explanations such as lowering cholesterol levels or reducing blood clots ... fatty acids may play a part in regulating the electrical activity of heart muscle cells -- a process responsible for the heart rhythm"
• Fat in Fish May Fight Postpartum Depression - WebMD, 4/8/02 - "Loading up on fatty fish like tuna and salmon while you're pregnant may help ward off postpartum depression as well as give your unborn child a mental boost. New research suggests there's a link between an essential fatty acid known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) found in these fish and mental health ... high DHA intake among pregnant women can also reduce pregnancy and birth-related risks like low birth weight, premature birth, and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure"
• Concepts and Controversies in Nutrition, Immune-Enhancing Formulas - Medscape, 3/21/02 - "Immune-enhancing formulas (IEFs), also known as immune-modulating formulas, include arginine, glutamine, nucleic acids, and omega-3 fatty acids"
• Salmon May Help Relieve Depression - WebMD, 3/15/02 - "Patients randomly received either the fish oil capsule or a sugar pill in addition to the antidepressant medication they were taking ... After four weeks, six of 10 patients receiving E-EPA -- but only one of 10 receiving placebo -- had significantly reduced symptoms of depression ... The effect of E-EPA was significant from week two of treatment ... Depressed mood, guilt feelings, worthlessness, and insomnia were all improved" - Note: See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb contains 600 mg of EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid).
• Formula With Supplements Boosts Infant-Brain Function - Doctor's Guide, 3/14/02 - "Despite a dietary supply of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs) from breast milk during the first six weeks of life, infants who were weaned to formula that did not provide long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids had significantly poorer visual acuity at 17, 26, and 52 weeks of age and significantly poorer steroacuity at 17 weeks of age than did infants who were weaned to LCP-supplemented formula ... She added that better acuity and steroacuity at 17 weeks was correlated with higher concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid in plasma. Better acuity at 52 weeks was correlated with higher concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid in plasma and red blood cells"- See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Fish Oil Consumption May Prevent Pre-Term Birth - Doctor's Guide, 2/21/02 - "Low consumption of fish oils appears a strong risk factor for pre-term delivery and low birth weight ... A study among 8,729 pregnant Danish women indicates that long chain omega n.3 fatty acids in amounts above 2 g a day may delay spontaneous delivery and prevent recurrence of pre-term delivery"
• Alpha-Linolenic Acid May Help Prevent Heart Disease - Doctor's Guide, 2/1/02
• Omega-3s, the Heart-Healthy Fats --- HealthandAge - HealthandAge, 1/11/02 - "It appears that omega-3s protect the heart in several ways. They may lower the risk of abnormal heart rhythms; reduce the "stickiness" of blood cells, which makes them less likely to form clots and block arteries; and lower high blood triglyceride levels. Most studies have centered on marine sources of omega-3 fatty acids; less is known about the vegetable sources"
• The Wizard is Oz - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Best-selling author and nutritional guru to the rich and famous, Oz Garcia is singing the praises of the Life Extension Foundation and its products in his newest book, The Healthy High Tech Body, published in September 2001 ... Supplements at the top of Garcia's list of recommendations ... DHA ... NADH ... Alpah Lipoic Acid ... Acetyl-L-Carnitine ... An expanded list of his recommendations includes lycopene, gamma tocopherol, vinpocetine, SAMe, folic acid, carnosine, glutathione, DMAE, Huperzine A, probiotics, MSM, secretagogues, arginine pyroglutamate, IP-6, bioflavonoid formulas and grape skin/seed extracts"
• Fish Oil Supplements Pass Mercury Standards, But Lack Adequate Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Intelihealth, 11/29/01 - "Although none of the products tested positive for mercury (a poison sometimes found in fish), 30% of the products had lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than stated on their labels and 10% had lower levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). EPA and DHA are the two main fatty acids found in fish oil and are principle sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to provide many health benefits, including prevention of heart disease and treatment of pain associated with the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Safe for Pregnant Women With Mood Disorders - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/01 - "Omega-3 fatty acids are well tolerated, nontoxic, and appear to be safe in pregnancy—characteristics that have made them attractive for many patients with mood disorders ... Calculating the dose of commercial preparations can be tricky. Front product panels should be ignored. “You'll see things all over the bottles, like ‘over 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids,’ but they won't necessarily have it,” she said, advising consumers to turn the bottle on its side to add up the milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)" - I think you'll find that Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb has the most bang per capsule. - Ben
• question regarding your new cholesterol-lowering supplement, Policosanol - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Make sure you are taking at least six Mega EPA fish oil capsules daily, as low dose fish oil may not adequately suppress triglycerides"
• Scientific Review Supports Omega-3 Fatty Acids For The Prevention Of Heart Disease - Intelihealth, 10/11/01
• Ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 Fatty Acids - DrMirkin.com, 10/2/01
• Nutritional Supplement Boosts Immune Function In Surgery Patients - Intelihealth, 9/13/01 - "A new study published in the journal Lancet suggests that people who are at high risk of infection after heart surgery may benefit from taking a nutritional supplement containing L-arginine and omega-3 fatty acids"
• Free Fatty Acids May Be Linked to Sudden Cardiac Death in Healthy Men - WebMD, 8/14/01 - "Very high levels of free fatty acids were associated with "2.5 to three times the risk for sudden cardiac death" ... Several factors, including cigarette smoking, fasting, hyperthyroidism, or heart attack, can trigger the release of free fatty acids ... The real risk, says Leaf, who is professor of clinical medicine at Harvard Medical School, comes from omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in foods fried in corn, safflower, or sunflower oils ... By contrast omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish and canola oil are actually heart healthy"
• Fats for Life - Life Extension Magazine, 7/01 - "Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be produced within the body and therefore must be provided through the diet. If the diet is lacking in EFAs, saturated fats will take the place of EFAs within cell membranes, reducing membrane fluidity and efficiency, and thereby starting a process of premature aging and disease development. In addition, by taking the right kinds of EFAs in the right proportions, we can maximize the production of beneficial prostaglandins and other chemical messengers, while minimizing production of harmful ones"
• Go Fish! Types High in Fatty Acids May Prevent Prostate Cancer, Herring, Mackerel, and Salmon Recommended - WebMD, 6/1/01 - "Eating fatty fish reduces risk of prostate cancer by about 70%, compared to not eating it, and reduces the risk for death from the disease by about 50%."
• News - Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Reduce Women's Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 5/31/01 - "Trans fatty acids increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in women, while polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce that risk"
• Fish Oil Risks Minimal - Nutrition Science News, 5/01 - "This suggests FO may offer a cardioprotective benefit for postmenopausal women without an increased risk of oxidative stress"
• Letter - Mercury and Fish Oil Supplements - Medscape, 4/13/01 - "The following oils were tested: Twinlab Emulsified Super Max EPA ... Twinlab EPA New & Improved ... Twinlab Omege-3 Concentrate ... In conclusion, it appears that the independent testing and/or the quality control measures claimed by these companies are being done as far as potential mercury contamination is concerned. At the least, the amount of mercury in the fish used is so minimal as to be below the detectable limit by the method used.  In any event, the common brands tested appear to offer no mercury risk. While this is positive health news, it cannot be assumed that every brand is free of mercury"
• PUFAs (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) for Bone Growth and Repair - Nutrition Science News, 3/01
• Study Reaffirms Value Of Eating Fatty Fish - Intelihealth, 3/4/01 - "We found that eating modest amounts of fatty fish was associated with a 44 percent lower risk in fatal heart attacks"
• Daily Specials: Fatty Fish and Soy Protein - WebMD, 3/2/01 - "In one study of 4,000 men and women with an average age of 72, those who ate one serving per week of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids had a 44% lower risk of suffering a fatal heart attack, compared to their counterparts who ate fatty fish less frequently. . . In another study of 150 adults with normal blood cholesterol levels, those who consumed 40 g of soy protein per day showed a 4.7% increase in their levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol -- without significantly affecting their low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol levels."
• Bone Loss and Fatty Acids - Nutrition Science News, 2/01 - "People often use omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis. As it turns out, these fatty acids may actually help prevent bone loss."
• Fatty Fish -- Not Fried -- Reduces Heart Attack Deaths in Older Adults - WebMD, 2/28/01 - "Those who ate at least one serving of fatty fish every week were 35% less likely to die of a heart attack."
• Omega-3s May Help Rheumatoid Arthritis - Nutrition Science News, 2/01 - "Omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish oil supplements may provide modest improvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted at the University of Newcastle in Australia."
• Study: Low Fat Linked To Stroke Risk - Intelihealth, 2/13/01
• Women Who Eat Fish A Few Times Weekly May Cut Stroke Risk, Study Says - Intelihealth, 1/16/01 - "Omega-3 fatty acids, found in most fish, have been shown to lower levels of blood fats linked to cardiovascular disease and to help keep blood from clotting."
• Vegetarians, Essential Fatty Acids and DHA - Nutrition Science News, 10/00
• Fish Oil Slows Lymphoma - Life Extension Magazine, 9/00
• Polyunsaturated Fats and Neurological Disorders - Nutrition Science News, 9/00
• Arthritis and Aging - Life Extension Magazine, 7/00
• The avocado advantage - CNN, 8/15/00
• Natural COX-2 Inhibitors The Future of Pain Relief - Nutrition Science News, 8/00
• For Reducing Heart Disease Risk, Fish Oil Isn't Snake Oil - WebMD, 8/8/00
• Trans Fats, Omega Fats, Good Fats, Bad Fats: Are You Confused? - WebMD, 7/5/00
• All Fats Are Not Created Equal, Trans Fats, Omega Fats, Good Fats, Bad Fats: Are You Confused? - WebMD, 7/4/00 - "Trans fats act very much like saturated fat in raising cholesterol levels. They also lower good HDL cholesterol, the protective cholesterol. ... Some people say they're actually worse than saturated fats"
• Fish Oil, Vitamin B-12 May Offer Relief During That Time of the Month - WebMD, 6/20/00
• Fat-Soluble Vitamin Absorption Not Threatened by Fat Cutbacks - WebMD, 5/19/00
• Fish May Lower Depression Risk - Intelihealth, 5/16/00
• North Americans need more omega-3 fatty acids - DrMirkin.com, 5/11/00 - "loading our diet with omega-6's from corn, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, cottonseed, and soybeans. This has changed the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in out diet to approximately 20-30 to 1 from the traditional range of 1 or 2:1. This high intake of omega-6 fatty acids causes clotting, swelling and constriction of arteries that can cause heart attacks and other diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids can reverse these changes, but most people do not eat nearly enough whole grains, seeds, nuts, leafy greens or deep-water-fish which contain omega-3's. Reduce your intake of omega-6 fatty acids found in most prepared foods and eat lots of the foods that contain omega-3's"
• Immune-Enhancing Therapy Shortens Hospital Stays By Three Days - Doctor's Guide, 12/23/99
• Potential new approach to cystic fibrosis treatment reported - CNN, 10/9/99
• Fish Oil Reduces Atherosclerotic Blockages - Nutrition Science News, 10/99
• Omega-3 Fish Oil for Mood Swings - Life Enhancement Magazine, 7/99
• Researchers Look To Omega-3 Fatty Acid For Manic Depression Treatment - Doctor's Guide, 5/13/99
• Study: Fish oil lowers heart disease death rate - CNN, 5/10/99
• A Smart Start - Nutrition Science News, 3/99
• Essential Fatty Acids Improve Infant IQ - Nutrition Science News, 2/99
• Fat in the diet may affect mental ability - CNN, 9/4/98 - "Americans suffer an imbalance in fatty acids -- too much omega-6, found in vegetable oils, deep fried foods, dressing and margarines, and too little omega-3, found in fish and some vegetables ... Omega-6 is linked to hormonal overload which plays some role in arthritis, asthma and other diseases involving the immune system ... Omega-3, however, has a calming effect on hormone production which may help relieve some immune system diseases as well as mental conditions ranging from depression to attention deficit"
• Study: 'Bad fat' in fast foods clogs arteries faster - CNN, 6/11/98
• Eating Fish May Substantially Reduce Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Death - Doctor's Guide, 1/6/98
• Fish Oil May Offer Better Protection Than Olive Oil Against Heart Disease - Doctor's Guide, 11/12/97
• Protective Effects Of Fish Oil On Heart Depend On Amount Consumed -  Doctor's Guide, 7/8/97

Abstracts:

• Enteral n-3 fatty acids and micronutrients enhance percentage of positive neutrophil and lymphocyte adhesion molecules: a potential mediator of pressure ulcer healing in critically ill patients - Br J Nutr. 2011 Nov 1:1-6 - "n-3 Fatty acids are recognised as influencing both wound healing and immunity. We assessed the impact of a fish oil- and micronutrient-enriched formula (study formula) on the healing of pressure ulcers and on immune function in critically ill patients in an intensive care unit ... intervention group, n 20, received study formula; and a control group, n 20, received an isoenergetic formula ... Patients who received the study formula showed significant increases in the percentage of positive CD18 and CD11a lymphocytes and of CD49b granulocytes as compared to controls (P < 0.05). While the severity of pressure ulcers was not significantly different between the two groups on admission, severity increased significantly over time for the control group (P < 0.05), but not for the study group. The present study suggests that a fish oil- and micronutrient-enriched formula may prevent worsening of pressure ulcers and that this effect may be mediated by an effect on adhesion molecule expression" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Do long-chain n-3 fatty acids reduce arterial stiffness? A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials - Br J Nutr. 2011 Oct;106(7):974-80 - "A total of ten n-3 trials met the final inclusion criteria; four using pulse wave velocity (PWV) and six using arterial compliance, measured as capacitive compliance or systemic arterial compliance, as respective outcome measures. Meta-analysis revealed that n-3 was statistically significant in effectively improving both PWV (g = 0.33; 95 % CI 0.12, 0.56; P < 0.01) and arterial compliance (g = 0.48; 95 % CI 0.24, 0.72; P < 0.001). There was no evidence of heterogeneity or publication bias. Results were not influenced by changes in blood pressure, heart rate or BMI. The findings of the present study reveal that supplementation with n-3 offers a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness. Reduction in arterial stiffness by n-3 may account for some of its purported cardioprotective effects" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in the Management of Hypercalciuric Stone Formers - Urology. 2011 Oct 13 - "All patients received empiric dietary recommendations for intake of fluids, sodium, protein, and citric juices. All subjects with hypercalciuria (urinary calcium >250 mg/d for males or >200 mg/d for females) on at least two 24-hour urine collections were counseled to supplement their diet with fish oil (1200 mg/d) ... Twenty-nine patients were followed for 9.86 +/- 8.96 months. The mean age was 43.38 +/- 13.78 years. Urinary calcium levels decreased in 52% of patients, with 24% converting to normocalciuria. The average urinary calcium (mg/d) decreased significantly from baseline (329.27 +/- 96.23 to 247.47 +/- 84.53, P <.0001). Urinary oxalate excretion decreased in 34% of patients. The average urinary oxalate (mg/d) decreased significantly from baseline (45.40 +/- 9.90 to 32.9 +/- 8.21, P = .0004). Urinary citrate (mg/d) increased in 62% of subjects from baseline (731.67 +/- 279.09 to 940.22 +/- 437.54, P = .0005). Calcium oxalate supersaturation decreased in 38% of the subjects significantly from baseline (9.73 +/- 4.48 to 3.68 +/- 1.76, P = .001)"
• Effects of n-3 fatty acids, EPA v. DHA, on depressive symptoms, quality of life, memory and executive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a 6-month randomised controlled trial - Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep 20:1-12 - "Depressive symptoms may increase the risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. Consumption of n-3 PUFA may alleviate both cognitive decline and depression ... A total of fifty people aged >65 years with MCI were allocated to receive a supplement rich in EPA (1.67 g EPA+0.16 g DHA/d; n 17), DHA (1.55 g DHA+0.40 g EPA/d; n 18) or the n-6 PUFA linoleic acid (LA; 2.2 g/d; n 15). Treatment allocation was by minimisation based on age, sex and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS). Physiological and cognitive assessments, questionnaires and fatty acid composition of erythrocytes were obtained at baseline and 6 months (completers: n 40; EPA n 13, DHA n 16, LA n 11). Compared with the LA group, GDS scores improved in the EPA (P = 0.04) and DHA (P = 0.01) groups and verbal fluency (Initial Letter Fluency) in the DHA group (P = 0.04). Improved GDS scores were correlated with increased DHA plus EPA (r 0.39, P = 0.02). Improved self-reported physical health was associated with increased DHA. There were no treatment effects on other cognitive or QOL parameters. Increased intakes of DHA and EPA benefited mental health in older people with MCI. Increasing n-3 PUFA intakes may reduce depressive symptoms and the risk of progressing to dementia. This needs to be investigated in larger, depressed samples with MCI"
• n-3 PUFA prevent metabolic disturbances associated with obesity and improve endothelial function in golden Syrian hamsters fed with a high-fat diet - Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep 16:1-11 - "In conclusion, n-3 PUFA prevent some metabolic disturbances induced by high-fat diet and improve endothelial function in hamsters"
• Dietary {alpha}-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and n-3 long-chain PUFA and risk of ischemic heart disease - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Aug 24 - "α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3)  ... Four hundred seventy-one cases of IHD were observed during a median follow-up period of 23.3 y. Higher intake of ALA was not significantly associated with decreased risk of IHD among women or men. Although the HR of IHD was stepwise decreased with increasing ALA intake in men [0.84 (95% CI: 0.62, 1.14) in the medium compared with the lowest tertile (reference) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.56, 1.24) in the highest compared with the lowest tertile], this change was far from significant (P-trend: 0.39). No evidence of effect modification by n-3 LC-PUFA or LA was observed. High n-3 LC-PUFA intake, in comparison with low intake, was inversely associated with risk of IHD; this trend was significant in women (P = 0.04; HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.97) but not in men (P = 0.15; HR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.51, 1.06). No associations were observed between intake of LA and risk of IHD" - Note:  α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3) is the form of omega-3 found in things like vegetable and flax seeds, linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 n-6) is what's in most vegetable oils like corn and soy.
• Marine n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Adipose Tissue and the Risk of Acute Coronary Syndrome - Circulation. 2011 Aug 22 - "Comparing men in the highest and lowest quintiles gave a hazard ratio of 0.65 (95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.95) for total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and 0.51 (95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 0.73) for docosahexaenoic acid. Nonfatal cases constituted >86% of cases, and the association was driven primarily by a reduction in the risk of nonfatal acute coronary syndrome. No consistent associations were found among women. Conclusion- Intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may protect against acute coronary syndrome in men"
• Incorporation of EPA and DHA into plasma phospholipids in response to different omega-3 fatty acid formulations - a comparative bioavailability study of fish oil vs. krill oil - Lipids Health Dis. 2011 Aug 22;10(1):145 - "In a double-blinded crossover trial, we compared the uptake of three EPA+DHA formulations derived from fish oil (re-esterified triacylglycerides [rTAG], ethyl-esters [EE]) and krill oil (mainly PL). Changes of the FA compositions in plasma PL were used as a proxy for bioavailability. Twelve healthy young men (mean age 31 y) were randomized to 1680 mg EPA+DHA given either as rTAG, EE or krill oil. FA levels in plasma PL were analyzed pre-dose and 2, 4, 6, 8, 24, 48, and 72 h after capsule ingestion. Additionally, the proportion of free EPA and DHA in the applied supplements was analyzed ... The highest incorporation of EPA+DHA into plasma PL was provoked by krill oil (mean AUC 0-72h: 80.03 +/- 34.71 %*h), followed by fish oil rTAG (mean AUC 0-72h: 59.78 +/- 36.75 %*h) and EE (mean AUC 0-72h: 47.53 +/- 38.42 %*h). Due to high standard deviation values, there were no significant differences for DHA and the sum of EPA+DHA levels between the three treatments. However, a trend (p = 0.057) was observed for the differences in EPA bioavailability. Statistical pair-wise group comparison's revealed a trend (p = 0.086) between rTAG and krill oil. FA analysis of the supplements showed that the krill oil sample contained 22% of the total EPA amount as free EPA and 21% of the total DHA amount as free DHA, while the two fish oil samples did not contain any free FA" - See krill oil products at iHerb, Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com. - Note: Eyeballing the math, it krill oil doesn't seem cost effective to me.
• A low-fat high-carbohydrate diet supplemented with long-chain n-3 PUFA reduces the risk of the metabolic syndrome - Atherosclerosis. 2011 Jul 12 - "Clinical intervention study: the patients (n=337) were randomly assigned to one of four diets for 12 weeks each: two high fat diets, one rich in saturated fat (HSFA) and the other rich in monounsaturated fat (HMUFA), and two low fat diets, one high in complex carbohydrates (LFHCC) supplemented with 1.24g/day of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LFHCC n-3) and the other LFHCC diet with placebo (LFHCC) ... An enlarged waist circumference (≥88cm for women and ≥102cm for men) was present among 95% of the participants, 88% had elevated blood pressure (>130/85mm Hg or antihypertensive drugs), 77% had elevated fasting plasma glucose (≥5.55mmol/L), 51% were hypertriacylglycerolemic (≥1.7mmol/L), and 72% had low HDL cholesterol (<1.0mmol/L for men, and <1.3mmol/L for women). The prevalence of enlarged waist circumference, hypertension and hypertriacylglycerolemia were reduced after the LFHCC n-3 diet (p<0.05). Thus the prevalence of MetS fell by 20.5% after LFHCC n-3 diet compared with the HSFA (10.6%), HMUFA (12%) diet or LFHCC (10.4%) diets (p<0.028)"
• Estimating health and economic benefits from using prescription omega-3 Fatty acids in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia - Am J Cardiol. 2011 Sep 1;108(5):691-7 - "In patients with severe (≥500 mg/dl) hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG), clinical trials have demonstrated that prescription ω-3 fatty acids (P-OM3s) 4 g/day can decrease triglyceride levels by 45% ... Simulation results for the control arm indicated that subjects with SHTG are at about 2 times higher risk for myocardial infarction than those with normal triglyceride levels. Using estimates from previous epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses with OM3s, the model predicted 29% to 36% decreases in various measurements of adverse cardiac events for the intervention arm. The model also predicted a decrease in ischemic stroke of 24% (95% confidence interval 15 to 33)"
• Fish intake and type 2 diabetes in Japanese men and women: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jul 20 - "During the 5-y period, 971 new cases (572 men and 399 women) of type 2 diabetes were self-reported. In men, fish intake was significantly associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes; multivariable-adjusted ORs of type 2 diabetes for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of intake were 0.73 (95% CI: 0.54, 1.00; P-trend = 0.04) for total fish and seafood and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.92; P-trend = 0.016) for small and medium fish (horse mackerel and sardine, saury and mackerel, and eel). Additional analysis by fat content of fish did not detect any significant association for each category. In women, fish intake was not appreciably associated with type 2 diabetes risk"
• Effect of Dietary Fish Oil on Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery - Am J Cardiol. 2011 Jul 13 - "Two hundred patients were randomized to receive fish oil (providing 4.6 g/day of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids) or a control oil starting 3 weeks before surgery; 194 subjects completed the study, with 47 of 97 subjects in the control group and 36 of 97 subjects in the fish oil group developing AF (odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35 to 1.11). There was a nonstatistically significant delay in time to onset of AF in the fish oil group (hazard ratio 0.66, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.01). There was a significant decrease in mean length of stay in the intensive care unit in the fish oil group (ratio of means 0.71, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.90). In conclusion, in a mixed cardiac surgery population, supplementation with dietary fish oil did not result in a significant decrease in the incidence of postsurgical AF. However, there was a significant decrease in time spent in the intensive care unit" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish Consumption in Healthy Adults Is Associated with Decreased Circulating Biomarkers of Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammation during a 6-Year Follow-Up - J Nutr. 2011 Jul 13 - "endothelial dysfunction (ED) and low-grade inflammation (LGI) ... consumption of fish (per 100 g/wk), but none of the other food groups, was inversely associated with changes in ED [β (95%CI) = -0.06 (-0.10; -0.02); P = 0.003] and LGI [-0.05 (-0.09; -0.003); P = 0.036]. Additionally, EPA+DHA intake was inversely associated with changes in ED [β (95%CI) = -0.13 (-0.19; -0.07); P ≤ 0.001] and LGI [-0.09 (-0.16; -0.02); P = 0.013] and explained 83 and 40% of the association between fish and changes in ED and LGI. In conclusion, fish consumption, but not fruit, vegetable, alcoholic beverage, or dairy product consumption, was associated with decreased ED and LGI in healthy adults"
• Omega-3 reduces anxiety and inflammation in healthy students, study suggests - Science Daily, 7/13/11 - "A new study gauging the impact of consuming more fish oil showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and, surprisingly, in anxiety among a cohort of healthy young people ... The supplement was probably about four or five times the amount of fish oil you'd get from a daily serving of salmon ... But the psychological surveys clearly showed an important change in anxiety among the students: Those receiving the omega-3 showed a 20 percent reduction in anxiety compared to the placebo group ... We saw a 14 percent reduction in the amounts of IL-6 among the students receiving the omega-3." Since the cytokines foster inflammation, "anything we can do to reduce cytokines is a big plus in dealing with the overall health of people at risk for many diseases,""
• Impact of low v. moderate intakes of long-chain n-3 fatty acids on risk of coronary heart disease - Br J Nutr. 2011 May 31:1-13 - "The objective of the present study was to determine whether the consumption of ≥ 250 v. < 250 mg of the long-chain n-3 fatty acids (n-3 LCFA) per d is associated with a reduction in the risk of fatal and non-fatal CHD in individuals with no prior history of CHD. A comprehensive and systematic review of the published scientific literature resulted in the identification of eight prospective studies (seven cohorts and one nested case-control study) that met predefined inclusion criteria. Relative to the consumption of < 250 mg n-3 LCFA per d, the consumption of ≥ 250 mg/d was associated with a significant 35.1 % reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death and a near-significant 16.6 % reduction in the risk of total fatal coronary events, while the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction was not significantly reduced. In several meta-analyses, which were based on US studies, risk of CHD death was found to be dose-dependently reduced by the n-3 LCFA, with further risk reductions observed with intakes in excess of 250 mg/d. Prospective observational and intervention data from Japan, where intake of fish is very high, suggest that n-3 LCFA intakes of 900 to 1000 mg/d and greater may confer protection against non-fatal myocardial infarction. Thus, the intake of 250 mg n-3 LCFA per d may, indeed, be a minimum target to be achieved by the general population for the promotion of cardiovascular health"
• Impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on coronary plaque instability: An integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound study - Atherosclerosis. 2011 Jun 1 - "Patients with acute coronary syndrome had significantly lower levels of ω3 PUFAs (especially of EPA and DPA) than those without it. IB-IVUS analyses showed that ω3 PUFAs correlated inversely with % lipid volume and positively with % fibrous volume. Patients with low EPA levels, low DPA levels, and low DHA levels had a significantly higher % lipid volume (p=0.048, p=0.008, and p=0.036, respectively) and a significantly lower % fibrous volume (p=0.035, p=0.008, and p=0.034, respectively) than those with high levels of these fatty acids. Even after adjustment for confounders, the presence of both low EPA and low DPA levels proved to be an independent predictor for lipid-rich plaques in any of the two categories ... A lower serum content of ω3 PUFAs (especially of EPA and DPA) was significantly associated with lipid-rich plaques, suggesting the contribution to the incidence of acute coronary syndrome"
• Eicosapentaenoic Acid Ethyl Ester (AMR101) Therapy in Patients With Very High Triglyceride Levels (from the Multi-center, plAcebo-controlled, Randomized, double-blINd, 12-week study with an open-label Extension [MARINE] Trial) - Am J Cardiol. 2011 Jun 15 - "AMR101 is an omega-3 fatty acid agent containing ≥96% eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester and no docosahexaenoic acid ... AMR101 4 g/day reduced the placebo-corrected TG levels by 33.1%" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Fish, shellfish, and long-chain n-3 fatty acid consumption and risk of incident type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Chinese men and women - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jun 15 - "Fish, shellfish, and long-chain n-3 fatty acid intakes were inversely associated with T2D in women. The relative risks [RRs (95% CI)] for quintiles of fish intake were 1.00, 0.96 (0.86, 1.06), 0.84 (0.75, 0.94), 0.80 (0.71, 0.90), and 0.89 (0.78, 1.01) (P for trend = 0.003) and for shellfish were 1.00, 0.91 (0.82, 1.01), 0.79 (0.71, 0.89), 0.80 (0.71, 0.91), and 0.86 (0.76, 0.99) (P for trend = 0.006). In men, only the association between shellfish intake and T2D was significant. The RRs (95% CI) for quintiles of fish intake were 1.00, 0.92 (0.75, 1.13), 0.80 (0.65, 1.00), 0.89 (0.72, 1.11), and 0.94 (0.74, 1.17) (P for trend = 0.50) and for shellfish intake were 1.00, 0.93 (0.76, 1.12), 0.70 (0.56, 086), 0.66 (0.53, 0.82), and 0.82 (0.65, 1.02) (P for trend = 0.003)"
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Progression to Hormone Independence Is Associated With Suppression of mTOR Signaling and Androgen Receptor Expression - Nutr Cancer. 2011 Jun 10:1-7 - "We used an in vitro model of androgen ablation to determine the effect of treatment with omega-3 fatty acids on the progression to an androgen-independent state. The omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were able to prevent progression of LNCaP cells while the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) actually promoted cell growth under conditions of hormone depletion. These results correlated with a decrease in the expression of the androgen receptor as well as suppression of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Connecting the mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids affect phenotypic outcome is important for effective exploitation of these nutrient agents as a therapeutic approach" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effect of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in intestinal microvascular endothelium - Clin Nutr. 2011 May 30 - "DHA led to a decreased VCAM-1, TLR4, cyclooxygenase-2 and VEGFR2 expression and a decreased production of IL-6, IL-8 and GM-CSF and a reduced production of PGE(2) and LTB(4) (p < 0.001) in IL-1β-induced HIMEC. Similarly, dietary intervention with fish oil rich in EPA and DHA significantly decreased colon production of PGE(2) and LTB(4,) endothelial VCAM-1 and VEGFR2 in rats with colitis ... Data obtained from in vitro and in vivo studies reveal a potential anti-angiogenic role of long chain n-3 PUFA in intestinal endothelial cells. This protective effect of long chain n-3 PUFA may partly explain the observed benefit of dietary intake of long chain n-3 PUFA in IBD development"
• Omega-3 status in pregnancy linked to childhood obesity: Study - Nutra USA, 5/6/11 - "A higher ratio of cord plasma omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was associated with higher subscapular and triceps [skinfold thicknesses] and odds of obesity ... around one fifth expectant mothers ate more than 2 fish meals per week at mid-pregnancy, however only about half of these women achieved the recommend intake of DHA of 200 mg per day ... Only three per cent of pregnant women in the study were found to consume the recommended intake of 200 mg/day of DHA in the last month of pregnancy ... this is the time when large amounts of DHA are transferred from the mother to the infant to support brain development ... 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 ... In contrast, the odds of obesity were 32 per cent lower when maternal consumption of omega-3s was high or if the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 was at close to recommended levels" - [Abstract]
• Low fish oil intake improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and muscle metabolism on insulin resistant MSG-obese rats - Lipids Health Dis. 2011 Apr 28;10(1):66 - "The purpose of this study was to determinate the effect of a lower dose of fish oil supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and muscle metabolism in obese rats ... Low dose of fish oil supplementation (1g/kg/day) was able to reduce TC and TG levels, in addition to improved systemic and muscle insulin sensitivity. These results lend credence to the benefits of n-3 fatty acids upon the deleterious effects of insulin resistance mechanisms"
• Brain histological changes in young mice submitted to diets with different ratios of n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during maternal pregnancy and lactation - Clin Nutr. 2011 Apr 1 - "N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are essential for brain development and function, but the appropriate quantity of dietary n-3 PUFAs and ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs have not been clearly determined ... The feeding regimens began two months before mouse conception and continued throughout lactation for new pups. As compared with the n-3 PUFA-deficient diet, both the flaxseed oil n-3 PUFA diets and the flaxseed/fish oil n-3 PUFA diets significantly increased the expression levels of brain neuron-specific enolase, glial fibrillary acidic protein and myelin basic protein, somewhat dose-dependently, in new pup mice at 21 d and 42 d of age. The expression of PPAR-γ in the brains of pup mice was increased only at 7 d of age with the n-3 PUFA diet, and no changes in the expression of PPAR-α and PPAR-β were found among all the diet groups. These results suggest that the higher intake amount of n-3 PUFAs with a low ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs at about 1-2:1, supplied during both maternal pregnancy and lactation, may be more beneficial for early brain development, and PPAR-γ may act in one of the pathways by which n-3 PUFAs promote early brain development"
• Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids, fish, and nuts and risk of inflammatory disease mortality - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar 16 - "Women in the highest tertiles of total n-3 PUFA intake, compared with those in the lowest tertile of intake at baseline, had a 44% reduced risk of inflammatory disease mortality (P for trend = 0.03). This association was not observed in men" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• A Dietary Mixture Containing Fish Oil, Resveratrol, Lycopene, Catechins, and Vitamins E and C Reduces Atherosclerosis in Transgenic Mice - J Nutr. 2011 Mar 16 - "Chronic inflammation and proatherogenic lipids are important risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Specific dietary constituents such as polyphenols and fish oils may improve cardiovascular risk factors and may have a beneficial effect on disease outcomes ... AIDM was evaluated in an inflammation model, male human C-reactive protein (CRP) transgenic mice, and an atherosclerosis model, female ApoE*3Leiden transgenic mice. Two groups of male human-CRP transgenic mice were fed AIDM [0.567% (wt:wt) powder and 0.933% (wt:wt oil)] or placebo for 6 wk. The effects of AIDM on basal and IL-1β-stimulated CRP expression were investigated. AIDM reduced cytokine-induced human CRP and fibrinogen expression in human-CRP transgenic mice. In the atherosclerosis study, 2 groups of female ApoE*3Leiden transgenic mice were fed an atherogenic diet supplemented with AIDM [0.567% (wt:wt) powder and 0.933% (wt:wt oil)] or placebo for 16 wk. AIDM strongly reduced plasma cholesterol, TG, and serum amyloid A concentrations compared with placebo. Importantly, long-term treatment of ApoE*3Leiden mice with AIDM markedly reduced the development of atherosclerosis by 96% compared with placebo. The effect on atherosclerosis was paralleled by a reduced expression of the vascular inflammation markers and adhesion molecules inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin. Dietary supplementation of AIDM improves lipid and inflammatory risk factors of CVD and strongly reduces atherosclerotic lesion development in female transgenic mice" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com, Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com, Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL at Amazon.com, green tea extract at Amazon.com and Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at Amazon.com.
• Neurophysiologic and neurobehavioral evidence of beneficial effects of prenatal omega-3 fatty acid intake on memory function at school age - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar 9 - "The beneficial effects of prenatal and early postnatal intakes of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on cognitive development during infancy are well recognized. However, few studies have examined the extent to which these benefits continue to be evident in childhood ... Repeated-measures analyses of variance revealed that children with higher cord plasma concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is an important n-3 PUFA, had a shorter FN400 latency and a larger LPC amplitude; and higher plasma DHA concentrations at the time of testing were associated with increased FN400 amplitude. Cord DHA-related effects were observed regardless of seafood-contaminant amounts. Multiple regression analyses also showed positive associations between cord DHA concentrations and performance on neurobehavioral assessments of memory ... To our knowledge, this study provides the first neurophysiologic and neurobehavioral evidence of long-term beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA intake in utero on memory function in school-age children" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and blood pressure in adolescents - J Hum Hypertens. 2011 Feb 10 - "systolic BP was inversely associated with intakes of polyunsaturated (b=-0.436, P<0.01), omega-3 (b=-2.47, P=0.02), omega-6 (b=-0.362, P=0.04) and long chain omega-3 fatty acids (b=-4.37, P=0.04) in boys. Diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure were inversely associated with intakes of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in boys (b=-3.93, P=0.01, b=-4.05, P=0.01, respectively). For specific long-chain omega-3s, significant inverse associations were observed between eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid, such as systolic BP decreasing by 4.7 mm Hg (95% CI -9.3 to -0.1) for a quarter gram increase in EPA, but no significant associations were observed with docosapentaenoic acid. No significant associations were observed in girls, or with the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Our results suggest that gender may moderate relationships between fatty acid intake and BP in adolescence"
• Relation of Whole Blood n-3 Fatty Acid Levels to Exercise Parameters in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease (from the Heart and Soul Study) - Am J Cardiol. 2011 Feb 7 - "After multivariable adjustment, n-3 fatty acid levels (DHA + EPA) were strongly associated with heart rate recovery (beta 2.1, p = 0.003), exercise capacity (beta 0.8, p <0.0001), and exercise time (beta 0.9, p <0.0001). Increasing levels of (DHA + EPA) were also associated with decreased risk of impaired heart rate recovery (odds ratio 0.8, p = 0.004) and exercise time (odds ratio 0.7, p = 0.01) and trended toward significance for exercise capacity (odds ratio 0.8, p = 0.07). These associations were not modified by demographics, body mass index, smoking, co-morbid conditions, statin use, or β-blocker use (p for interaction >0.1 for all comparisons). In conclusion, an independent association exists between n-3 fatty acid levels and important exercise parameters in patients with stable coronary artery disease. These findings support the hypothesis that n-3 fatty acids may increase vagal tone and physical conditioning"
  • vagal tone - encyclopedia.com - "The effect produced on the heart when only the parasympathetic nerve fibres (which are carried in the vagus nerve) are controlling the heart rate. The parasympathetic nerve fibres slow the heart rate from approximately 70 beats per minute to 60 beats per minute"
• Consumption of long-chain n-3 PUFA, α-linolenic acid and fish is associated with the prevalence of chronic kidney disease - Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan 24:1-8 - "The highest compared with the lowest quartile of fish consumption was associated with a reduced likelihood of CKD (OR 0.68, 95 % CI 0.48, 0.97; P for trend = 0.02). The present study shows that an increased dietary intake of long-chain n-3 PUFA and fish reduces the prevalence of CKD. Hence, a diet rich in n-3 PUFA and fish could have a role in maintaining healthy kidney function, in addition to roles of these nutrients in the prevention and modulation of other diseases" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on semen profile and enzymatic anti-oxidant capacity of seminal plasma in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study - Andrologia. 2011 Feb;43(1):38-47 - "Effective medical treatments of infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia (OAT) have yet to be determined ... A significant improvement of sperm cell total count (from 38.7 +/- 8.7 ' 10(6) to 61.7 +/- 11.2 ' 10(6) , P = 0.001) and sperm cell concentration (from 15.6 +/- 4.1 ' 10(6) per ml to 28.7 +/- 4.4 ' 10(6) per ml, P = 0.001) was observed in the omega-3 group. A significant positive correlation was found between the EPA and DHA in seminal plasma and the semen parameters. Seminal plasma EPA and DHA concentrations were positively correlated with seminal plasma SOD-like and catalase-like activity (both P = 0.001). In seminal plasma, both SOD-like and catalase-like activity were positively correlated with sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology. Oligoasthenoteratospermic men with low levels of EPA and DHA may benefit from omega-3 FA supplementation"
• Serum omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and cutaneous p53 expression in an Australian population - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011 Jan 7 - "There was an inverse association, showing a dose-response relationship, between total n-3 fatty acid serum concentrations and p53 immunoreactivity in the whole epidermis as well as basal layer. This was due particularly to eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexanoic acid concentrations. There was no evidence for increased p53 immunoreactivity in participants with relatively high serum n-6 fatty acid concentrations. The ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acid concentrations was not associated with p53 immunoreactivity ... The prospect that increased intake of n-3 fatty acids could help prevent skin cancer is attractive"
• Fish consumption and risk of stroke in Swedish women - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec 29 - "Fish consumption was significantly inversely associated with risk of total stroke but not cerebral infarction or hemorrhagic stroke. Compared with women in the lowest quintile of fish consumption (<1.0 servings of fish/wk), the multivariable RR of total stroke for women in the highest quintile (>3.0 servings of fish/wk) was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.98; P for trend = 0.049). Consumption of lean fish but not of other fish types was inversely associated with risk of stroke. The multivariable RR of total stroke was 0.67 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.93; P for trend = 0.07) for ≥3 servings of lean fish/wk compared with that for no consumption"
• Effect of n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Urinary Risk Factors for Calcium Oxalate Stone Formation - J Urol. 2010 Dec 18 - "evaluated the physiological effects of supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on urinary risk factors for calcium oxalate stone formation under standardized conditions ... After short-term supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in phase 1 we noted no changes in urinary parameters compared to the control phase. After 30-day supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in phase 3 relative supersaturation with calcium oxalate decreased significantly by 23% from a mean +/- SD of 2.01 +/- 1.26 to 1.55 +/- 0.84 due to significantly decreased urinary oxalate excretion (p = 0.023) ... Calcium oxalate stone formers may benefit from long-term n-3 fatty acid supplementation"
• Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: a randomized controlled trial - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec 15 - "Omega-3 fatty acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults and may be useful for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Dose-response effects of omega-3 fatty acids on triglycerides, inflammation, and endothelial function in healthy persons with moderate hypertriglyceridemia - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec 15 - "effects of 0.85 and 3.4 g EPA+DHA/d ... The higher dose of EPA+DHA lowered triglycerides by 27% compared with placebo (173 +/- 17.5 compared with 237 +/- 17.5 mg/dL; P = 0.002), whereas no effect of the lower dose was observed on lipids. No effects on cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL), endothelial function [as assessed by flow-mediated dilation, peripheral arterial tonometry/EndoPAT (Itamar Medical Ltd, Caesarea, Israel), or Doppler measures of hyperemia], inflammatory markers (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), or the expression of inflammatory cytokine genes in isolated lymphocytes were observed" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• The effects of dietary and nutrient interventions on arterial stiffness: a systematic review - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec 8 - "Of the 75 relevant studies located, we considered 38 studies to be appropriate for review. Results revealed support for intakes of omega-3 (n-3) fish oils (Cohen's d = 0.21-0.81) and soy isoflavones (Cohen's d = 0.35-0.39) in the treatment of arterial stiffness. There was limited but consistent evidence to suggest that salt restriction (Cohen's d = 0.28-0.37) as well as consumption of fermented-milk products (Cohen's d = 0.15-0.33) that contain bioactive peptides improved arterial stiffness. The evidentiary support for intakes of vitamins, micronutrients, and herbal medicines was insufficient. Limited but consistent evidence suggested that caffeine intake acutely increased arterial stiffness (Cohen's d = 0.34-0.51) ... Current evidence from several small studies suggests that omega-3 and soy isoflavone supplementation provides an effective means of reducing arterial stiffness" - See soy isoflavones at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• The effect of phosphatidylserine-containing omega-3 fatty acids on memory abilities in subjects with subjective memory complaints: a pilot study - Clin Interv Aging. 2010 Nov 2;5:313-6 - "PS-omega-3 supplementation resulted in 42% increase in the ability to recall words in the delayed condition" - See phosphatidylserine at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish consumption and myocardial infarction: a second prospective biomarker study from northern Sweden - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov 3 - "fish also contains methylmercury, which may increase the risk of MI ... mercury (Ery-Hg) ... selenium (Ery-Se) ... (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) in plasma phospholipids (P-EPA+DHA) ... sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) ... Odds ratios for the third compared with the first tertile were 0.65 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.91) for Ery-Hg, 0.75 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.06) for Ery-Se, and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.54, 1.11) for P-EPA+DHA. Ery-Hg and P-EPA+DHA were intercorrelated (Spearman's R = 0.34). No association was seen for reported fish consumption ... High concentrations of Ery-Se were associated with an increased risk of SCD" - Note:  See my Toxins in Fish/Fish oil page.  Mercury has not been a problem in brand name supplements.
• Pilot, Prospective, Randomized, Double-masked, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of an Omega-3 Supplement for Dry Eye - Cornea. 2010 Oct 28 - "Dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in dry eye showed no significant effect in meibum lipid composition or aqueous tear evaporation rate. On the other hand, the average tear production and tear volume was increased in the omega-3 group as indicated by both Schirmer testing and fluorophotometry"
• n-3 Fatty Acids and Periodontitis in US Adults - J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Nov;110(11):1669-75 - "Compared with the lowest tertiles, the adjusted odds ratios for periodontitis associated with the highest tertiles of dietary n-3 intake were 0.78 (95% CI 0.61 to 1.00; P=0.009) for DHA, 0.85 (95% CI 0.67 to 1.08; P=0.10) for EPA, and 0.86 (95% CI 0.60 to 1.23; P=0.28) for LNA"
• Omega-3 fatty acids for major depressive disorder associated with the menopausal transition: a preliminary open trial - Menopause. 2010 Oct 27 - "The pretreatment and final mean MADRS scores were 24.2 and 10.7, respectively, reflecting a significant decrease in MADRS scores (P < 0.0001). The response rate was 70% (MADRS score decrease of ≥50%), and the remission rate was 45% (final MADRS score of ≤7). Responders had significantly lower pretreatment docosahexaenoic acid levels than nonresponders did (P = 0.03). Hot flashes were present in 15 (75%) participants. Among those with hot flashes at baseline, the number of hot flashes per day improved significantly from baseline (P = 0.02) and Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale scores decreased significantly ... These data support further study of omega-3 fatty acids for major depressive disorder and hot flashes in women during the menopausal transition" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Dietary omega-3 fatty acids and fish consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Oct 27 - "From the lowest to highest quintiles of marine omega-3 intake, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for T2D were 1.0 (referent), 1.17 (1.03, 1.33), 1.20 (1.05, 1.38), 1.46 (1.28, 1.66), and 1.44 (1.25, 1.65), respectively (P for trend < 0.0001). A similar association was observed with fish intake, but additional adjustment for docosahexaenoic acid led to the elimination of the association ... Our data suggest an increased risk of T2D with the intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, especially with higher intakes (≥0.20 g omega-3/d or ≥2 servings of fish/d)"
• Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and breast cancer risk in Chinese women: A prospective cohort study - Int J Cancer. 2010 Sep 28 - "We found no association of breast cancer risk to dietary intake of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, α-linolenic acid, or marine-derived n-3 PUFA. We found a statistically significant interaction between n-6 PUFA intake, marine-derived n-3 PUFA intake and breast cancer risk (p = 0.008). Women with lower intake (the lowest tertile) of marine-derived n-3 PUFA and higher intake (the highest tertile) of n-6 PUFA had an increase risk for breast cancer (RR=2.06; 95% CI=1.27-3.34) compared to women with higher intake (the highest tertile) of marine-derived n-3 PUFAs and lower intake (the lowest tertile) of n-6 PUFAs after adjusting for potential confounders. The relative amounts of n-6 PUFA to marine-derived n-3 PUFAs may be more important for breast cancer risk than individual dietary amounts of these fatty acids"
• Prospective randomized comparison between omega-3 fatty acid supplements plus simvastatin versus simvastatin alone in Korean patients with mixed dyslipidemia: lipoprotein profiles and heart rate variability - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Sep 29 - "After 6 weeks of drug treatment, triglyceride levels decreased by 41.0% in the combination treatment group and 13.9% in the simvastatin monotherapy group (from 309.2+/-95 mg per 100 ml to 177.7+/-66 versus 294.6+/-78 mg per 100 ml to 238.3+/-84 mg per 100 ml, respectively"
• Intake of marine n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and risk for epilepsy in the offspring: A population-based cohort study - Epilepsy Res. 2010 Aug 24 - "Children born to mothers in the lowest (IRR=1.28, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.67) and highest (IRR=1.33, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.74) quintile of n-3 LCPUFA intake had an increased risk of epilepsy after adjustment for potential confounders compared to children born to mothers with an average intake ... Maternal deficiency of n-3 LCPUFA and a high intake of n-3 LCPUFA perhaps related to a high consumption of contaminated fish may be associated with an increased risk of epilepsy in early childhood" - Note: See my Toxins in fish oil/fish page. Contamination with the higher end omega-3 supplements has not been a problem.
• Fish and n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake and Depressive Symptoms: Ryukyus Child Health Study - Pediatrics. 2010 Aug 16 - "The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 22.5% for boys and 31.2% for girls. For boys, fish intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for depressive symptoms in the highest [compared with the lowest] quintile of intake: 0.73 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55-0.97]; P for trend = .04). EPA intake showed an inverse association with depressive symptoms (OR: 0.71 [95% CI: 0.54-0.94]; P = .04). DHA intake also showed a similar inverse, albeit nonsignificant, association (OR: 0.79 [95% CI: 0.59-1.05]; P = .11). In addition, intake of EPA plus DHA was inversely associated with depressive symptoms (OR: 0.72 [95% CI: 0.55-0.96]; P = .08). Conversely, no such associations were observed among girls" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids early supplementation improves ultrasound indices of endothelial function, but not through NO inhibitors in patients with acute myocardial infarction N-3 PUFA supplementation in acute myocardial infarction - Clin Nutr. 2010 Aug 11 - "the study group (group P; n = 20; standard therapy + n-3 PUFA 1g daily) or the control group (group C; n = 20; standard therapy) ... There was a significant difference between both groups in mean delta (baseline/after one month) FMD (P: 8.1 +/- 12.6% vs C: -2.2 +/- 11.8%; p = 0.02) with no difference in mean delta NMD (P: 3.3 +/- 11.9% vs 0.66 +/- 14.3%; p = 0.53). We found also a significant increase in mean FMD (7.4 +/- 6.4 to 15.5 +/- 10.5%; p = 0.02) with a nonsignificant change in mean NMD values (26.9 +/- 12.1 to 30.2 +/- 14.0%; p = 0.24) after 1-month therapy with n-3 PUFA. FMD and NMD mean values did not change in control patients (FMD: 11.6 +/- 6.1% to 9.4 +/- 8.0%; p = 0.5 NMD: 25.1 +/- 11.4% to 25.8 +/- 14.0%; p = 0.84). The comparison of mean delta ADMA values for both groups revealed no differences (P: 6.2 +/- 9.7 mumol/l vs C: 3.6 +/- 9.5 mumol/l; p = 0.43). Mean serum ADMA concentrations were significantly increased after 1-month therapy in the group P (P: 2.1 +/- 1.8 to 8.3 +/- 9.7 mumol/l; p = 0.001; C: 4.5 +/- 7.1 to 8.1 +/- 9.5 mumol/l; p = 0.09). However, there was a nonsignificant difference in mean baseline serum ADMA levels between both groups (P: 2.1 +/- 1.8 mumol/l vs C: 4.5 +/- 7.1 mumol/l; p = 0.32). There were no significant correlations between FMD, NMD, ADMA levels and demographic, clinical or biochemical parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Early and short-term n-3 PUFA supplementation improved ultrasound indices of endothelial function without affecting serum ADMA levels in patients with AMI and successful primary PCI"
• Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation Confers Long-Term Neuroprotection Against Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury Through Anti-Inflammatory Actions - Stroke. 2010 Aug 12 - "neonatal hypoxia/ischemia (H/I) ... : Female rats were treated with or without an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-enriched diet from the second day of pregnancy until 14 days after parturition ... Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation significantly reduced brain damage and improved long-term neurological outcomes up to 5 weeks after neonatal H/I injury. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids exerted an anti-inflammatory effect in microglia both in an in vivo model of H/I and in in vitro microglial cultures subjected to inflammatory stimuli by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation and subsequent release of inflammatory mediators. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids confer potent neuroprotection against neonatal H/I brain injury through, at least partially, suppressing a microglial-mediated inflammatory response"
• Adherence to an (n-3) Fatty Acid/Fish Intake Pattern Is Inversely Associated with Metabolic Syndrome among Puerto Rican Adults in the Greater Boston Area - J Nutr. 2010 Aug 11 - "The (n-3) fatty acid/fish factor was associated with a lower likelihood of metabolic syndrome (Q5 vs. Q1: odds ratio: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.86)"
• Intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study in Japanese men and women - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Aug 4 - "The prevalence of NAFLD was 45.3% in men and 17.5% in women. In comparison with the first tertile, multivariate adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the presence of NAFLD in the second and third tertiles for men taking eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were 0.59 (0.31-1.14) and 0.45 (0.23-0.90), respectively, (P for linear trend=0.024), and the multivariate adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the presence of NAFLD in the second and third tertiles for men taking EPA+docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were 0.44 (0.23-0.86) and 0.48 (0.24-0.95), respectively, (P for linear trend=0.035). However, there was no significant relation between NAFLD and each of these nutrients in women.Conclusions:Dietary EPA and EPA+DHA may be independent and preventive nutrients for NAFLD in Japanese men"
• Intake of Fish and n-3 Fatty Acids and Future Risk of Metabolic Syndrome - J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jul;110(7):1018-1026 - "After controlling for potential cardiovascular risk factors, multivariate OR for metabolic syndrome was 0.43 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.83) for men who ate fish daily when compared with those eating fish less than once a week. Similarly, metabolic syndrome risk was halved for men in the top decile of n-3 fatty acid intake when compared with those in the bottom decile (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.99). In particular, fish intake was significantly associated with triglyceride level and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level among the metabolic syndrome components. For women, apparent associations were not observed between fish intake or n-3 fatty acid intake and metabolic syndrome risk. CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective study, high consumption of fish and n-3 fatty acids was significantly associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome among men, but not among women. Whether or not encouraging fish intake can help prevent the development of metabolic syndrome warrants further studies"
• Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms and on Health-Related Quality of Life in the Treatment of Elderly Women with Depression: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial - J Am Coll Nutr. 2010 Feb;29(1):55-64 - "Supplementation with n-3 LCPUFA is efficacious in the amelioration of depressive symptoms and quality of life in the treatment of depressed elderly female patients"
• Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and fish and risk of age-related hearing loss - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jun 9 - "There was an inverse association between total n-3 PUFA intake and prevalent hearing loss [odds ratio (OR) per SD increase in energy-adjusted n-3 PUFAs: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.99]. There was an inverse association between long-chain n-3 PUFAs and incident hearing loss (OR per SD increase in long-chain n-3 PUFAs: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.97). Participants who had >/=2 servings of fish/wk compared with participants who had <1 serving of fish/wk had a significantly reduced risk (42%) of developing presbycusis at follow-up (multivariate-adjusted OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.95). There was an association between consumption of >/=1 to <2 servings/wk of fish and a reduced risk of a progression of hearing loss (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.88). CONCLUSIONS: There was an inverse association between higher intakes of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and regular weekly consumption of fish and hearing loss. Dietary intervention with n-3 PUFAs could prevent or delay the development of age-related hearing loss" - [Nutra USA]
• Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Treatment of Kidney Disease - Am J Kidney Dis. 2010 May 19 - "guidelines suggest that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids should be considered in progressive IgA nephropathy. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease blood pressure, a known accelerant of kidney disease progression" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• EPA supplementation improves teacher rated behaviour and oppositional symptoms in children with ADHD - Acta Paediatr. 2010 May 19 - "Two ADHD subgroups (oppositional and less hyperactive/impulsive children) improved after 15 weeks EPA treatment. Increasing EPA and decreasing omega-6 fatty acid concentrations in phospholipids were related to clinical improvement" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Effects of a 1-year dietary intervention with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched olive oil on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients: a preliminary study - Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2010 May 13 - "Consumption of olive oil enriched with n-3 PUFA demonstrated a significant improvement of liver echo-texture and of the Doppler Perfusion Index after 12 months (after: 0.19 +/- 0.02 vs. pre: 0.15 +/- 0.03; P < 0.05), whereas no significant changes were seen at the end of follow-up in controls. Moreover, patients who consumed the olive oil enriched with n-3 PUFA showed a significant amelioration of liver enzymes, and of triglycerides (post: 132.8 +/- 63.7 vs. pre: 164.5 +/- 85.5 mg/dl; P = 0.04) in a general linear model adjusted for age and gender. Interestingly, patients reported to have a significant increase of adiponectin levels (post: 1,487.9 +/- 96.7 vs. pre: 1,143 +/- 24.8 mug/ml; P = 0.04)"
• EPA but not DHA appears to be responsible for the efficacy of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in depression: evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - J Am Coll Nutr. 2009 Oct;28(5):525-42 - "Meta-regression studies showed a significant effect of higher levels of baseline depression and lower supplement DHAEPA ratio on therapeutic efficacy. Subgroup analyses showed significant effects for: (1) diagnostic category (bipolar disorder and major depression showing significant improvement with omega3 LC-PUFA supplementation versus mild-to-moderate depression, chronic fatigue and non-clinical populations not showing significant improvement); (2) therapeutic as opposed to preventive intervention; (3) adjunctive treatment as opposed to monotherapy; and (4) supplement type. Symptoms of depression were not significantly reduced in 3 studies using pure DHA (standardized mean difference 0.001, 95% CI -0.330 to 0.332, z = 0.004, p = 0.997) or in 4 studies using supplements containing greater than 50% DHA (standardized mean difference = 0.141, 95% CI = -0.195 to 0.477, z = 0.821, p = 0.417). In contrast, symptoms of depression were significantly reduced in 13 studies using supplements containing greater than 50% EPA (standardized mean difference = -0.446, 95% CI = -0.753 to -0.138, z = -2.843, p = 0.005) and in 8 studies using pure ethyl-EPA (standardized mean difference = -0.396, 95% CI = -0.650 to -0.141, z = -3.051, p = 0.002). However, further meta-regression studies showed significant inverse associations between efficacy and study methodological quality, study sample size, and duration, thus limiting the confidence of these findings. CONCLUSIONS: The current meta-analysis provides evidence that EPA may be more efficacious than DHA in treating depression. However, owing to the identified limitations of the included studies, larger, well-designed, randomized controlled trials of sufficient duration are needed to confirm these findings" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Dietary intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and diabetic nephropathy - cohort analysis of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) - Diabetes Care. 2010 Mar 31 - "In a mean follow-up of 6.5 years, we observed a lower mean UAER [difference 22.7 mg/24 hr (95% CI 1.6, 43.8)] in the top vs. bottom third of dietary n-3 LC-PUFAs, but found no association with incident albuminuria ... Dietary n-3 LC-PUFAs appear inversely associated with the degree, but not with the incidence of albuminuria in type 1 diabetes"
• Eicosapentaenoic acid reduces rectal polyp number and size in familial adenomatous polyposis - Gut. 2010 Mar 26 - "Treatment with EPA-FFA for 6 months was associated with a mean 22.4% (95% CI 5.1% to 39.6%) reduction in polyp number (p=0.012) and a 29.8% (3.6% to 56.1%) decrease in the sum of polyp diameters (p=0.027). Global polyp burden worsened over 6 months in the placebo group (-0.34) unlike the EPA-FFA group (+0.09, difference 0.42 (0.10-0.75), p=0.011) ... EPA-FFA has chemopreventative efficacy in FAP, to a degree similar to that previously observed with selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors. EPA holds promise as a colorectal cancer chemoprevention agent with a favourable safety profile" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Marine (n-3) Fatty Acids, Fish Consumption, and the 10-Year Risk of Fatal and Nonfatal Coronary Heart Disease in a Large Population of Dutch Adults with a Low Fish Intake - J Nutr. 2010 Mar 24 - "Compared with the lowest quartile of EPA+DHA, participants in the top quartile had a 49% lower risk of fatal CHD (95% CI: 6-73%) and a 62% lower risk of fatal MI (95% CI: 23-81%). We observed inverse dose-response relations for EPA+DHA intake and fatal CHD (P-trend = 0.05) and fatal MI (P-trend = 0.01)"
• The effects of omega-3 supplementation on pulmonary function of young wrestlers during intensive training - J Sci Med Sport. 2010 Mar;13(2):281-286 - "consuming omega-3 during 12 weeks training had a significantly positive effect on pulmonary variables such as FEV1, FVC, VC, MVV, FEF25-75, FIV1 (p=0.001), but no significant changes were observed in FEV1% (p=0.141) and FIV1% (p=0.117). The results of the present study suggest that consuming omega-3 during intensive wrestling training can improve pulmonary function of athletes during and in post-exercise" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Associations of very high intakes of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids with biomarkers of chronic disease risk among Yup'ik Eskimos - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jan 20 - "Means (5th-95th percentiles) for RBC EPA and DHA were 2.8% (0.5-5.9%) and 6.8% (3.3-9.0%), respectively. Associations of EPA and DHA were inverse and linear for triglycerides (beta +/- SE = -0.10 +/- 0.01 and -0.05 +/- 0.01, respectively) and positive and linear for HDL cholesterol (beta +/- SE = 2.0 +/- 0.5 and 0.9 +/- 0.6, respectively) and apolipoprotein A-I (beta +/- SE = 2.6 +/- 0.8 and 1.7 +/- 0.8, respectively). Positive linear associations of DHA with LDL and total cholesterol (beta +/- SE = 7.5 +/- 1.4 and 6.80 +/- 1.57, respectively) were observed; for EPA, these associations were nonlinear and restricted to concentrations approximately <5% of total fatty acids. Associations of EPA and DHA with C-reactive protein were inverse and nonlinear: for EPA, the association appeared stronger at concentrations approximately >3% of total fatty acids; for DHA, it was observed only at concentrations approximately >7% of total fatty acids. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing EPA and DHA intakes to amounts well above those consumed by the general US population may have strong beneficial effects on chronic disease risk"
• Successful Treatment of Severe Hypertriglyceridemia with a Formula Diet Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Medium-Chain Triglycerides - Ann Nutr Metab. 2010 Feb 12;56(3):170-175 - "Patients with highly increased plasma triglyceride levels are at risk of developing serious complications such as pancreatitis, coronary heart disease and stroke. Therefore it is important to rapidly decrease plasma triglyceride levels. A sufficient control of triglyceride levels with drugs like fibrates, statins or nicotinic acid can usually only be attained after a couple of weeks. Plasma exchange appears to be a fast but expensive method to reduce triglyceride levels. In this study we describe the use of a new omega-3 fatty acid and medium-chain triglyceride-rich formula diet as a therapeutic concept to reduce plasma triglyceride levels fast and effectively ... Thirty-two patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia were treated with the especially composed formula diet for a period of 7 days. Results: Within this period of time, plasma triglycerides decreased from 1,601 (402-4,555) to 554 (142-2,382) mg/dl (p < 0.05). Total cholesterol levels were reduced from 417 (211-841) to 287 (165-457) mg/dl (p < 0.001). Fasting glucose and uric acid levels also slightly decreased (-8%; -12%). The formula diet as a 1-week treatment was well tolerated and accepted by the patients"
• Fish-oil supplement has neutral effects on vascular and metabolic function but improves renal function in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus - Diabet Med. 2010 Jan;27(1):54-60 - "serum creatinine was lower (-4.5 mumol/l, P = 0.01) in fish-oil-treated patients as compared with control subjects"
• Long-Chain {omega}-3 Fatty Acids for Indicated Prevention of Psychotic Disorders: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial - Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010 Feb;67(2):146-54 - "The difference between the groups in the cumulative risk of progression to full-threshold psychosis was 22.6% ... Long-chain omega-3 PUFAs reduce the risk of progression to psychotic disorder and may offer a safe and efficacious strategy for indicated prevention in young people with subthreshold psychotic states" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at iHerb.
• Association of marine omega-3 fatty acid levels with telomeric aging in patients with coronary heart disease - JAMA. 2010 Jan 20;303(3):250-7 - "Individuals in the lowest quartile of DHA+EPA experienced the fastest rate of telomere shortening (0.13 telomere-to-single-copy gene ratio [T/S] units over 5 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.17), whereas those in the highest quartile experienced the slowest rate of telomere shortening (0.05 T/S units over 5 years; 95% CI, 0.02-0.08; P < .001 for linear trend across quartiles). Levels of DHA+EPA were associated with less telomere shortening before (unadjusted beta coefficient x 10(-3) = 0.06; 95% CI, 0.02-0.10) and after (adjusted beta coefficient x 10(-3) = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.08) sequential adjustment for established risk factors and potential confounders. Each 1-SD increase in DHA+EPA levels was associated with a 32% reduction in the odds of telomere shortening (adjusted odds ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.47-0.98)"
• Reductions of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression are correlated with memory impairment induced by interleukin-1beta administrations: effects of omega-3 fatty acid EPA treatment - J Neurochem. 2009 Dec 3 - "E-EPA treatment significantly improved the memory, which was correlated with normalizing ACh release, and expressions of NGF and IL-1beta"
• Review article: omega-3 fatty acids - a promising novel therapy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Dec 30 - "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 10-35% of the adult population worldwide; there is no consensus on its treatment ... Omega-3 fatty acids are important regulators of hepatic gene transcription. Animal studies demonstrate they reduce hepatic steatosis, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce markers of inflammation. Clinical trials in human subjects generally confirm these findings but have significant design inadequacies. Conclusions Omega-3 fatty acids are a promising treatment for NAFLD which require to be tested in randomised placebo controlled trials" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Dietary supplementation of n-3 PUFA reduces weight gain and improves postprandial lipaemia and the associated inflammatory response in the obese JCR:LA-cp rat - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2009 Nov 16 - "n-3 PUFA treatment resulted in a significant improvement (i.e. decrease) in the postprandial response for triglyceride (45%) (p < 0.05), apoB48 (45%) (p < 0.03) and LBP (33%) (p < 0.05) compared to controls (measured as area under the clearance curve). In contrast, we observed a significant elevation in postprandial haptoglobin (165%) (p < 0.001) in obese rats supplemented with 10% n-3 PUFA. Treatment with 5% n-3 PUFA in the JCR:LA-cp obese animals resulted in a complementary decrease in total body weight gain (6%) (p < 0.001) and an increase (i.e. improvement) in adiponectin (33%) (p < 0.05) compared to controls, without a concomitant reduction in food intake"
• Fish Oil Supplementation Inhibits NNK-Induced Lung Carcinogenesis in the A/J Mouse - Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(5):663-9 - "fish oil supplementation was able to decrease lung tumor prevalence by 78% and 80% compared to groups receiving soybean oil and corn oil supplementation, respectively"
• Dietary intake of total marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid and the risk of acute coronary syndrome - a cohort study - Br J Nutr. 2009 Oct 14:1-6 - "Men in the four highest quintiles of n-3 PUFA intake (>0.39 g n-3 PUFA per d) had a lower incidence of ACS compared with men in the lowest quintile. The hazard ratio was 0.83 (95 % CI 0.67, 1.03) when we compared men in the second lowest and lowest quintile of n-3 PUFA intake"
• {omega}-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and 12-y incidence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and central geographic atrophy: a prospective cohort study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Oct 7 - "Participants who reported the highest omega-3 LCPUFA intake (median: 0.11% of total energy intake) were 30% less likely than their peers to develop CGA and NV AMD. The respective odds ratios were 0.65 (95% CI: 0.45, 0.92; P </= 0.02) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.94; P </= 0.02)" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Effect of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega-3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis - Adv Ther. 2009 Sep 4 - "The aim was to see if a combination of glucosamine sulfate (1500 mg/day) and the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (group A), showed equivalence (noninferiority) or superiority as opposed to glucosamine sulfate alone (group B) ... OA symptoms (morning stiffness, pain in hips and knees) were reduced at the end of the study: by 48.5%-55.6% in group A and by 41.7%-55.3% in group B" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com and glucosamine products at Amazon.com.
• The effects of [omega]3 fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 on blood pressure and heart rate in chronic kidney disease: a randomized controlled trial - J Hypertens. 2009 Sep;27(9):1863-72 - "patients were randomized to either omega3FA (4 g), CoQ (200 mg), both supplements or control (4 g), daily for 8 weeks ... omega3FA, but not CoQ, reduced 24-h ambulatory heart rate (P<0.0001) and blood pressure ... omega3FA reduced triglycerides 24%" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• A prospective study of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and colorectal cancer risk in Chinese women - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Aug;18(8):2283-91 - "The dietary total n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio was strongly associated with colorectal cancer risk. Compared with women in the lowest quintile group, elevated relative risks (RR) were observed for the second [RR, 1.52; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.00-2.32], third (RR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.41-3.45), fourth (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.99-2.75), and fifth (RR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.07-3.54) quintile groups. Arachidonic acid was associated with colorectal cancer risk with elevated RRs of 1.20(Q2-Q1) (95% CI, 0.87-1.64), 1.44(Q3-Q1) (95% CI, 1.05-1.98), 1.61(Q4-Q1) (95% CI, 1.17-2.23), and 1.39(Q5-Q1) (95% CI, 0.97-1.99; P(trend) = 0.03) with increasing dietary quintile"
• Higher sea fish intake is associated with greater bone mass and lower osteoporosis risk in postmenopausal Chinese women - Osteoporos Int. 2009 Aug 6 - "After adjusting for the potential confounders, we observed dose-dependent relations between sea fish intake and BMDs, BMCs, and osteoporosis risk; the mean BMDs were 3.2-6.8% higher, and BMCs 5.1-9.4% higher in the top quintile groups (Q5) of sea fish intake than in the bottom quintile (Q1) at the whole body and hip sites (p < 0.05); the odds ratios (95% confidence interval (CI)) for osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5) in Q5 were 0.23 (0.08-0.66), 0.12 (0.03-0.59), and 0.06 (0.01-0.44) compared with those in Q1 at the whole body, total hip, and femur neck, respectively. No independent association between consumption of freshwater fish or shellfish and bone mass was observed ... Higher intake of sea fish is independently associated with greater bone mass and lower osteoporosis risk among postmenopausal Chinese women"
• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular diseases - J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009 Aug 11;54(7):585-94 - "The most compelling evidence for CV benefits of omega-3 PUFA comes from 4 controlled trials of nearly 40,000 participants randomized to receive eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with or without docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in studies of patients in primary prevention, after myocardial infarction, and most recently, with heart failure (HF) ... The target EPA + DHA consumption should be at least 500 mg/day for individuals without underlying overt CV disease and at least 800 to 1,000 mg/day for individuals with known coronary heart disease and HF"
• A High Omega-3 Fatty Acid Diet Reduces Retinal Lesions in a Murine Model of Macular Degeneration - Am J Pathol. 2009 Jul 16 - "Ccl2(-/-)/Cx3cr1(-/-) mice that ingested a high n-3 fatty acid diet showed a slower progression of retinal lesions compared with the low n-3 fatty acids group. Some mice that were given high levels of n-3 fatty acids had lesion reversion" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation decreases liver fat content in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: a randomised controlled trial employing proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Jul 21 - "Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has a beneficial effect on liver fat content and other cardiovascular risk factors in women with PCOS, including those with hepatic steatosis"
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements improve the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, including markers of inflammation and auto-immunity - Acta Cardiol. 2009 Jun;64(3):321-7 - "were given 1 gram of fish oil as a single capsule, containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid daily for 6 months. Control subjects did not receive any supplementation over the same period. RESULTS: The study was completed by 47 subjects in the intervention group and 42 subjects in the control group. Treatment with omega 3 supplements was associated with a significant fall in body weight (P < 0.05), systolic blood pressures (P < 0.05), serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05), and total cholesterol (P < 0.05), triglycerides (P < 0.05), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P < 0.01), and Hsp27 antibody titres (P < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: It appears that omega 3 improves the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, having effects on weight, systolic blood pressure, lipid profile and markers of inflammation and autoimmunity"
• Dietary fish and meat intake and dementia in Latin America, China, and India: a 10/66 Dementia Research Group population-based study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jun 24 - "We found a dose-dependent inverse association between fish consumption and dementia (PR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.91) that was consistent across all sites except India and a less-consistent, dose-dependent, direct association between meat consumption and prevalence of dementia (PR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.31)" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish Oil-Based Lipid Emulsions Prevent and Reverse Parenteral Nutrition-Associated Liver Disease: The Boston Experience - JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2009 Jul 1 - "Parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD) is the most prevalent and most severe complication of long-term parenteral nutrition. Its underlying pathophysiology, however, largely remains to be elucidated. The currently approved parenteral lipid emulsions in the United States contain safflower or soybean oils, both rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Mounting evidence indicates that the omega-6 PUFAs originating from plant oils in these lipid emulsions may play a role in the onset of liver injury. Fish oil-based lipid emulsions, in contrast, are primarily composed of omega-3 PUFAs, thus providing a promising alternative. The authors review the literature on the role of lipid emulsions in the onset of PNALD and discuss prevention and treatment strategies using a fish oil- based lipid emulsion. They conclude that a fish oil-based emulsion is hepatoprotective in a murine model of PNALD, and it appears to be safe and efficacious for the treatment of this type of liver disease in children" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish Oil and Heart Health - J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2009 Jun 26 - "Large controlled trials have shown that intake of fish oil (marine n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid), whether from dietary sources or fish oil supplements, may exhibit beneficial effects on total and cardiovascular disease mortality. Stabilization of cell membranes and suppression of cardiac arrhythmias have been identified as possible mechanisms. Moreover, n-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects, reduce blood pressure, and may also be antiatherogenic. Finally, high doses of n-3 fatty acids can lower elevated serum triglyceride levels. The n-3 index (erythrocyte eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid) may be considered as a potential risk marker for coronary heart disease mortality, especially sudden cardiac death. The balance of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids is an important determinant in decreasing the risk for coronary heart disease, both in the primary and in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Patients with known coronary heart disease should be recommended to consume n-3 fatty acid supplements at 1 g per day, without raising concerns for interactions with other medications or side effects. On the other hand, fish in the diet (preferably oily fish, 1-2 meals/week) should be considered as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fat"
• Fatty fish and fish omega-3 fatty acid intakes decrease the breast cancer risk: a case-control study - BMC Cancer. 2009 Jun 30;9(1):216 - "Using a multivariate logistic regression model, high intake of fatty fish was associated with a reduced risk for breast cancer in both pre- and postmenopausal women (OR [95% CI] for highest vs. lowest intake quartiles, p for trend: 0.19 [0.08 to 0.45], p < 0.001 for premenopausal women, 0.27 [0.11 to 0.66], p = 0.005 for postmenopausal women). Similarly, reductions in breast cancer risk were observed among postmenopausal subjects who consumed more than 0.101 g of EPA (OR [95% CI]: 0.38 [0.15 to 0.96]) and 0.213 g of DHA (OR [95% CI]: 0.32 [0.13 to 0.82]) from fish per day compared to the reference group who consumed less than 0.014 g of EPA and 0.037 g of DHA per day. Among premenopausal women, there was a significant reduction in breast cancer risk for the highest intake quartiles of omega-3 fatty acids (ORs [95% CI]: 0.46 [0.22 to 0.96]), compared to the reference group who consumed the lowest quartile of intake" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Does eating particular diets alter risk of age-related macular degeneration in users of the age-related eye disease study supplements? - Br J Ophthalmol. 2009 Jun 12 - "Independent of AREDS supplementation, higher intakes of DHA (>/= 64.0 vs. < 26.0 mg/d) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57, 0.94), EPA (>/= 42.3 vs. < 12.7 mg/d) (HR = 0.74, 95% CI, 0.59, 0.94), and lower dGI (dGI, < 75.2 vs. >/= 81.5) (HR = 0.76, 95% CI, 0.60, 0.96) were associated with lower risk for progression to advanced AMD. Participants consuming lower dGI and higher DHA or EPA had the lowest risk (P for synergistic interaction < 0.001) ... Our findings show an association of consuming a diet rich in DHA with lower progression of early AMD" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish-oil supplementation induces antiinflammatory gene expression profiles in human blood mononuclear cells - Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jun 10 - "A high EPA+DHA intake changed the expression of 1040 genes, whereas HOSF intake changed the expression of only 298 genes. EPA+DHA intake resulted in a decreased expression of genes involved in inflammatory- and atherogenic-related pathways, such as nuclear transcription factor kappaB signaling, eicosanoid synthesis, scavenger receptor activity, adipogenesis, and hypoxia signaling. CONCLUSION: These results are the first to show that intake of EPA+DHA for 26 wk can alter the gene expression profiles of PBMCs to a more antiinflammatory and antiatherogenic status"
• Plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are negatively associated with obesity - Br J Nutr. 2009 May 19:1-5 - "Plasma fatty acid composition was determined by GC. BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference were inversely correlated with n-3 PUFA, EPA and DHA (P < 0.05 for all) in the obese group. Obese individuals had significantly lower plasma concentrations of total n-3 PUFA, compared with healthy-weight individuals (4.53 (sd 1.11) v. 5.25 (sd 1.43) %)" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Suppressive effect of EPA on the incidence of coronary events in hypercholesterolemia with impaired glucose metabolism: Sub-analysis of the Japan EPA Lipid Intervention Study (JELIS) - Atherosclerosis. 2009 Apr 5 - "investigated the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on coronary artery disease (CAD) ... impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) and normoglycemic (NG) patients ... Compared to NG patients, IGM patients had a significantly higher CAD hazard ratio (1.71 in the non-EPA group and 1.63 in the EPA group). The treatment with EPA resulted in a 22% decrease in the CAD incidence (P=0.048) in IGM patients and an 18% decrease (P=0.062) in NG patients" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Dietary fatty acids and the 10-year incidence of age-related macular degeneration: the Blue Mountains Eye Study - Arch Ophthalmol. 2009 May;127(5):656-65 - "1 serving of fish per week was associated with reduced risk of incident early AMD (relative risk, 0.69 [95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.98]), primarily among participants with less than the median linoleic acid consumption (0.57 [0.36-0.89]). Findings were similar for intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. One to 2 servings of nuts per week was associated with reduced risk of incident early AMD (relative risk, 0.65 [95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.91])"
• Fat consumption and its association with age-related macular degeneration - Arch Ophthalmol. 2009 May;127(5):674-80 - "Higher trans-unsaturated fat intake was associated with an increased prevalence of late AMD; the odds ratio comparing the highest with the lowest quartile of trans fat was 1.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.92-3.37; P = .02). Higher omega-3 fatty acid intake (highest quartile vs lowest quartile) was inversely associated with early AMD (odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.02; P = .03). Olive oil intake (> or =100 mL/week vs <1 mL/week) was associated with decreased prevalence of late AMD (odds ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.22-1.04; P = .03). No significant associations with AMD were observed for intakes of fish, total fat, butter, or margarine" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Associations of dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish with biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial activation (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis [MESA]) - Am J Cardiol. 2009 May 1;103(9):1238-43 - "Long-chain n-3 PUFA intake was inversely associated with plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 (p = 0.01) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (p = 0.03) independent of age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary variables. Nonfried fish consumption was inversely related to C-reactive protein (p = 0.045) and interleukin-6 (p <0.01) ... the results of this study suggest that the dietary intake of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and fish is inversely associated with concentrations of some biomarkers, reflecting lower levels of inflammation and endothelial activation. These results may partially explain the cardioprotective effects of fish consumption" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• The effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on urine protein excretion and kidney function: meta-analysis of clinical trials - Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr 29 - "The dose of n-3 LCPUFAs ranged from 0.7 to 5.1 g/d, and the median follow-up was 9 mo. In the pooled analysis, there was a greater reduction in UPE in the n-3 LCPUFA group than in the control group: Cohen's d for all trials was -0.19 (95% CI: -0.34, -0.04; P = 0.01). In a patient with 1 g UPE/d , this corresponds to a reduction of 190 mg/d. Effects on GFR were reported in 12 trials. The decline in GFR was slower in the n-3 LCPUFA group than in the control group, but this effect was not significant (0.11; 95% CI: -0.07, 0.29; P = 0.24)"
• Marine n-3 fatty acids promote size reduction of visceral adipose depots, without altering body weight and composition, in male Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet - Br J Nutr. 2009 Apr 28:1-12 - "Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet. Rats were fed diets including lard (19.5 % lard) or n-3 FA (9.1 % lard and 10.4 % Triomar) for 7 weeks. Feed consumption and weight gain were similar, whereas plasma lipid concentrations were lower in the n-3 FA group. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed smaller visceral (mesenteric, perirenal and epididymal) adipose depots in the n-3 FA-fed animals (35, 44 and 32 % reductions, respectively). n-3 FA feeding increased mRNA expression of cytokines as well as chemokines in several adipose depots. Expression of Adipoq and Pparg was enhanced in the mesenteric adipose depots of the n-3 FA-fed rats, and fasting plasma insulin levels were lowered. Expression of the lipogenic enzymes Acaca and Fasn was increased in the visceral adipose depots, whereas Dgat1 was reduced in the perirenal and epididymal depots. Cpt2 mRNA expression was almost doubled in the mesenteric depot and liver. Carcass analyses showed similar body fat (%) in the two feeding groups, indicating that n-3 FA feeding led to redistribution of fat away from the visceral compartment" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• An inverse relationship between plasma n-3 fatty acids and C-reactive protein in healthy individuals - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr 8 - "The highest hs-CRP tertile (>3.0 mg/l) had significantly lower concentrations of total n-3 fatty acids, EPA and DPA, when compared with the other tertiles (P<0.05). This study provides evidence that in healthy individuals, plasma n-3 fatty acid concentration is inversely related to hs-CRP concentration, a surrogate marker of CVD risk"
• An oily fish diet increases insulin sensitivity compared to a red meat diet in young iron-deficient women - Br J Nutr. 2009 Feb 12:1-8 - "Insulin levels significantly decreased and insulin sensitivity significantly increased with the oily fish diet. HDL-cholesterol significantly increased with the oily fish diet" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Prevention of insulin resistance by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009 Mar;12(2):138-46 - "n-3 PUFA supplementation has clinical significance in the prevention and reversal of insulin resistance"
• Protective Effect of Fish Consumption on Colorectal Cancer Risk. Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in Eastern Europe - Ann Nutr Metab. 2009 Jan 26;53(3-4):295-302 - "The adjusted OR showed a significant reduction in CRC already at the moderate fish intake of one or two servings per week (OR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.51-0.94), but it was even lower at higher fish intake (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.39-0.86)"
• Eicosapentaenoic acid inhibits voltage-gated sodium channels and invasiveness in prostate cancer cells - Br J Pharmacol. 2009 Jan 16 - "Treatment with EPA inhibited I(Na) directly and also indirectly, by down-regulation of Na(v) mRNA expression in prostate cancer cells, thus inhibiting their metastatic potential" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid for the treatment of psychological distress and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec 30 - "Psychological distress (PD) ... To our knowledge, this is the first trial of n-3 supplementation in the treatment of PD and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women. In women with PD without MDE at baseline, the 8-wk changes in PD and depressive scales improved significantly more with E-EPA than with placebo" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Fish consumption and risk of major chronic disease in men - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec;88(6):1618-1625 - "Compared with fish consumption of <1 serving/mo, consumption of 1 serving/wk and of 2-4 servings/wk was associated with a lower risk of total cardiovascular disease of approximately 15%" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Effects of ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on hot flashes and quality of life among middle-aged women: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial - Menopause. 2008 Nov 20 - "At baseline, the average number of HFs was 2.8 per day. After 8 weeks, HF frequency and score decreased significantly in the E-EPA group compared with the placebo group. There was no difference in the change in HF intensity between groups. Frequency of HFs declined by a mean of 1.58 per day (95% CI, -2.18 to -0.98) in the E-EPA group and by 0.50 per day (95% CI, -1.20 to 0.20) in the placebo group. The odds of being a responder among those taking E-EPA were about three times greater than among those taking placebo (odds ratio, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.03-7.03; P = 0.04). Menopause-Specific Quality of Life scores improved significantly over time in both groups but no significant differences were noted between them"
• A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Nov;88(5):1297-303 - "Survival analysis among the men diagnosed with prostate cancer revealed that those consuming fish >or=5 times/wk had a 48% lower risk of prostate cancer death than did men consuming fish less than once weekly [relative risk (RR) = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.91; P for trend = 0.05]. A similar association was found between seafood n-3 fatty acid intake and prostate cancer mortality (RR(Q5 versus Q1) = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.99; P for trend = 0.02). These associations became stronger when the analyses were restricted to clinically detected cases" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 as well as caloric restriction prevent the age-related modifications of cholesterol metabolism - Mech Ageing Dev. 2008 Sep 26 - "both caloric restriction and Omega-3 supplemented diets are able to prevent hypercholesterolemia, by regulating HMG-CoAR activation state by controlling ROS production and p38 phosphorylation. Moreover also the age-dependent loss of LDLr membrane exposition is prevented"
• Intakes of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish in relation to measurements of subclinical atherosclerosis - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):1111-8 - "After adjustment for potential confounders, intakes of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and nonfried (broiled, steamed, baked, or raw) fish were inversely related to subclinical atherosclerosis determined by cCIMT but not by iCIMT, CAC score, or ABI. The multivariate odds ratio comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of dietary exposures in relation to subclinical atherosclerosis determined by cCIMT was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.86; P for trend < 0.01) for n-3 PUFA intake; 0.80 (95% CI: 0.64, 1.01; P = 0.054) for nonfried fish consumption; and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.11; P = 0.38) for fried fish consumption"
• Increasing dietary fish intake has contributed to decreasing mortality from CHD among the older population in Hong Kong - Public Health Nutr. 2008 Oct 7:1-6 - "The time trend of CHD mortality was inversely related to the trend of fish intake. The frequency of fish intake may have a substantial impact on the population for the prevention of CHD deaths in Hong Kong"
• Associations of maternal fish intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding duration with attainment of developmental milestones in early childhood: a study from the Danish National Birth Cohort - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Sep;88(3):789-96 - "Higher maternal fish intake and greater duration of breastfeeding were associated with higher child developmental scores at 18 mo [odds ratio: 1.29 (95% CI: 1.20, 1.38) for the highest versus the lowest quintile of fish intake, and 1.28 (1.18, 1.38) for breastfeeding for > or =10 mo compared with breastfeeding for < or =1 mo]. Associations were similar for development at 6 mo. ... Maternal fish intake during pregnancy and the duration of breastfeeding are independently associated with better early child development. Future research and consumption guidelines, incorporating nutritional benefits as well as contaminant risks, should consider the overall effect of prenatal fish consumption on child development"
• Dietary intakes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer - Int J Cancer. 2008 Sep 9 - "Breast cancer risk was not related to any dietary PUFA overall; however, opposite associations were seen according to food sources, suggesting other potential effects than PUFA per se. Breast cancer risk was inversely associated with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) intake from fruit and vegetables [highest vs. lowest quintile, hazard ratio (HR) 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63, 0.88; p trend < 0.0001], and from vegetable oils (HR 0.83; 95% CI 0.71, 0.97; p trend 0.017). Conversely, breast cancer risk was positively related to ALA intake from nut mixes (p trend 0.004) and processed foods (p trend 0.068), as was total ALA intake among women in the highest quintile of dietary vitamin E (p trend 0.036). A significant interaction was also found between omega-6 and long-chain omega-3 PUFAs, with breast cancer risk inversely related to long-chain omega-3 PUFAs in women belonging to the highest quintile of omega-6 PUFAs (p interaction 0.042). These results emphasize the need to consider food sources, as well as interactions between fatty acids and with antioxidants, when evaluating associations between PUFA intakes and breast cancer risk" - Note:  Alpha-linolenic acid is the vegetable form of omega-3.
• Anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant sterols in hyperlipidemic individuals - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Sep 27 - "The combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduced several inflammatory markers. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was reduced by 39% (P=0.009), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by 10% (P=0.02), interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 10.7% (P=0.009), leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) by 29.5% (P=0.01) and adiponectin was increased by 29.5% (P=0.05). Overall cardiovascular risk was reduced by 22.6% (P=0.006) in the combination group. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated, for the first time that dietary intervention with n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduces systemic inflammation in hyperlipidemic individuals. Furthermore, our results suggest that reducing inflammation provides a potential mechanism by which the combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols are cardioprotective" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Fish, omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, and Mortality From Cardiovascular Diseases in a Nationwide Community-Based Cohort of Japanese Men and Women The JACC (Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk) Study - J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Sep 16;52(12):988-996 - "For mortality from total cardiovascular disease, intakes of fish and omega-3 PUFA were associated with 18% to 19% lower risk ... We found an inverse association between fish and omega-3 PUFA dietary intakes and cardiovascular mortality, especially for heart failure, suggesting a protective effect of fish intake on cardiovascular diseases"
• Low plasma eicosapentaenoic acid and depressive symptomatology are independent predictors of dementia risk - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Sep;88(3):714-21 - "A high plasma EPA concentration may decrease the risk of dementia, whereas high ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids and of AA to DHA may increase the risk of dementia, especially in depressed older persons. The role of EPA in dementia warrants further research" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Oily fish consumption, dietary docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid intakes, and associations with neovascular age-related macular degeneration - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Aug;88(2):398-406 - "neovascular AMD (NV-AMD) ... Eating oily fish at least once per week compared with less than once per week was associated with a halving of the OR for NV-AMD" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Effects of EPA on coronary artery disease in hypercholesterolemic patients with multiple risk factors: Sub-analysis of primary prevention cases from the Japan EPA Lipid Intervention Study (JELIS) - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Jun 19 - "Multiple risk factors besides cholesterol are associated with markedly increased incidence of CAD. High TG with low HDL-C represents a particularly potent risk factor. EPA was effective in reducing the incidence of CAD events for patients with this dyslipidemic pattern, suggesting that EPA may be especially beneficial in patients who with abnormal TG and HDL-C levels" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Long-term fish consumption and n-3 fatty acid intake in relation to (sudden) coronary heart disease death: the Zutphen study - Eur Heart J. 2008 Jul 18 - "long-term fatty-fish consumption lowered the risk of sudden coronary death [HR: 0.46"
• The omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), prevents the damaging effects of Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha during murine skeletal muscle cell differentiation - Lipids Health Dis. 2008 Jul 18;7(1):24 - "deleterious effects of TNF-alpha on C2C12 myogenesis were completely inhibited by co-treatment with EPA ... EPA has a protective action against the damaging effects of TNF-alpha on C2C12 myogenesis. These findings support further investigations of EPA as a potential therapeutic agent during skeletal muscle regeneration following injury"
• Women's awareness of the importance of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption during pregnancy: knowledge of risks, benefits and information accessibility - Public Health Nutr. 2008 May 29:1-8 - "Pregnant women lack knowledge of LC n-3 PUFA and health-care services do not provide pregnant women with adequate information on the importance of eating foods high in LC n-3 PUFA during pregnancy"
• Correlation between changes in blood fatty acid composition and visual sustained attention performance in children with inattention: effect of dietary n-3 fatty acids containing phospholipids - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1170-80 - "Test of Variables of Attention; TOVA ... Total TOVA scores increased in the PL-n-3 (mean +/- SD: 3.35 +/- 1.86) and FO (1.72 +/- 1.67) groups but not in the placebo group (-0.42 +/- 2.51) (PL-n-3 > FO > placebo; P < 0.001). A significant correlation between the alterations in FAs and increased TOVA scores mainly occurred in the PL-n-3 group"
• A 22-year Prospective Study of Fish, n-3 Fatty Acid Intake, and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Men - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 May;17(5):1136-43 - "Fish intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk [multivariate relative risk (95% confidence interval) for highest versus lowest category, 0.60 (0.40-0.91); P(trend) = 0.01]. The inverse association was observed for both colon and rectal cancers. Our findings for n-3 fatty acids were similar to those for fish; the multivariate relative risk (95% confidence interval) of total colorectal cancer for the highest versus lowest quartile of n-3 fatty acids was 0.74 (0.57-0.95; P(trend) = 0.01) ... Our results from this long-term prospective study suggest that intakes of fish and long-chain n-3 fatty acids from fish may decrease the risk for colorectal cancer"
• Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid is inversely associated with severity of depressive symptomatology in the elderly: data from the Bordeaux sample of the Three-City Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1156-62 - "Higher plasma EPA was associated with a lower severity of DS in elderly subjects, especially those taking antidepressants"
• In vivo and in vitro regulation of syndecan 1 in prostate cells by N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids - J Biol Chem. 2008 Apr 30 - "These findings indicate that syndecan 1 is upregulated by n-3 fatty acids by a transcriptional pathway involving PPARgamma. This mechanism may contribute to the chemopreventive properties of n-3 fatty acids in prostate cancer"
• Omega-3 fatty acid concentrates in the treatment of moderate hypertriglyceridemia - Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2008 May;9(7):1237-48 - "Prescription omega-3 fatty acid concentrates (P-OM3) are indicated for use in people with very high triglycerides ... P-OM3 are effective in reducing triglycerides by approximately 30% in this population"
• Impact of postoperative omega-3 fatty acid-supplemented parenteral nutrition on clinical outcomes and immunomodulations in colorectal cancer patients - World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Apr 21;14(15):2434-2439 - "Patients in the FO group trended to need a shorter postoperative hospital stay (17.45 +/- 4.80 d vs 19.62 +/- 5.59 d, P = 0.19) ... Postoperative supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids may have a favorable effect on the outcomes in colorectal cancer patients undergoing radical resection by lowering the magnitude of inflammatory responses and modulating the immune response" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Major Depressive Disorder During Pregnancy: Results From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial - J Clin Psychiatry. 2008 Mar 18;:e1-e8 - "As compared to the placebo group, subjects in the omega-3 group had significantly lower HAM-D scores at weeks 6 (p = .001) and 8 (p = .019), a significantly higher response rate (62% vs. 27%, p = .03), and a higher remission rate, although the latter did not reach statistical significance (38% vs. 18%" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• New evidence for the cardiovascular benefits of long chain omega-3 Fatty acids - Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2007 Dec;9(6):434-40 - "The role of long chain omega-3 fatty acids (LC n-3 FAs) as cardioprotective agents has become even clearer with the recent publication of the Japan EPA Lipid Intervention Study. This was the largest randomized controlled trial in the field, and it demonstrated that even in a population with one of the highest LC n-3 FA intakes in the world, the addition of eicosapentaenoic acid could reduce cardiac events" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Cod liver oil (n-3 fatty acids) as an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sparing agent in rheumatoid arthritis - Rheumatology (Oxford). 2008 Mar 24 - "Out of 49 patients 19 (39%) in the cod liver oil group and out of 48 patients 5 (10%) in the placebo group were able to reduce their daily NSAID requirement by >30% ... This study suggests that cod liver oil supplements containing n-3 fatty acids can be used as NSAID-sparing agents in RA patients" - See cod liver oil at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at iHerb
• Omega-3 fatty acid containing diets decrease plasma triglyceride concentrations in mice by reducing endogenous triglyceride synthesis and enhancing the blood clearance of triglyceride-rich particles - Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar 22 - "Levels of hepatic TG and apoB synthesis were 30-50% and 42% lower in mice fed with the fish oil diet compared to the other three diets. In addition, compared to soy oil diet, fish oil feeding significantly increased blood clearance of chylomicron-like lipid emulsions by 21-26%"
• Dietary intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is inversely associated with CRP levels, especially among male smokers - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Mar 14 - "Sufficient dietary intake of n-3PUFA may attenuate inflammatory reaction and this effect is more evident among high-risk populations such as male smokers although the small numbers of female ex-smokers and nonsmokers limited statistical power to draw strong conclusions about these groups" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Prescription omega-3 fatty acids and their lipid effects: physiologic mechanisms of action and clinical implications - Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2008 Mar;6(3):391-409 - "Hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for atherosclerotic coronary heart disease. Very high triglyceride (TG) levels (>/=500 mg/dl [5.65 mmol/l]) increase the risk of pancreatitis. One therapeutic option to lower TG levels is omega-3 fatty acids, which are derived from the oil of fish and other seafood. The American Heart Association has acknowledged that fish oils may decrease dysrhythmias, decrease sudden death, decrease the rate of atherosclerosis and slightly lower blood pressure, and has recommended fish consumption or fish oil supplementation as a therapeutic strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease. A prescription omega-3-acid ethyl esters (P-OM3) preparation has been available in many European nations for at least a decade, and was approved by the US FDA in 2004 to reduce very high TG levels (>/=500 mg/dl [5.65 mmol/l]). Mechanistically, most evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids reduce the synthesis and secretion of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles, and increase TG removal from VLDL and chylomicron particles through the upregulation of enzymes, such as lipoprotein lipase. Omega-3 fatty acids differ mechanistically from other lipid-altering drugs, which helps to explain why therapies such as P-OM3 have complementary mechanisms of action and, thus, complementary lipid benefits when administered with statins"
• Effect of Dietary n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on the Inducibility of Ventricular Tachycardia in Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy - Am J Cardiol. 2008 Mar 15;101(6):758-61 - "Increased consumption of fish and/or fish oil was associated with decreased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) ... dietary n-3 fatty acid supplementation decreased the inducibility of VT in patients at risk of SCD. These findings suggest that dietary fish oil can have an antiarrhythmic effect"
• Omega3 Fatty acids for cardioprotection - Mayo Clin Proc. 2008 Mar;83(3):324-32 - "The most compelling evidence for the cardiovascular benefit provided by omega-3 fatty acids comes from 3 large controlled trials of 32,000 participants randomized to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or to act as controls. These trials showed reductions in cardiovascular events of 19% to 45%. These findings suggest that intake of omega-3 fatty acids, whether from dietary sources or fish oil supplements, should be increased, especially in those with or at risk for coronary artery disease. Patients should consume both DHA and EPA. The target DHA and EPA consumption levels are about 1 g/d for those with known coronary artery disease and at least 500 mg/d for those without disease. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia benefit from treatment with 3 to 4 g/d of DHA and EPA, a dosage that lowers triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%. Although 2 meals of oily fish per week can provide 400 to 500 mg/d of DHA and EPA, secondary prevention patients and those with hypertriglyceridemia must use fish oil supplements if they are to reach 1 g/d and 3 to 4 g/d of DHA and EPA, respectively" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.  I take both because the percentage of omega-3 (EPA and DHA) is very low in other supplements.  I don't know what the rest of that oil is but your not saving anything by getting supplements with a low percentage.  Just do the math plus if the rest of the oil is an omega-6 you're not helping the omega-6/omega-3 ratio.
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation reduces one-year risk of atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized with myocardial infarction - Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2008 Feb 29 - "N-3 PUFA reduced the relative risk of the hospitalization for AF [hazard ratio (HR) 0.19, 95% CI 0.07-0.51] and was associated with a further and complementary reduction in all-cause mortality (HR 0.15, 95% CI 0.05-0.46)"
• Very Low n-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Status in Austrian Vegetarians and Vegans - Ann Nutr Metab. 2008 Feb 28;52(1):37-47 - "The vegetarian diet, with an average n-6/n-3 ratio of 10/1, promotes biochemical n-3 tissue decline. To ensure physical, mental and neurological health vegetarians have to reduce the n-6/n-3 ratio with an additional intake of direct sources of EPA and DHA, regardless of age and gender" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Fish oil in critical illness - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 Mar;11(2):121-7 - "Inclusion of fish oil in nutrition may influence the immune response and clinical outcomes by balancing the negative effects of n-6 fatty acids. Application as a part of enteral immunonutrition in surgical or acute respiratory distress syndrome patients and in lipid emulsions in surgical patients has beneficial effects" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Dietary Fish and {omega}-3 Fatty Acid Consumption and Heart Rate Variability in US Adults - Circulation. 2008 Feb 19 - "Habitual tuna/other fish and marine omega-3 consumption are associated with specific HRV components in older adults, particularly indices of vagal activity, baroreceptor responses, and sinoatrial node function"
• Fatty acid status and behavioural symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adolescents: A case-control study - Nutr J. 2008 Feb 14;7(1):8 - "ADHD adolescents consumed more energy and fat than controls but had similar anthropometry. ADHD children consumed equivalent amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to controls, however they had significantly lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and total omega-3 fatty acids, higher omega-6 fatty acids and a lower ratio of n-3:n-6 fatty acids than control subjects. In addition, low omega-3 status correlated with higher scores on several Conners' behavioural scales ... These data suggest that adolescents with ADHD continue to display abnormal essential fatty acid profiles that are often observed in younger children and distinctly different from normal controls of similar age. Further these red blood cell fatty acid differences are not explained by differences in intake. This suggests that there are metabolic differences in fatty acid handling between ADHD adolescents and normal controls. The value of omega-3 supplements to improve fatty acid profiles and possibly behaviours associated with ADHD, need to be examined" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com and Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid and fluoxetine, separately and in combination, in major depressive disorder - Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2008 Mar;42(3):192-8 - "EPA + fluoxetine combination was significantly better than fluoxetine or EPA alone from the fourth week of treatment. Fluoxetine and EPA appear to be equally effective in controlling depressive symptoms. Response rates (>/=50% decrease in baseline HDRS) were 50%, 56% and 81% in the fluoxetine, EPA and combination groups, respectively" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• The effect of dietary fish oil-supplementation to healthy young men on oxidative burst measured by whole blood chemiluminescence - Br J Nutr. 2008 Jan 17;:1-9 - "These results indicate that n-3 LCPUFA may have immuno-stimulating effects"
• n-3 Fatty acids, hypertension and risk of cognitive decline among older adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study - Public Health Nutr. 2008 Jan;11(1):17-29 - "Word Fluency Test (WFT) ... an increase of one standard deviation in dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids (% of energy intake) and balancing long-chain n-3/n-6 decreased the risk of 6-year cognitive decline in verbal fluency with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.79 (0.66-0.95) and 0.81 (0.68-0.96), respectively, among hypertensives. An interaction with hypertensive status was found for dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids (g day-1) and WFT decline (likelihood ratio test, P = 0.06). This exposure in plasma cholesteryl esters was also protective against WFT decline, particularly among hypertensives (OR = 0.51"
• Treatment for 2 mo with n 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces adiposity and some atherogenic factors but does not improve insulin sensitivity in women with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Dec;86(6):1670-9 - "A moderate dose of n-3 PUFAs for 2 mo reduced adiposity and atherogenic markers without deterioration of insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Some adipose tissue inflammation-related genes were also reduced. These beneficial effects could be linked to morphologic and inflammatory changes in adipose tissue"
• n-3 Fatty acids, hypertension and risk of cognitive decline among older adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study - Public Health Nutr. 2007 Jul 12;:1-13 - "Word Fluency Test (WFT) ... Findings indicated that an increase of one standard deviation in dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids (% of energy intake) and balancing long-chain n-3/n-6 decreased the risk of 6-year cognitive decline in verbal fluency with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.79 (0.66-0.95) and 0.81 (0.68-0.96), respectively, among hypertensives. An interaction with hypertensive status was found for dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids (g day-1) and WFT decline (likelihood ratio test, P = 0.06). This exposure in plasma cholesteryl esters was also protective against WFT decline, particularly among hypertensives (OR = 0.51"
• High {omega}-6 and Low {omega}-3 Fatty Acids are Associated With Depressive Symptoms and Neuroticism - Psychosom Med. 2007 Nov 8 - "Lower EPA, and higher AA, AA:EPA ratio and AA:DHA ratio were associated with greater NEO-PI-R Neuroticism" - See Mega Twinlab Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Cognitive performance among the elderly and dietary fish intake: the Hordaland Health Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Nov;86(5):1470-8 - "In the elderly, a diet high in fish and fish products is associated with better cognitive performance in a dose-dependent manner"
• n 3 Fatty acid proportions in plasma and cognitive performance in older adults - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Nov;86(5):1479-85 - "In this population, plasma n-3 PUFA proportions were associated with less decline in the speed-related cognitive domains over 3 y"
• Serum phospholipid n 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and physical and mental health in a population-based survey of New Zealand adolescents and adults - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Nov;86(5):1278-85 - "The results from this population-based survey of New Zealanders suggest a strong and consistent association between eicosapentaenoic acid in serum phospholipids and self-reported physical well-being; the association with mental well-being is less compelling"
• Low Omega-3s in Diet Linked to Higher Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Heart Failure Patients - Doctor's Guide, 11/7/07 - "Heart Failure patients who were prone to depressive symptoms ate 15% fewer omega-3 fatty acids and those with anxiety consumed 14% fewer omega-3 fatty acids than heart failure patients without symptoms"
• Fish oil attenuates adrenergic overactivity without altering glucose metabolism during an oral glucose load in haemodialysis patients - Br J Nutr. 2007 Nov 1;:1-7 - "Fish oil decreases adrenal activation induced by mental stress and has an insulin sensitizing effect in healthy subjects ... Fish oil supplementation blunted both re-increase in thermogenic response and concomitant increase in plasma epinephrine, but not in plasma norepinephrine, over the last 2 h of the experiment. Fish oil did not alter either whole-body glucose metabolism or substrate oxidation. These data show that in haemodialysis patients, fish oil attenuates adrenal overactivity induced by oral glucose but does not modulate whole-body glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity"
• A randomised placebo-controlled interventional trial of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids on endothelial function and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus - Ann Rheum Dis. 2007 Sep 17 - "Low dose dietary supplementation with omega-3 fish oils in SLE not only has a therapeutic effect on disease activity but also improves endothelial function and reduces oxidative stress and may therefore confer cardiovascular benefits"
• Beyond lipids: the role of omega-3 Fatty acids from fish oil in the prevention of coronary heart disease - Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2007 Aug;9(2):145-53 - "Results of the recent JELIS trial in a Japanese population already consuming a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids showed a 19% risk reduction in major coronary events"
• EPA and DHA in blood cell membranes from acute coronary syndrome patients and controls - Atherosclerosis. 2007 Sep 15 - "acute coronary syndromes (ACS) ... Compared with the lowest EPA+DHA group, the odds ratio for an ACS event was 0.58 (95% CI 0.42-0.80), in the intermediate EPA+DHA group and was 0.31 (95% CI 0.14-0.67; p for trend <0.0001) in the highest EPA+DHA group ... Odds for ACS case status increased incrementally as the EPA+DHA content decreased suggesting that low EPA+DHA may be associated with increased risk for ACS"
• Efficacy and tolerability of adding prescription Omega-3 fatty acids 4 g/d to Simvastatin 40 mg/d in hypertriglyceridemic patients: An 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study - Clin Ther. 2007 Jul;29(7):1354-67 - "This study evaluated the effects on non-HDL-C and other variables of adding prescription omega-3-acid ethyl esters (P-OM3; Lovaza(TM), formerly Omacor(R) [Reliant Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Liberty Corner, New Jersey]) to stable statin therapy in patients with persistent hypertriglyceridemia ... At the end of treatment, the median percent change in non-HDL-C was significantly greater with P-OM3 plus simvastatin compared with placebo plus simvastatin (-9.0% vs -2.2%, respectively; P < 0.001). P-OM3 plus simvastatin was associated with significant reductions in TG (29.5% vs 6.3%) and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (27.5% vs 7.2%), a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (3.4% vs -1.2%), and a significant reduction in the total cholesterol:HDL-C ratio (9.6% vs 0.7%) (all, P < 0.001 vs placebo) ... In these adult, mainly white patients with persistent hypertriglyceridemia, P-OM3 plus simvastatin and dietary counseling improved non-HDL-C and other lipid and lipoprotein parameters to a greater extent than simvastatin alone"
• Fish Consumption, n-3 Fatty Acids, and Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies - Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Sep 6 - "
• Fish oil supplementation improves large arterial elasticity in overweight hypertensive patients - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Sep 5 - "After 8 weeks follow-up, the large artery elasticity in the fish oil group, compared with its baseline, was significantly improved (C(1): 15.5+/-1.5 vs 12.8+/-3.7 ml mm Hg(-1) x 10), whereas no effects were found in the placebo group (C(1): 13.0+/-3.4 vs 13.4+/-3.8 ml mm Hg(-1) x 10), P=0.027, RM-ANOVA across the two groups"
• Nutritional intervention to reduce the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio increases adiponectin concentration and fatty acid oxidation in healthy subjects - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Aug 15 - "Dietary intervention was associated with significant reductions in TNF-alpha (baseline: 2.2 (s.d. 0.3), post-intervention: 1.5 (s.d. 0.3) pg/ml, P=0.01) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (baseline: 2.5 (s.d. 0.2), post-intervention: 2.3 (s.d. 0.1) mmol/l, P=0.03) and increased adiponectin (baseline: 6.5 (s.d. 0.7), post-intervention: 7.6 (s.d. 0.6) mug/ml, P=0.02). Fasting lipid oxidation was increased (baseline: 0.7 (s.d. 0.1), post-intervention: 0.9 (s.d. 0.1) mg/kg.min, P=0.01), whereas glucose oxidation decreased in both fasting (baseline: 1.6 (s.d. 0.1), post-intervention: 1.3 (s.d. 0.1) mg/kg.min, P=0.02) and hyperinsulinaemic conditions (baseline: 3.6 (s.d. 0.1), post-intervention: 3.3 (s.d. 0.1) mg/kg.min, P=0.04). Insulin sensitivity was not affected by the intervention.  Conclusion: A decreased n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio can be achieved with simple dietary counselling, resulting in multiple, potentially favourable effects on the metabolic and inflammatory profiles"
• Inhibition Of Tumorigenesis in Apc(Min/+) Mice by a Combination of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Fish Oil - J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Aug 16 - "The effect of a combination of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) with fish oil on intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc (Min/+) mice fed a high-fat diet was investigated in the present study. The combined treatment of EGCG and fish oil for 9 weeks reduced the tumor number by 53% as compared to controls while neither agent alone had a significant effect. Apoptosis was significantly increased in all treatment groups"
• Effect of n-3 fatty acids on nutritional status and inflammatory markers in haemodialysis patients - Nephrology (Carlton). 2007 Aug;12(4):331-6 - "There was a significant increase in EPA (P = 0.01) after treatment, and there was a significant decrease in inflammatory markers (IL-6 and TNF-alpha, P = 0.0001) after supplementation in the tested group ... A dietary regime with fish oil could be used in dialysis patients to slow down the development of atherosclerosis and improve nutritional parameters"
• Effects of an open-label pilot study with high-dose EPA/DHA concentrates on plasma phospholipids and behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - Nutr J. 2007 Jul 13;6(1):16 - "Nine children were initially supplemented with 16.2g EPA/DHA concentrates per day. The dosage was adjusted dependent on the ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to EPA in the isolated plasma phospholipids at four weeks to reach a level normally found in the Japanese population ... A psychiatrist (blind to supplement compliance or dosage modifications) reported significant improvements in behavior (inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional/defiant behavior, and conduct disorder). There was also a significant correlation between the reduction in the AA:EPA ratio and global severity of illness scores"
• Dietary Fatty acids and colorectal cancer: a case-control study - Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Jul 15;166(2):181-95 - "Significant dose-dependent reductions in risk were associated with increased consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (highest vs. lowest quartile of intake: odds ratio = 0.63, 95% confidence interval: 0.50, 0.80; p < 0.0005 for trend) and of eicosapentaenoic (odds ratio = 0.59, 95% confidence interval: 0.47, 0.75; p < 0.0005 for trend) and docosahexaenoic (odds ratio = 0.63"
• Role of prescription omega-3 Fatty acids in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia - Pharmacotherapy. 2007 May;27(5):715-28 - "In patients with triglyceride levels above 500 mg/dl, approximately 4 g/day of EPA and DHA reduces triglyceride levels 45% and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by more than 50%" - See Mega Twin EPA at Herb or Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Effect of omega-3 Fatty Acid supplementation on the arachidonic Acid:eicosapentaenoic Acid ratio - Pharmacotherapy. 2007 May;27(5):633-8 - "Triglyceride levels were not reduced in patients with CAD but were significantly decreased in healthy subjects (by 20% decrease with omega-3 fatty acids 1.5 g/day and by 32% decrease with 3 g/day)"
• Fish consumption, n-3 fatty acids, and subsequent 5-y cognitive decline in elderly men: the Zutphen Elderly Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Apr;85(4):1142-7 - "Fish consumers had significantly (P = 0.01) less 5-y subsequent cognitive decline than did nonconsumers. A linear trend was observed for the relation between the intake of EPA+DHA and cognitive decline (P = 0.01). An average difference of approximately 380 mg/d in EPA+DHA intake was associated with a 1.1-point difference in cognitive decline"
• Risk factors for prostate cancer incidence and progression in the health professionals follow-up study - Int J Cancer. 2007 Apr 20 - "In this analysis, only 4 factors had a clear statistically significant association with overall incident prostate cancer: African-American race, positive family history, higher tomato sauce intake (inversely) and alpha-linolenic acid intake. In contrast, for fatal prostate cancer, recent smoking history, taller height, higher BMI, family history, and high intakes of total energy, calcium and alpha-linolenic acid were associated with a statistically significant increased risk. Higher vigorous physical activity level was associated with lower risk ... Only for high calcium intake was there a close correspondence for associations among high-grade cancer, advanced and fatal prostate cancer. Tomato sauce (inversely) and alpha-linolenic acid (positively) intakes were strong predictors of advanced cancer among those with low-grade cancers at diagnosis" - Note: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the omega-3 fatty acid found from plant sources such as flaxseed.  Omega-3 from fish sources (EPA and DHA)  has been found to be protective.  See:
  • Alpha-linolenic acid - wikipedia.org - "Seed oils are the richest sources of alpha linolenic acid, notably those of rapeseed (canola), soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed, perilla, chia and hemp"
  • Altering Fatty Acid Levels In Diet May Reduce Prostate Cancer Growth Rate - Science Daily, 8/1/06 - "tumor cell growth rates decreased by 22 percent and PSA levels were 77 percent lower in the group receiving a healthier balance of fatty acids compared with the group that received predominantly omega-6 fatty acids"
  • Go Fish! Types High in Fatty Acids May Prevent Prostate Cancer, Herring, Mackerel, and Salmon Recommended - WebMD, 6/1/01 - "Eating fatty fish reduces risk of prostate cancer by about 70%, compared to not eating it, and reduces the risk for death from the disease by about 50%."
  • Dietary Fatty acids correlate with prostate cancer biopsy grade and volume in jamaican men - J Urol. 2007 Jan;177(1):97-101 - "Omega6 polyunsaturated fatty acids stimulate and Omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit prostate cancer growth"
• Plasma n-3 fatty acids and the risk of cognitive decline in older adults: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Apr;85(4):1103-11 - "Promoting higher intakes of n-3 HUFAs in the diet of hypertensive and dyslipidemic persons may have substantial benefits in reducing their risk of cognitive decline in the area of verbal fluency"
• Erythrocyte fatty acids and breast cancer risk: a case-control study in Shanghai, China - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Apr;85(4):1090-7 - "Our results support a protective effect of n-3 fatty acids on breast cancer risk" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Depressive Symptoms, omega-6:omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Inflammation in Older Adults - Psychosom Med. 2007 Mar 30 - "Diets with high n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios may enhance the risk for both depression and inflammatory diseases"
• Omega 3 fatty acids and the brain: review of studies in depression - Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl:391-7 - "Experimental studies in animals have shown that diets lacking omega 3 PUFA lead to substantial disturbances in neural function, which in most circumstances can be restored by the inclusion of omega 3 PUFA in the diet ... It is clear from the literature that DHA is involved in a variety of processes in neural cells and that its role is far more complex than simply influencing cell membrane properties"
• Effect of combination lipid-modifying therapy on the triglyceride lowering effect of fish oil - Am J Med Sci. 2007 Mar;333(3):168-72 - "Fish oil effectively reduces plasma triglyceride levels when administered with concomitant lipid medications"
• Expert opinion: omega-3 fatty acids and bleeding-cause for concern? - Am J Cardiol. 2007 Mar 19;99(6A):44C-46C - "the benefits of triglyceride lowering with omega-3 fatty acids more than outweigh any theoretical risks for increased bleeding"
• n-3 Fatty acids are positively associated with peak bone mineral density and bone accrual in healthy men: the NO2 Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar;85(3):803-7 - "The results showed that n-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, are positively associated with bone mineral accrual and, thus, with peak BMD in young men"
• A meta-analysis of the analgesic effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for inflammatory joint pain - Pain. 2007 Feb 28 - "The results suggest that omega-3 PUFAs are an attractive adjunctive treatment for joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and dysmenorrhea"
• Evaluation of clinical safety and beneficial effects of a fish oil containing lipid emulsion (Lipoplus, MLF541): Data from a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial - Crit Care Med. 2007 Jan 25 - "from fish oil (Lipoplus) ... there was a significantly shorter length of hospital stay of approximately 21% ... the administration of Lipoplus in the postoperative period after major abdominal surgery is safe and results in a significantly shorter length of hospital stay"
• Dietary Fatty acids correlate with prostate cancer biopsy grade and volume in jamaican men - J Urol. 2007 Jan;177(1):97-101 - "Omega6 polyunsaturated fatty acids stimulate and Omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit prostate cancer growth"
• The triglyceride-lowering effects of a modest dose of docosahexaenoic acid alone versus in combination with low dose eicosapentaenoic acid in patients with coronary artery disease and elevated triglycerides - J Am Coll Nutr. 2006 Dec;25(6):480-5 - "randomized to either 1000 mg of DHA or 1252 mg of DHA + EPA for eight weeks ... Triglycerides decreased by an average of 21.8% in the DHA group (p < 0.001) and 18.3% in the DHA + EPA group (p < 0.001). The difference between groups was not significant. A greater proportion of subjects in the DHA group achieved triglyceride goal (less than 150 mg/dL) compared to the DHA + EPA group (24.6% versus 10.2%, p < 0.05)"
• {omega}-3 Fatty Acid Treatment in 174 Patients With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: OmegAD Study: A Randomized Double-blind Trial - Arch Neurol. 2006 Oct;63(10):1402-8 - "Administration of omega-3 fatty acid in patients with mild to moderate AD did not delay the rate of cognitive decline according to the MMSE or the cognitive portion of the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale. However, positive effects were observed in a small group of patients with very mild AD (MMSE >27 points)"
• Long-term Fatty Fish Consumption and Renal Cell Carcinoma Incidence in Women - JAMA. 2006 Sep 20;296(11):1371-6 - "Compared with no consumption, the multivariate rate ratio (RR) was 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.91) for women eating fatty fish once a week or more. Compared with women consistently reporting no fish consumption, the multivariate RR was 0.26 (95% CI, 0.10-0.67) for those women reporting consistent consumption of fatty fish at baseline"
• Effects of n-3 fatty acids in subjects with type 2 diabetes: reduction of insulin sensitivity and time-dependent alteration from carbohydrate to fat oxidation - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Sep;84(3):540-50 - "Median intake in the intervention group was 17.6 mL fish oil/d (1.8 g 20:5n-3, 3.0 g 22:6n-3, and 5.9 g total n-3 fatty acids). The control group received 17.8 mL corn oil/d (8.5 g 18:2n-6) ... Glucose concentrations (home-monitored) were approximately 1 mmol/L higher in the fish oil group than in the corn oil group at the end of the intervention"
• Effect of n-3 fatty acids on carotid atherosclerosis and haemostasis in patients with combined hyperlipoproteinemia: A double-blind pilot study in primary prevention - Ann Med. 2006 Sep;38(5):367-375 - "Results show a favourable effectiveness of n-3 PUFA on IMT progression and T-IMC that deserves to be confirmed in larger studies. Despite the small sample size, the beneficial effect of n-3 PUFA on platelet function, triglycerides and HDL-C is clearly highlighted"
• n-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1477S-1482S - "At doses >3 g/d, EPA plus DHA can improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, including decreasing plasma triacylglycerols, blood pressure, platelet aggregation, and inflammation, while improving vascular reactivity. Mainly on the basis of the results of RCTs, the American Heart Association recommends that everyone eat oily fish twice per week and that those with coronary heart disease eat 1 g/d of EPA plus DHA from oily fish or supplements"
• n-3 fatty acids and the metabolic syndrome - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1499S-1504S - "Increased intakes or supplements of n-3 marine fatty acids may improve defects in insulin signaling and prevent alterations in glucose homeostasis and the further development of type 2 diabetes"
• n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation, and inflammatory diseases - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1505S-1519S - "n-3 PUFAs are potentially potent antiinflammatory agents. As such, they may be of therapeutic use in a variety of acute and chronic inflammatory settings. Evidence of their clinical efficacy is reasonably strong in some settings (e.g., in rheumatoid arthritis) but is weak in others (e.g., in inflammatory bowel diseases and asthma)"
• n-3 fatty acid dietary recommendations and food sources to achieve essentiality and cardiovascular benefits - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1526S-1535S - "The evidence base supports a dietary recommendation of approximately 500 mg/d of EPA and DHA for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. For treatment of existing cardiovascular disease, 1 g/d is recommended ... A dietary strategy for achieving the 500-mg/d recommendation is to consume 2 fish meals per week (preferably fatty fish). Foods enriched with EPA and DHA or fish oil supplements are a suitable alternate to achieve recommended intakes and may be necessary to achieve intakes of 1 g/d"
• Dietary Fatty acids and the 5-year incidence of age-related maculopathy - Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul;124(7):981-6 - "A 40% reduction of incident early ARM was associated with fish consumption at least once a week (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.58 [0.37-0.90]), whereas fish consumption at least 3 times per week could reduce the incidence of late ARM (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.25 [0.06-1.00]). We found no association between incident ARM and butter, margarine, or nut consumption"
• Dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids of marine origin and serum C-reactive protein concentrations are associated in a population with a diet rich in marine products - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul;84(1):223-9 - "Greater intake of n-3 PUFAs derived from marine products, as measured with a self-administered questionnaire, was independently related to a lower prevalence of high CRP concentrations in this older Japanese population with a diet rich in marine products. Our findings suggest that even very high intakes of n-3 PUFAs may lower serum CRP concentrations"
• n-3 Fatty acids from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not {alpha}-linolenic acid, benefit cardiovascular disease outcomes in primary- and secondary-prevention studies: a systematic review  - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul;84(1):5-17 - "increased consumption of n-3 FAs from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not of alpha-linolenic acid, reduces the rates of all-cause mortality, cardiac and sudden death, and possibly stroke. The evidence for the benefits of fish oil is stronger in secondary- than in primary-prevention settings. Adverse effects appear to be minor"
• Fish Oils Produce Anti-inflammatory Effects and Improve Body Weight in Severe Heart Failure - J Heart Lung Transplant. 2006 Jul;25(7):834-8. Epub 2006 May 24 - "Fish oils decrease TNF-alpha production in heart failure and improve body weight. Fish oil therapy may represent a novel therapeutic approach in late-stage heart failure characterized by cardiac cachexia"
• Omega-3 fatty acids: their beneficial role in cardiovascular health - Can Fam Physician. 2006 Jun;52:734-40 - "There is good evidence in the literature that increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids improves cardiac outcomes. Physicians need to integrate dietary recommendations for consumption of omega-3 fatty acids into their usual cardiovascular care"
• Omega-3 fatty acids in ADHD and related neurodevelopmental disorders - Int Rev Psychiatry. 2006 Apr;18(2):155-72 - "Dietary supplementation with fish oils (providing EPA and DHA) appears to alleviate ADHD-related symptoms in at least some children, and one study of DCD children also found benefits for academic achievement"
• Omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies in neurodevelopment, aggression and autonomic dysregulation: opportunities for intervention - Int Rev Psychiatry. 2006 Apr;18(2):107-18 - "Ensuring optimal intakes of omega-3 fatty acids during early development and adulthood shows considerable promise in preventing aggression and hostility"
• Omega-3 treatment of childhood depression: a controlled, double-blind pilot study - Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;163(6):1098-100 - "Analysis of variance showed highly significant effects of omega-3 on symptoms using the CDRS, CDI, and CGI ... Omega-3 fatty acids may have therapeutic benefits in childhood depression"
• Prolonged n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation ameliorates hepatic steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot study - Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Apr 15;23(8):1143-51 - "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ... Supplementation with n-3 PUFA improves biochemical, ultrasonographic and haemodynamic features of liver steatosis. Our study supports the efficacy of n-3 PUFA as a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of NAFLD"
• omega-3 Fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain - Surg Neurol. 2006 Apr;65(4):326-31 - "were asked to take a total of 1200 mg per day of omega-3 EFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid and decosahexaenoic acid) found in fish oil supplements ... Our results mirror other controlled studies that compared ibuprofen and omega-3 EFAs demonstrating equivalent effect in reducing arthritic pain. omega-3 EFA fish oil supplements appear to be a safer alternative to NSAIDs for treatment of nonsurgical neck or back pain in this selective group"
• The Mediterranean-style diet for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases - Public Health Nutr. 2006 Feb;9(1A):118-23 - "Supplementation with very-long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (about 1 g per day) in patients following a Mediterranean type of diet was shown to decrease the risk of cardiac death by 30% and of sudden cardiac death by 45% in the GISSI trial"
• Omega 3 fatty acids: biological activity and effects on human health - Panminerva Med. 2005 Dec;47(4):245-257 - "As PUFAs are precursors of prostaglandins and leucotriens, which are involved in phlogosis and immune response, a diet rich in fish oil reduces the production of PGE2 involved in many phlogosis events. Moreover, an increase in the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) intake leads to a reduction in the production of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 1, 2, 6 and tumor necrosis factor); so, it is important to use w-3 in chronic inflammatory diseases, as the rheumatoid arthritis. It seems that w-3 could prevent the onset of hormone-dependent tumours (i.e. breast and prostatic cancer); in vitro observations, in fact, have shown that the PG of the series 2, derived from w-6, have a carcinogenic action; instead, the anticancer effect of w-3 could derive from their effect in antagonizing the formation of such PG; it can be useful, therefore, to increase the dietary w-3/w-6 ratio"
• Omega-3 fatty acids improve the diagnosis-related clinical outcome - Crit Care Med. 2006 Apr 13 - "Fish oil had the most favorable effects on survival, infection rates, and length of stay when administered in doses between 0.1 and 0.2 g.kg.day. Lower antibiotic demand by 26% was observed when doses of 0.15-0.2 g.kg.day were infused as compared with doses of <0.05 g.kg.day ... Administration of omega-3 fatty acid may reduce mortality, antibiotic use, and length of hospital stay in different diseases"
• Fish oil in the critically ill: from experimental to clinical data - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2006 Mar;9(2):140-8 - "N-3 lipids exhibit strong immunologic properties. They offer the possibility to counterbalance the negative effects of conventional n-6 fatty acids"
• The independent effects of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on cardiovascular risk factors in humans - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2006 Mar;9(2):95-104 - "Clinical trials and experimental studies have shown that omega3 fatty acids have many other potentially important antiatherogenic and antithrombotic effects. Omega-3 fatty acids lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve dyslipidaemia, reduce inflammation, and improve vascular and platelet function. These favourable effects have until recently been primarily attributed to the omega3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid, which is present in large amounts in fish oil. Controlled studies in humans now demonstrate that docosahexaenoic acid, although often present in lower quantities, has equally important anti-arrhythmic, anti-thrombotic and anti-atherogenic effects"
• Long-chain n-3 PUFA: plant v. marine sources - Proc Nutr Soc. 2006 Feb;65(1):42-50 - "An important question is whether dietary intake of the precursor n-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (alphaLNA), can provide sufficient amounts of tissue EPA and DHA by conversion through the n-3 PUFA elongation-desaturation pathway ... in adult men conversion to EPA is limited (approximately 8%) and conversion to DHA is extremely low (<0.1%). In women fractional conversion to DHA appears to be greater (9%), which may partly be a result of a lower rate of utilisation of alphaLNA for beta-oxidation in women"
• Protective effect of fish oil supplementation on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthma - Chest. 2006 Jan;129(1):39-49 - "fish oil capsules containing 3.2 g of eicosapentaenoic acid and 2.0 g of docohexaenoic acid ... Our data suggest that fish oil supplementation may represent a potentially beneficial nonpharmacologic intervention for asthmatic subjects with EIB"
• Intake of Fish and n3 Fatty Acids and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Among Japanese. The Japan Public Health Center-Based (JPHC) Study Cohort I - Circulation. 2006 Jan 9 - "Compared with a modest fish intake of once a week or approximately 20 g/d, a higher intake was associated with substantially reduced risk of coronary heart disease, primarily nonfatal cardiac events, among middle-aged persons"
• Do eicosapentaenoic acid supplements attenuate age-related increases in arterial stiffness in patients with dyslipidemia?: A preliminary study - Hypertens Res. 2005 Aug;28(8):651-5 - "this preliminary study suggested that eicosapentaenoic acid supplements attenuate age-related increases in arterial stiffness in patients with dyslipidemia"
• Usefulness of omega-3 Fatty acids and the prevention of coronary heart disease - Am J Cardiol. 2005 Dec 1;96(11):1521-9 - "the evidence suggests a role for fish oil (eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid) or fish in secondary prevention because recent clinical trial data have demonstrated a significant reduction in total mortality, coronary heart disease death, and sudden death. The data on ALA have been limited by studies of smaller sample size and limited quality"
• Cognitive and physiological effects of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in healthy subjects - Eur J Clin Invest. 2005 Nov;35(11):691-9 - "The mood profile was improved after Omega-3 with increased vigour and reduced anger, anxiety and depression states ... Omega-3 supplementation is associated with an improvement of attentional and physiological functions, particularly those involving complex cortical processing"
• Effect of Very High-fat Diets on Body Weight, Lipoproteins, and Glycemic Status in the Obese - Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2005 Nov;7(6):412-20 - "In contrast, unsaturated fats, and particularly omega-3 fatty acids, have the combined benefits of lowering serum cholesterol and raising high-density lipoprotein, as well as favorable effects on insulin resistance and inflammation; they also lower cardiovascular events in high-risk patients"
• Fat food for a bad mood. Could we treat and prevent depression in Type 2 diabetes by means of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids? A review of the evidence - Diabet Med. 2005 Nov;22(11):1465-75 - "Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that a high intake of omega-3 PUFA protects against the development of depression. There is also some evidence that a low intake of omega-3 is associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, but the results are less conclusive ... consumption of omega-3 PUFA reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and may therefore indirectly decrease depression in Type 2 diabetes, via the reduction of cardiovascular complications"
• Relation between dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and clinically diagnosed dry eye syndrome in women - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 82, No. 4, 887-893, October 2005 - "These results suggest that a higher dietary intake of n–3 FAs is associated with a decreased incidence of DES in women"
• Fish Consumption and Cognitive Decline With Age in a Large Community Study - Arch Neurol. 2005;62 - "Compared with a decline rate in score of –0.100 SU/y among persons who consumed fish less than weekly, the rate was 10% slower (–0.090 SU/y) among persons who consumed 1 fish meal per week and 13% slower (–0.088 SU/y) among persons who consumed 2 or more fish meals per week"
• Extending the Cardiovascular Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2005 Sep;7(5):375-380 - "The cardiovascular benefits of omega (n)-3 fatty acids (FA) become clearer with each passing year ... Studies in women with coronary heart disease now suggest that plaque progression may be slowed by increased intakes of oily fish, even in women with diabetes. The relative importance of the n-6 FA linoleic acid (LA), the short-chain n-3 FA alpha linolenic acid (ALA), and the long-chain n-3 FAs EPA and DHA is becoming clearer. If intakes of the latter are adequate (perhaps over 250 mg/d), then there appears to be little need to consume more ALA or less LA"
• Omega-3 fatty acids decreased irritability of patients with bipolar disorder in an add-on, open label study - Nutr J. 2005 Feb 9;4(1):6 - "Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake helped with the irritability component of patients suffering from bipolar disorder with a significant presenting sign of irritability. Low dose (1 to 2 grams per day), add-on O-3FA may also help with the irritability component of different clinical conditions, such as schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder and other psychiatric conditions with a common presenting sign of irritability"
• Are omega-3 fatty acids the most important nutritional modulators of coronary heart disease risk? - Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2004 Nov;6(6):447-52 - "The strength of the n-3 story has now led to a proposal that blood levels of EPA plus DHA be considered a new, modifiable, and clinically relevant risk factor for death from CHD"
• Women and Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2004 Oct;59(10):722-730 - "because elevated triglyceride levels are associated with cardiovascular disease, especially in women; and because omega-3 FA have powerful effects on triglycerides, women in particular gain from an increased intake of these fatty acids. This is especially important in women receiving hormone therapy, which can increase triglyceride levels. The quality of the omega-3 FA preparation is important. It should have an appropriate antioxidant content not to induce lipid peroxidation, and its content of dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) should be well below the established safe limit"
• Fish intake is associated with a reduced progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease - Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Sep;80(3):626-32 - "Consumption of fish is associated with a significantly reduced progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis in women with coronary artery disease" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• The Clinical Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Omega-3 Fish Oils and/or Copper in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - J Rheumatol. 2004 Aug;31(8):1551-6 - "There was a significant decline in SLAM-R score from 6.12 to 4.69 (p < 0.05) in those subjects taking fish oil compared to placebo"
• Omega-3 fatty acids - Am Fam Physician. 2004 Jul 1;70(1):133-40 - "Approximately 1 g per day of eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid is recommended for cardioprotection. Higher dosages of omega-3 fatty acids are required to reduce elevated triglyceride levels (2 to 4 g per day) and to reduce morning stiffness and the number of tender joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (at least 3 g per day). Modest decreases in blood pressure occur with significantly higher dosages of omega-3 fatty acids"
• The role of fish oil/omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of IgA nephropathy - Semin Nephrol. 2004 May;24(3):225-43 - "treatment for 2 years with a daily dose of 1.8 g of EPA and 1.2 g of DHA slowed the progression of renal disease in high-risk patients"
• Eicosapentaenoic acid-rich essential fatty acid supplementation in chronic fatigue syndrome associated with symptom remission and structural brain changes - Int J Clin Pract. 2004 Mar;58(3):297-9 - "The EPA-rich essential fatty acid supplementation led to a marked clinical improvement in her symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, starting within 6-8 weeks"
• alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism in men and women: nutritional and biological implications - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 Mar;7(2):137-144 - "Conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid is limited in men and further transformation to docosahexaenoic acid is very low" - Note:  Alpha-linolenic acid is the form of omega-3 in flaxseed.  Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are omega-3's in fish oil.
• Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 Mar;7(2):131-136 - "Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, but not alpha-linolenic acid, prevent sudden death and other cardiovascular catastrophies, and have therefore been recently incorporated into the pertinent guidelines of European and American cardiologic societies"
• Benefits of fish oil supplementation for hemodialysis patients - J Am Diet Assoc. 2003 Sep;103(9):1174-7 - "One study indicated that pruritus symptoms improved with fish oil supplementation, but not with supplementation with two other oils. In a study designed to determine whether fish oils could prevent vascular access graft thrombosis, graft patency rates were approximately 76% in the fish oil and approximately 15% in the placebo group (P>.03). In a pilot study, subjects given fish oil required 16% less erythropoietin and experienced a 3.6% increase in serum albumin levels"
• Fish oil prevents the adrenal activation elicited by mental stress in healthy men - Diabetes Metab. 2003 Jun;29(3):289-295 - "In control conditions, mental stress significantly increased heart rate, mean blood pressure, and energy expenditure. It increased plasma epinephrine from 60.9 +/- 6.2 to 89.3 +/- 16.1 pg/ml (p<0.05), plasma cortisol from 291 +/- 32 to 372 +/- 37 micromol/l ... After 3 weeks of a diet supplemented with n-3 fatty acids, the stimulation by mental stress of plasma epinephrine, cortisol, energy expenditure, and plasma non esterified fatty acids concentrations, were all significantly blunted ... Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids inhibits the adrenal activation elicited by a mental stress" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Fish Oil Supplementation Reduces Severity of Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Elite Athletes - Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003 Aug 6 - "These data suggest that dietary fish oil supplementation has a markedly protective effect in suppressing EIB in elite athletes and this may be attributed to their anti-inflammatory properties"
• Omega-3 fatty acids in major depressive disorder. A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial - Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2003 Aug;13(4):267-71 - "In this study, we conducted an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, comparing omega-3 PUFAs (9.6 g/day) with placebo, on the top of the usual treatment, in 28 patients with major depressive disorder. Patients in the omega-3 PUFA group had a significantly decreased score on the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression than those in the placebo group" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Supplementation with a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants (vitamins E and C) improves the outcome of schizophrenia - Schizophr Res. 2003 Aug 1;62(3):195-204 - "We report the supplementation with a mixture of EPA/DHA (180:120 mg) and antioxidants (vitamin E/C, 400 IU:500 mg) orally morning and evening to schizophrenic patients (N=33) for 4 months ... there was significant reduction in psychopathology based on reduction in individual total scores for brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS) and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), general psychopathology-PANSS and increase in Henrich's Quality of Life (QOL) Scale" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Habitual Dietary Intake of n-3 and n-6 Fatty Acids in Relation to Inflammatory Markers Among US Men and Women - Circulation. 2003 Jun 23 - "These results suggest that n-6 fatty acids do not inhibit the antiinflammatory effects of n-3 fatty acids and that the combination of both types of fatty acids is associated with the lowest levels of inflammation. The inhibition of inflammatory cytokines may be one possible mechanism for the observed beneficial effects of these fatty acids on chronic inflammatory-related diseases" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• n-3 Fatty acids and 5-y risks of death and cardiovascular disease events in patients with coronary artery disease - Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Jul;78(1):65-71 - "High proportions of n-3 fatty acids in serum lipids are associated with a substantially reduced risk of death"
• Not all fish products prevent heart disease - J Fam Pract. 2003 Jun;52(6):438-41 - "For patients aged >65 years, modest consumption of tuna and other broiled/baked fish is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease and fatal arrhythmias. The same is not true of fried fish or fish burgers"
• Omega-3 fatty acids and non-communicable diseases - Chin Med J (Engl). 2003 Mar;116(3):453-8 - "omega-3 PUFA has beneficial effects on increasing heart rate variability, decreasing the risk of stroke, reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, insulin resistance and glucose metabolism. Long chain omega-3 PUFA has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. omega-3 PUFA has also been reported to have a beneficial effect on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia, and may be effective in managing depression in adults. CONCLUSIONS: Results from epidemiological and dietary intervention studies have shown that omega-3 PUFA represent powerfully a class of bioactive compounds and that dietary intake of omega-3 PUFA plays a critical role in human health in relation to non-communicable diseases" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on platelet activation markers and cell adhesion molecules in hyperlipidemic patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus - J Diabetes Complications 2003 May;17(3):153-159 - "After treatment with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the levels of CD62P, CD63, annexin V, PDMPs, and MDMPs, sE-selectin, and oxidized LDL antibody were reduced significantly. Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol levels were also decreased. Anti-Ox LDL antibodies and MDMPs were correlated positively with platelet CD62P (plt-CD62P) levels. These findings suggest that in hyperlipidemic patients with Type 2 diabetes, EPA may prevent complications caused by oxidized LDL, E-selectin, and activated platelets or monocytes" - See Mega Twin EPA at Vitacost or iHerb.
• n -3 Fatty acids plus oleic acid and vitamin supplemented milk consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol, homocysteine and levels of endothelial adhesion molecules in healthy humans - Clin Nutr 2003 Apr;22(2):175-82 - "The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a commercially available skimmed milk supplemented with n -3 PUFA, oleic acid, and vitamins E, B(6), and folic acid (Puleva Omega3((R))) on risk factors for cardiovascular disease ... Thirty volunteers were given 500 ml/day of semi-skimmed milk for 4 weeks and then 500 ml/day of the n -3 enriched milk for 8 further weeks ... The consumption of n -3 enriched milk produced a significant decrease in plasma concentration of total and LDL cholesterol accompanied by a reduction in plasma levels of homocysteine" - 500 ml is 2.1 cups.  Oleic acid is an omega-9.
• Essential fatty acids and the brain - Can J Psychiatry 2003 Apr;48(3):195-203 - "The ratio of membrane omega-3 to omega-6 PUFAs can be modulated by dietary intake. This ratio influences neurotransmission and prostaglandin formation, processes that are vital in the maintenance of normal brain function"
• Cognitive decline and fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes - Am. J. of Clinical Nutr., 4/03 - "studied the relation between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition and cognitive decline in free-living volunteers ... Higher proportions of both stearic acid (saturated, 18:0) and total n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids were associated with greater risk of cognitive decline ... Conversely, a higher proportion of total n-3 fatty acids was associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline"
• Randomized controlled trial of the effect of n–3 fatty acid supplementation on the metabolism of apolipoprotein B-100 and chylomicron remnants in men with visceral obesity1 - AJCN, 2/03 - "randomly assigned to receive either fish oil capsules (4 g/d, consisting of 45% eicosapentaenoic acid and 39% docosahexaenoic acid as ethyl esters) or matching placebo ... Fish oil supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) lowered plasma concentrations of triacylglycerols (-18%) and VLDL apo B (-20%) and the hepatic secretion of VLDL apo B (-29%) compared with placebo" - Doing the math, 45% of 4 grams equals 1,800 mg of EPA,  39% of 4 grams equals 1,560 mg of DHA.  Three Mega Twin EPA (at Vitacost or iHerb) plus three Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com (the two strongest formulas I know) would be 2,100 mg EPA and 1,570 mg DHA.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment of Women With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study -  American Journal of Psychiatry, 1/03 - "The results of this study suggest that E-EPA may be a safe and effective form of monotherapy for women with moderately severe borderline personality disorder"
• Long-term treatment with eicosapentaenoic acid improves exercise-induced vasodilation in patients with coronary artery disease - Hypertens Res 2002 Nov;25(6):823-9
• Omega 3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder: a preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial - Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1999 May;56(5):407-12 - "A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of the cohort found that the omega3 fatty acid patient group had a significantly longer period of remission than the placebo group (P = .002; Mantel-Cox). In addition, for nearly every other outcome measure, the omega3 fatty acid group performed better than the placebo group."