Tag Archives: omega-3

Good thing I listened to Dr. Sears

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By Mary Dinehart-Perry

Having recently delivered a baby, I was surprised to see the latest article published in the Journal of The American Medical Association that fish oil supplementation rich in DHA has no impact on postpartum depression or cognitive and language development in early childhood.

The study looked at approximately 2,400 Australian women who began supplementation at around 21 weeks gestation through to the birth of their children (1). Individuals were randomized into one of two groups, one getting a fish oil supplement exceptionally rich in DHA (800mg DHA and 100mg EPA) and the other vegetable oil. It has been know for years that fish oils containing both EPA and DHA have dramatic benefits for fetal outcome. However, since there is little EPA in the brain, it was assumed in the past that it was only DHA that contributed to all of these benefits. However, recent studies have demonstrated that EPA rapidly gets into the brain and is rapidly oxidized, but DHA is not (2).

Lack of awareness has led to the mistaken belief that DHA is the only omega-3 fatty acid attributed to optimal brain functioning. Needless to say, companies that market DHA-rich products work very hard to continue to foster this misconception. This explains why the clinical trials that have used only DHA to treat depression or other conditions such as ADHD have been found it to be wanting. This is because DHA is a structural omega-3 fatty acid, not an anti-inflammatory one like EPA.

As long as adequate EPA is constantly in the blood, there will be enough EPA in the brain to address any neurological problems for both the mother and the fetus. That’s why this published study with only 100 mg of EPA was providing essentially a placebo level of this critical omega-3 fatty acid (3).

Although I myself am only a data point of one, I took the same dosage of DHA described above (800mg) during my pregnancy, however, it was coupled with 1600mg EPA. I can’t help but think that it may have been the combination of EPA/DHA that helped me avoid postpartum depression.

Mary Dinehart-Perry is clinical trials director of Zone Labs.

  • Makrides M., Gibson RA, McPhee AJ, Yelland L, Quinlivan J, Ryan P and the DOMInO Investigative Team. Effect of DHA Supplementation During Pregnancy on Maternal Depression and Neurodevelopment of Young Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA 2010; 304:1675-1683.
  • Chen CT, Liu Z, Ouellet M, Calon F, RichardP, and Bazinet RP. Rapid beta-oxidation of eicosapentaenoic acid in mouse brain. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 2009; 80: 157–163
  • Wojcicki JM, Heyman MB. Maternal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and risk for perinatal maternal depression. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2010 Oct 7. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Hill AM, Buckley JD, Murphy KJ, and Howe PRC. Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:1267–1274.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

Study: High-dose, high purity omega-3 oil lowers breast-cancer risk

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Breast cancer accounts for more than 25 percent of all female cancers. Breast cancer is also strongly linked to obesity. This means as our obesity crisis accelerates, we can expect breast cancer rates to follow. The reason that breast cancer and obesity are linked is due to cellular inflammation caused by the diet.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

For losing weight, exercise is good; diet is better

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Here’s standard quote: “Losing weight can improve health and reduce many of the risk factors related to diabetes and heart disease.” Unfortunately, that’s not true. The correct statement is “losing excess body fat can improve health and reduce many of the risk factors related to diabetes and heart disease.”

It may seem like a minor difference, but it makes a world of difference. Weight loss could be due to water loss or cannibalization of lean body mass (muscles and organs), neither of which will lead to any health benefits.

If you want to reduce excess body fat, you have to lower insulin levels. How do you control that on a consistent basis? Remember the 80/20 rule. That means 80 percent of your insulin control will come from following a strict anti inflammatory diet, and 20 percent will come from increased physical activity.

This means the best exercise program can be undone by the wrong diet. Physical exercise has many important benefits, such as reducing the likelihood of diabetes and heart disease, improving sense of self-worth and hanging out with like-minded individuals.

Unfortunately, initial weight loss is not one of those benefits since research has demonstrated that exercise increases one’s appetite. This is why following a strict anti inflammatory diet is imperative if you are trying to lose weight by increasing your exercise. Another helpful hint is to increase your high purity omega-3 oil intake, as it has been demonstrated that fat loss is significantly increased when high purity omega-3 oil is used in combination with exercise.

On the other hand, after you reach your weight goals, the balance of diet and exercise to maintain your weight shifts to a 50/50 balance. Now exercise becomes an ideal way to maintain your weight as long as you continue to control insulin through the anti inflammatory diet.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

High purity omega-3 oil doesn’t work if you don’t take enough

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On Aug. 29, the New England Journal of Medicine published an electronic article stating that giving supplements of EPA and DHA to people with a prior heart attack had no benefits on preventing future cardiovascular events (1). Of course, this article states the reason is that current drugs the patients are receiving are so good that adding extra high purity omega-3 oil is worthless, which of course made the national press. It sounded pretty fishy to me. First of all, this study was actually much smaller than the previously published studies (2,3) that had demonstrated striking benefits of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes. The GISSI study demonstrated a 20-percent reduction in heart attacks and a 45 percent reduction in sudden cardiac death (2). The even larger JELIS study demonstrated a 20 percent reduction in cardiovascular events, and all the patients were taking statins.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce breast cancer risk

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The list just keeps growing for the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and overall health. The newest to the list is breast cancer. A study just published in the journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention surveyed approximately 35,000 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 76, for their use of various specialty supplements (1). The 24-page summary took into account past and present use of supplements as well as frequency (days/week) and duration (year). Individuals taking high purity omega-3 oil had a 32 percent reduced risk of developing breast cancer, whereas other supplements typically taken to reduce menopausal symptoms (e.g., black cohosh, dong quai, soy, or St. John’s wort) had no association. Although further research needs to be conducted, this again adds to the growing body of evidence on the benefits of omega-3s for disease prevention.

Of this survey didn’t answer the question about if they had taken more, would they have seen even better results? This is because cancer like all chronic diseases is driven by silent inflammation coming from increasing levels of Toxic Fat (i.e., arachidonic acid). High purity omega-3 oil dilutes Toxic Fat, but only a strict anti inflammatory diet can actually reduce Toxic Fat. Follow an anti-inflammatory program consisting of a strict anti inflammatory diet, ultra-refined high purity omega-3 oil concentrates and anti-inflammatory polyphenols to reduce the driving force for virtually all chronic disease.
1. Brasky TM, Lampe JW, Potter JD, Patterson RE, White E. Specialty supplements and breast cancer risk in the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Jul;19(7):1696-708.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

The Mood-lifting properties of B-vitamins

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In a previous blog we addressed the impact of omega-3 fatty acids and their mood-lifting properties, and now it looks like we can add certain B-vitamins to the list. A recent publication in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at whether dietary intakes of vitamin B-6, B-12 and folate had an association with depressive symptoms in a community-based population of adults aged 65 and older over a period of seven years (1). The study concluded that higher intakes of vitamin B-6 and B-12, but not folate, were associated with a decreased likelihood of depressive symptoms. This held true even after 12 years of follow-up. For every 10 micrograms of intake of B-6 and every 10 micrograms of B-12, there was a 2 percent decline in depressive symptoms per year.

Besides their mood lifting properties, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12 have other important roles. Vitamin B-6 is a water-soluble vitamin that is involved in more than 100 enzymes needed for protein metabolism. It’s critical for red blood cell metabolism, and it plays a role in the nervous and immune system (2). Vitamin B-12 is also a water-soluble vitamin that is involved in red blood cell formation, neurological function and DNA synthesis (3).

Now that you’ve read this article, it doesn’t mean go out and purchase mega doses of these vitamins. It’s not hard to consume either of these vitamins in your diet. Vitamin B-6 is found in a variety of foods from beans, meat, poultry, fish and some fruits and vegetables. Unlike B-6, the main dietary sources of vitamin B-12 include animal sources: fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. B-12 is not found in plant foods unless they are fortified. Three ounces of clams supply approximately 34 micrograms of B-12, about 570 percent of the daily intake (3). If you feel like your intake of either of these vitamins is low, a multi-vitamin that supplies no more than 100 percent of the daily value should be sufficient.

1) Skarupski KA, Tangney C, Li H, Ouyang B, Evans DA, Morris MC. Longitudinal association of vitamin B-6, folate, and vitamin B-12 with depressive symptoms among older adults over time. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]

2) Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: B6. Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb6.asp. Accessed: July 2, 2010.

3) Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: B-12. Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp. Accessed: July 2, 2010.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

United States’ major export: Obesity

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By Dr. Barry Sears

Back in 2005, in my book “The Anti-Inflammation Zone” I wrote that many trends start in the United States and then cover the globe. We’ve exported Big Macs, Coca-Cola and the USDA Food Pyramid.

Now, five years later a report from the research organization, Datamonitor, indicates we have also exported childhood obesity – now more than one-third of European children are obese.

The organization attributes this weight gain to increased affluence and blames the usual suspects. “This is caused by a combination of eating too many calories and not doing enough physical activity,” according to the report.

That’s the same mantra that is used over and over in the United States. But obesity will not be curbed by eating less and exercising more unless we find shelter from the perfect nutritional storm that began in the United States and now has been exported across the globe.

New research indicates the primary factor has been the increasing consumption of omega-6 fatty acids found in vegetable oils, made in the USA.

The United States is also the king as far as processed foods are concerned, and we’ve been happy to share our junk food with children around the world.

And in Europe, as well as here at home, the amount of omega-3s consumed has dramatically declined.

The solution is to follow an anti inflammatory diet, increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids and dramatically reduce the intake of omega-6 fatty acids. Unfortunately this is easier said than done because of the ubiquitous presence of omega-6 fatty acids in virtually every processed food. Fortunately, increased intake of EPA and DHA (about 2.5 grams of EPA and DHA per day) can dilute out the inflammatory impact of these excess omega-6 fatty acids on our genes.

The bottom line, no pun intended, is that if there is no dietary change, children will continue to get fatter no matter how much they exercise because the genes that make children fat and keep them fat are being constantly turned on by diet they consume.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

Take the pain out of your arthritis

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About one percent of the U.S. population suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, a condition in which the joints become inflamed leading to redness, warmth, swelling and pain. Individuals typically experience this type of inflammation in their hands, wrists or knees; but occasionally it may affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood or nerves (1). Although medications can be prescribed to help people with this condition, they don’t come without their risks. A few years back a powerful drug used to treat arthritis called Vioxx was recalled because it led to cardiovascular complications in a number of people taking it.

For those looking for more natural ways to treat their arthritis without the side effects, omega-3 fatty acids may be the answer. A recent study looked at the impact of supplying omega-3 fatty acids to individuals with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (2). For two weeks individuals were given omega-3 fatty acids intravenously (eg, parenteral nutrition) after which they then took omega-3s orally in capsule form for the following 20 weeks. After one week of infusion, the group that received the omega-3 fatty acids had significantly fewer swollen joints than those who did not. By the study’s end, the omega-3 group had benefitted both from supplementation intravenously and orally and had decreased swollen and tender joints compared to the group that received no treatment.

1) Rheumatoid Arthritis Overview. Available at: http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide/rheumatoid-arthritis-basics. Accessed: May 27, 2010.

2) Bahadori et al. {omega}-3 Fatty Acids Infusions as Adjuvant Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr.2010; 34: 151-155.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

Ominous new warnings issued about Toxic Fat

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I have often said that if you’re fat, it may not be your fault. Recent research goes further to illustrate this point. In particular, an article published in Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology (2009;2009:867041) demonstrates what happens when you take genetically identical mice and put them on different diets for three generations. The diets were equal in calories and total fat, but only differed in the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. By the third generation, the mice on the high omega-6 fatty-acid diet were considerably fatter, had higher levels of arachidonic acid (i.e. Toxic Fat) and had more damage to their organs.

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.

One more notch in the belt for the Mediterranean Diet

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Diet plays a critical role in disease prevention. Often times we hear about “super foods” or individual foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals or antioxidants and are known for their health-promoting and disease-fighting properties. Since foods are typically consumed in combinations rather than individually, it’s important to consider the synergistic effect they may have, and how they may work together to prevent disease.

A study recently published in the Archives of Neurology examined the relationship between the combination of foods people eat, specific nutrients, and the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Two thousand one hundred and forty eight elderly individuals 65 and up with no history of dementia participated. Individuals were evaluated every 1.5 years for 4 years for neurological and neuropsychological markers as well as dietary intake (1). Based on food frequency questionnaires, foods were placed into 30 pre-determined food groups, and dietary patterns were established based on their ability to explain variation in seven nutrients related to dementia risk (saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and folate). At the study’s end, 253 cases of Alzheimer’s disease were identified. With regards to specific nutrients, individuals who had a diet rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E and folate and those with low intakes of saturated fatty acids and vitamin B12 had the lowest risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A dietary pattern very similar to that of the Mediterranean diet consisting of salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, dark and green leafy vegetables; and low in high-fat dairy, red meat, organ meat, and butter showed the lowest risk of disease (1). This is just one more study to support the benefits of a Mediterranean-like diet and the implications for the role diet plays in disease prevention.

1. Gu Y, Nieves JW, Stern Y, Luchsinger JA, Scarmeas N. Food Combination and Alzheimer Disease Risk: A Protective Diet. Arch Neurol. 2010 Apr 12. [Epub ahead of print]

Nothing contained in this blog is intended to be instructional for medial diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult your personal physician immediately.