Posted on 11/15/2006 1:31:05 AM PST by neverdem
A substance found in fish oil may be associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementias, researchers reported yesterday.
The scientists found that people with the highest blood levels of an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, were about half as likely to develop dementia as those with lower levels.
The substance is one of several omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty fish and, in small amounts, in some meats. It is also sold in fish oil or DHA supplements. The researchers looked for a reduced risk associated with seven other omega-3 fatty acids, but only DHA had any effect.
The study, in the November issue of The Archives of Neurology, used data from the Framingham Heart Study to follow 899 initially healthy participants, with a median age of 76, for an average of more than nine years.
The scientists assessed DHA and fish intake using a questionnaire and obtained complete dietary data on more than half the subjects. They took blood samples from all the participants to determine serum levels of fatty acids.
Ninety-nine people developed dementia over the course of the study, including 71 cases of Alzheimer’s disease. The average level of DHA among all the participants was 3.6 percent of all fatty acids, and the top 25 percent of the population had values above 4.2 percent. People in this top one-quarter in DHA levels had a 47 percent reduced risk of developing dementia, even after controlling for body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, smoking status and other known or suspected risks. Risk reduction was apparent only at that top level of DHA — those in the bottom three-quarters in DHA level showed no detectable difference in risk.
People who ate two or more servings of fish a week...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The Times linked the abstract.
No wonder my memory is still so bloody good ! :)
The brand I purchase is "Alessi", however I'm not certain if the brand is particularly important.
The doctors are still scratching their heads, and the stuff is now available as a prescription.
My doctor just recommended that I take fish oil for my "bad" cholestserol. My overall cholesterol was quite good, however! Yah!
Eat fish and smoke tobacco.
Anyone NOT taking fish oil supplements in nuts!* Eating fish is GREAT, and should be the foundation of a healthy diet, but ALL fish contains some level of mercury (and other bad stuff.) Fish oil supplements are purified. I have NEVER seen any study even hinting at any downside of fish oil supplements.
I've never had any squeaky fish, therefore I've never felt obligated to oil them. However, I do love the occasional can of sardines.
Carolyn
What about the fishy tasting burps after you take the supplements?
How much do you take per day?
Enteric Coated. A few cents more. They dissolve much later in your system. No burping.
I started by using 'Rescue" available at www.n3inc.com; stuff's not cheap but worth every penny. The same strength is available by prescription called "Omacor">,p> My mother had a carotid artery blockage; totally dissolved in 3 months...the doctors don't know what to say.
I believe that some fish oils are not very pure at all. Look for "molecularly distilled" on the label. Barry Sears discusses qualities of fish oils in his book "The Omega 3 Zone," a follow up to his other Zone Diet books.
I take Carlson's lemon flavored cod liver oil, very pure and rich in omega 3's plus, of course, Vitamin D, not available in "fish oil." I need Vitamin D year round because I live so far north, sunshine rarely touches my skin. Some experts believe that SAD (seasonal affective disorder AKA feeling gloomy and depressed all winter) can be alleviated by Vitamin D, and in fact, lack thereof may well cause or at least contribute to SAD.
Niacin makes me very uncomfortable; the flushing of the skin kinda hurt when I took it, and finally bit the pill into quarters so as to cut the dose, but it still gave me an itchy-yucky feeling in my skin.
A great supplement that should be taken by all. I've been taking it for years.
Then change Dr's they've known about the benefits for decades.
I'm not worried. I've still got all my marbles, knock wood. [knock knock] Come in?
is there a holistic/alternative med ping list?
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