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Previous studies show exposure to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the main psychoactive component in cannabis—while in utero can lead to lower birth weight and potential heart complications in newborn animal offspring. For the first time, researchers have found a potential way to prevent those effects. A recent study is the first to uncover a potential intervention to remedy the decline in birth weight and compromised heart health in offspring due to THC exposure in utero. Using rat models, the researchers found heart deficits associated with THC were counteracted by Omega-3 supplementation. In this study, researchers were able to replicate the results from a...

Could introducing seafood to kids early on be the key to sociability? In a nutshell Children who ate the recommended amount of seafood (two servings weekly) showed better prosocial behavior—they were more helpful, sharing, and considerate toward others. Not eating any seafood at age 7 increased the risk of poor prosocial behavior by 35% at age 7 and 43% by age 9, compared to children who ate recommended amounts. The beneficial nutrients in seafood, including omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and selenium, may contribute to brain development in ways that specifically support social behavior rather than cognitive abilities like IQ. =========================================================================================...

A study suggests that fish oil can weaken insulin resistance and reduce glucose intolerance by modulating the body's inflammatory response. The findings were based on experiments with rats, which were not obese but exhibited a condition similar to type 2 diabetes, a disease characterized by elevated blood sugar due to reduced action of the hormone insulin. As the authors explain, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids such as those present in fish oil has been prescribed for individuals with cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes, but the effects of these nutrients on insulin resistance without obesity are poorly understood. In this...

Enhancing levels of "healthy fats" like omega-3s in the brain could be beneficial in motor neuron disease (MND) finds a study in fruit flies and brain cells, led by researchers. The study found increasing the levels of these healthy fats in the brain cells of fruit flies carrying a gene mutation called C9orf72, saw a "dramatic" increase in their survival. The C9orf72 mutation is the most common genetic cause of MND and a rare form of dementia, known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cells were also collected from people with these conditions and converted into brain cells in the lab. Healthy...

Consuming one gram of omega-3 per day may slow down the rate of biological aging in humans, according to an analysis of data from a clinical trial involving over 700 older adults over a three-year period. Previous clinical trial research has shown that restricting caloric intake may slow aging in humans. Other research conducted in animal studies or small pilot trials on slowing biological aging, such as by consuming vitamin D or omega-3, has also shown promising effects. However, whether these interventions work in humans remains unclear. Researchers Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, Steve Horvath and colleagues used molecular biology tools known as...

A team sheds new light on the role of marine-source omega-3 supplementation in treating adipose tissue inflammation and reducing the risk for cardiometabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes. The study reveals that subjects with high numbers of blood low density lipoproteins (LDL)—commonly known as "bad cholesterol"—have higher inflammation in their adipose tissue than those with low LDL. The team also demonstrated that, in subjects with high blood LDL, adipose tissue inflammation was associated with abnormalities in carbohydrate (sugar) and fat metabolism that increase the risk for type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the study revealed that fish-oil omega-3 supplementation was effective in...

In addition to lowering your cholesterol, keeping your brain healthy and improving mental health, new research from the University of Georgia suggests omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may help ward off a variety of cancers. The study relied on data from more than 250,000 people and found that higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were associated with a lower risk of developing cancer. Participants with higher levels of omega-3s had lower rates of colon, stomach and lung cancer, in addition to lower rates of other digestive tract cancers. High omega-6 levels led to lower rates of 14 different...

Ronald Rodriguez, MD, Ph.D. has discovered that the combination of valproic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 and lessen its severity, according to a study. Valproic acid is a common anti-seizure medication, and DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid known to improve brain and heart health. Rodriguez's previous adenoviral gene therapy research in prostate cancer had led him to explore the antiviral potential of valproic acid. Approved by the U.S. FDA, valproic acid showed promise in preventing the COVID virus from replicating, but initial doses proved potentially toxic. "A combination of a...

Fish oil supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. and abroad, with about 2 out of every 25 people popping the popular omega-3 pills. And a new study might encourage a new population to start looking into the supplements as well: people with a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. Using genetic data from more than 441,000 participants, the researchers calculated a score to predict the genetic likelihood of high levels of total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol (which is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol), triglycerides and HDL cholesterol (or "good" cholesterol). "Recent advances in genetic studies have allowed...

After five decades of inaction, the Food and Drug Administration revoked the authorization of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food on July 3, 2024. The additive bromine, used to stabilize fruit flavorings in beverages and sodas, has toxic effects and has already been banned in many places, including California, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. What was the agency’s excuse for its 50 years in limbo? The FDA insisted it was “waiting for more safety data.” Right. Consumer advocates called the FDA’s ban on brominated vegetable oil in food “a victory for public health.” Still, digging deeper, it is indisputable...

Pulmonary researchers looked at the association between blood plasma levels of omega-3 fatty acids—the heart-healthy fats found in foods such as salmon and flaxseeds—and the progression of pulmonary fibrosis and how long patients could go without needing a transplant. The researchers found that higher levels of omega-3 were associated with better lung function and longer transplant-free survival. The researchers say their findings warrant clinical trials to determine if interventions that raise omega-3 levels could be a useful tool to improve outcomes for patients with pulmonary fibrosis and other chronic lung diseases. "We found that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids...

I hope this Thanksgiving brings to mind many blessings our Lord has bestowed on us, chiefly the unveiling of Jesus Christ as Lord of all; above all circumstances this sinful world throws at us.So say goodbye to those who suffer from tinnitus! I began taking Omega-3s to deal with bad cholesterol......and in ONE WEEK, tinnitus disappeared. No more annoying ringing in the ears. Gone.I get a high-quality plant-based Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) The product brand is from "Meta Genetics" and the company is from Standard Process. They do not sell directly, but once you establish...

New research hints at a few ways fatty foods affect cells in the brain, a finding that could help explain the link between a high-fat diet and impaired memory—especially as we age. The study of cell cultures found the omega-3 fatty acid DHA may help protect the brain from an unhealthy diet's effects by curbing fat-induced inflammation at the cellular source. Separate experiments using brain tissue from aging mice showed a high-fat diet may lead specific brain cells to overdo cell-signaling management in a way that interferes with the creation of new memories. For this work, the researchers focused on...

Research led by Nicolas Bazan, MD, Ph.D. suggests that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) decreases an essential fatty acid, preventing the formation of a class of protective molecules and reducing repair potential. The discovery may also open new therapeutic avenues for AMD. The study shows that AMD decreases peripheral retinal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 22:6 in rod photoreceptor cells, limiting the elongation of fatty acids to form very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs). VLC-PUFAs are precursors of elovanoids, bioactive chemical messengers made from omega-3 very- long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Elovanoids, discovered by the Bazan lab, have been shown to restore the structure and...

Researchers report that blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were inversely correlated with hearing difficulty in a new population-based cross-sectional study. Middle-aged and older adults with higher DHA levels were 8–20% less likely to report age-related hearing issues than those with lower DHA levels. The results showed that people in the highest quintile (one-fifth of participants) of blood DHA levels were 16% less likely to answer yes to the question "do you have difficulty hearing" compared with those in the lowest quintile of DHA levels. Similarly, those in the highest quintile for DHA levels were 11%...

Researchers have identified a potential dietary supplement that may improve recovery following acute kidney injury (AKI). The finding comes from a long-running research program investigating how cells take up a specialized omega-3 lipid called LPC-DHA. A major public health concern, AKI has a mortality rate of 20 to 50%. One of the main causes of AKI is ischemic reperfusion injury, which occurs when the kidney's blood supply is restored after a period of restricted blood flow and poor oxygen delivery due to illness, injury or surgical intervention. In particular, it damages a crucial part of the kidney called the S3...

Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fish and fish oil supplements, appear promising for maintaining lung health, according to new evidence from a large, multi-faceted study in healthy adults. The study provides the strongest evidence to date of this association and underscores the importance of including omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, especially given that many Americans do not meet current guidelines. There's increased interest in trying to understand whether nutritional interventions could contribute to lung disease prevention efforts. Past studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may help, due largely to their established anti-inflammatory actions. However, robust studies...

Long-running research into the omega-3 transporter protein Mfsd2a has shown that it plays a key role in a specific mechanism that prevents the liver from storing too much fat from food. This latest study signals the possibility that a dietary supplement could be developed to help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Eating too much fatty food increases the risk of many health problems, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and NAFLD. The excess fat that accumulates in the liver during the onset of NAFLD leads to inflammation and progressive deterioration and scarring, called cirrhosis of the liver. The rate of...

Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in heart and brain health. They've been linked to a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation and lower blood pressure and triglycerides, reducing the risk for heart disease and cognitive decline. But most people in the U.S. don't include enough omega-3s in their diets. There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA; docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA; and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. The human body can convert small amounts of ALA into EPA and DHA, but the main way people increase levels is to consume foods and supplements that contain...

Consuming omega-3 fatty acids—particularly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a nutrient found in foods including flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia, canola and soybean oils—may help slow the progression of disease in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study. The researchers conducted a study among 449 people living with ALS who participated in a clinical trial. As part of this trial, the severity of their symptoms and the progression of their disease were tested and then scored from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating less severe symptoms of the disease. The researchers measured the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in...