Omega-3 fatty acids may provide a number of health benefits, including improving mood, eye health, and heart health. Two new reviews have found that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may also help improve memory and mild cognitive impairment.

The first review included data from 25 studies, all of which measured the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cognitive function in adults without dementia. The studies measured global cognitive function using the Mini-Mental State Examination and also measured individual areas of cognitive function.

The researchers found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not have an effect on global cognitive function. However, it did provide a slight benefit on memory function.

The second review was conducted by researchers from Shanxi Medical University, and included 7 studies with a total of 434 participants with mild cognitive impairment. Half of the participants received omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and half received a placebo. 

The researchers found that omega-3 fatty acid improved cognitive function in people with mild cognitive decline compared to placebo. 

The first study was conducted by researchers from the University of Newcastle. It was published on December 16, 2019 in the journal Nutrition Reviews. The second study was published on December 5, 2019 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Teenagers should get between 9 and 10 hours of sleep per night, but the average amount they actually get is approximately 7 hours. A recent study suggests that higher levels of plasma DHA may be associated with longer sleep duration and earlier sleep timing in teenagers.

For their study, researchers looked at data from 405 teenagers with an average age of 14. Plasma fatty acid concentrations were measured and the participants were placed into 4 categories based on lowest to highest concentrations. Participants wore an actigraphy on their wrist for 7 days to measure sleep duration and sleep timing.

Participants with the highest plasma DHA concentrations had a sleep duration that was 32 minutes longer than those with the lowest plasma DHA concentrations. Participants with the highest concentrations also had sleep timing that was up to 45 minutes earlier than those with the lowest concentrations.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. It was published online ahead of print on November 23, 2019 in theJournal of Nutrition.

Previous research has suggested that problems in the vascular system, such as coronary artery disease, may contribute to the development of dementia. This may be due to the fact that the vascular system contains the heart and blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. According to a new study, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may help improve brain function in people with coronary artery disease.

Participants in the study included 250 people with stable coronary artery disease who were cognitively healthy. Half of them took 3.36 g of EPA and DHA daily for 30 months. The other half took a placebo. Cognitive function was measured at baseline, 12 months, and 30 months.

Participants in the supplement group had significant improvements in visual-motor coordination, memory, and recall at 12 months and at the end of the study. The greatest benefits were seen in participants who were younger, nondiabetic, and with an omega-3 fatty acid index that was greater than 4%.

The study was conducted by researchers from Harvard Medical School. It was published online ahead of print on November 11, 2019 in the journalCirculation.

Mussels are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and are also a good source of protein and essential amino acids. A recent study has found that mussels are a viable source for increasing omega-3 levels.

Twelve people participated in the study. Three times per week for two weeks they consumed a personalized lunch that derived approximately 20% of its calories from cooked mussels. Each participant received an average of 709.2 mg of EPA + DHA per meal from the mussels. Blood samples were taken throughout the study to measure omega-3 levels.

At the end of the study, the participants had significant increases in the omega-3 index, as well as whole blood EPA content. Six of the twelve participants improved their omega-3 status to a degree that is associated with a 20% reduction in sudden cardiac death risk.

The researchers noted that mussels might be a more environmentally sustainable way of achieving sufficient protein intake than other protein sources. The greenhouse gas emissions related to mussel production are a fraction of that related to production of other protein sources such as pork, beef, or chicken.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Stirling, Australia. It was published online ahead of print on October 2, 2019 in the journal Nutrients.

What we eat may affect not just our physical health but also our mental health. The standard American diet tends to be deficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids and high in trans fats and saturated fats. A recent study suggests that supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly EPA, may help improve mental health.

Researchers from the University of South Wales reviewed 33 studies that evaluated the association between nutrient intake and mental health. The studies included a total of 10,951 participants, all of whom were at risk of or suffering from common or severe mental health disorders.

The researchers found that supplementation with 2,200 mg of EPA in conjunction with antidepressants had the highest benefit for treatment of depression. Supplementation with EPA  was found to also be potentially helpful for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The benefit was found to be highest in participants with raised inflammatory markers.

The study was published online ahead of print on September 9, 2019 in the journal World Psychiatry.

Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. These cancers can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. According to a new study, regular consumption of fish may help decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.

Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer used data from the 10-country European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study. The study ran from 1992 to 2000 and included 521,324 participants. The researchers used food frequency questionnaires to estimate dietary intake of total, fatty/oily, and lean/white fish and omega-3 fatty acids. They also drew blood samples to measure blood levels of fatty acids. Participants were followed for an average of 14.9 years and all cases of colorectal cancer were recorded.

In addition, the researchers compared plasma samples from 461 participants who developed colorectal cancer and 461 matched participants who did not develop colorectal cancer.

The researchers found that participants who consumed the most fish were 12% less likely to have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer compared to those who ate less than one portion. Participants who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids had a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. A higher dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was found to increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

The study was published online ahead of print on June 25, 2019 in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Aortic calcification is a condition in which calcium deposits form on the aortic valve of the heart and can cause narrowing at the opening of the aortic valve. A new study has found that increased levels of DHA may be associated with less aortic calcification in men.

Participants in the study included 998 men who were Caucasian, African American, Japanese American, and Japanese. The participants were between the ages of 40 and 49. The researchers evaluated aortic calcification and found that 57% of the participants had some degree of aortic calcification. They also measured levels of DHA and EPA.

The researchers found that every 2% increase in DHA levels was associated with a 35% reduction in the Agatston aortic calcification score. The researchers believe the mechanism behind this association may be due to DHA’s anti-inflammatory properties. No association was found for EPA.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Korea University, the University of Hawaii, and Shiga University of Medical Science. It was published online ahead of print on May 7, 2019 in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease.

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is an air pollutant, and long-term exposure may increase the risk of chronic bronchitis, reduce lung function, and worsen asthma and heart disease. A new study has found that omega-3 fatty acids may provide cardio-protective benefits against PM_2.5. 

Participants included 65 healthy college students in Shanghai. Half of the group received 2.5g of fish oil and half of the group received a placebo daily for four months. The participants received four rounds of health examinations during the last two months of the study. These examinations measured blood pressure and 18 biomarkers of systematic inflammation, coagulation, endothelial functions, oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, and neuroendocrine stress. Fixed-site PM_2.5 concentrations on campus were measured in real time. 

The researchers used linear mixed-effect models to assess the effects of PM_2.5 on the participants. They found that omega-3 supplementation had a beneficial effect on 5 biomarkers of blood inflammation, coagulation, endothelial function, oxidative stress, and neuroendocrine stress. In the placebo group, most of the biomarkers of cardiovascular health responded significantly and negatively PM_2.5 fluctuations. 

The study was conducted by researchers from Fudan University, Shanghai and the University of Michigan. It was published online ahead of print on April 10, 2019 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology 

The incidence of asthma has nearly doubled in the past 30 years, and this may be due in part to changes in diet worldwide.  There is increasing consumption of omega-6 poly-unsaturated fats found in vegetable oil and decreasing consumption of omega-3 found in marine oils. According to a new study, consuming more fish may help reduce the risk of asthma and asthma-like symptoms by up to 62%.

Participants in the study included 642 adults who worked in a fish processing factory in a small village in South Africa. The researchers used the European Committee Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire, skin prick tests, spirometry and methacholine challenge tests to determine incidence of asthma and asthma-like symptoms. Blood samples were analyzed to determine levels of omega-3s and omega-6s.

The researchers found that the prevalence of asthma symptoms was 11%, current asthma was 8%, and non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness was 26%. Participants with the highest serum levels of omega-3s from marine oils were found to have up to a 62% decreased risk of having asthma or asthma-like symptoms. Participants with the highest levels of omega-6s from vegetable oils were found to have up to a 67% increased risk of having asthma or asthma-like symptoms.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and James Cook University, Australia. It was published on December 25, 2018 in the journal Nutrients.

Estradiol is a sex hormone that is the most important form of estrogen in humans. In women, it plays a key role in the development and functioning of the reproductive system, as well as in the growth of certain bones. A new study has found that supplementation with vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids may help increase estradiol and vitamin D levels in vitamin D deficient women.

86 pre-menopausal women who were vitamin D deficient participated in the study. The participants were divided into four groups:

1. Received 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a week;
2. Received 1,000mg of wild salmon and fish oil containing 300mg of omega-3 once a day;
3. Received 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a week and 1,000mg of wild salmon and fish oil containing 300mg of omega-3 once a day;
4. Received a placebo

Participants took the supplements for 8 weeks. Fasting serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and serum estradiol were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. In addition, mid-follicular serum levels of vitamin D and estradiol were assessed at 8 weeks.

The researchers found that supplementation with vitamin D3 alone resulted in a significant increase in vitamin D levels and a significant decrease in estradiol levels. Supplementation with omega-3 alone resulted in a significant decrease in vitamin D levels and a significant increase in estradiol levels. Supplementation with vitamin D and omega-3 resulted in significant increases in both vitamin D and estradiol.

The study was conducted by researchers from Jordan’s Applied Science Private University and Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences. It was published February 4, 2019 in the journal Clinical Pharmacology: Advances and Applications.