NatureCity Journal
VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 6 • LATE SUMMER 2026
NatureCity Journal
VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 6 • LATE SUMMER 2026
NatureCity Journal
VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 6 • LATE SUMMER 2026
Omega-3 Blood Levels
Matter for Brain Health
Omega-3 Blood Levels Matter for Brain Health
Omega-3 Blood Levels Matter for Brain Health
The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are important for heart health, and also support the structure and function of the brain.
Recently, a study was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition that helped pinpoint target levels of EPA and DHA for brain health.
What makes this study especially interesting is that it doesn’t just look at omega-3 intake.
It looks at omega-3 blood levels, and how those levels relate to the earliest stages of age-related cognitive decline.
The study found that people with higher omega-3 blood levels had a significantly lower risk of early-onset cognitive decline, often considered the early biological stages that precede more advanced cognitive decline.
For clarity, early-onset typically refers to changes occurring before age 65, but the bigger point here isn’t age labels — it’s biology.
Brain changes don’t suddenly appear one day. They develop gradually, over decades.
Brain health requires a long-game strategy – and omega-3s are some of the best teammates to have on your side.
What sets this research apart is that it didn’t rely on food questionnaires or supplement surveys. Those studies can be useful, but have inherent limitations.
Instead, researchers measured omega-3 levels in the blood, giving a much more accurate picture of what the brain is actually being exposed to over time.
Which brings us to a key concept – the Omega-3 Index, a blood marker which measures the amount of EPA and DHA in red blood cell membranes.
Why does that matter? Red blood cells turn over slowly — about every 3 to 4 months — so this test reflects long-term omega-3 status, not what you ate yesterday.
And here’s the key finding from this new study and other research:
An omega-3 index above about 8% is associated with better brain health and function and slower cognitive decline.
Unfortunately, most people never reach and sustain 8%. In Western populations, the average omega-3 index is often around 4% to 5%.
Even people who “take fish oil” frequently fall well below the 8% range because of: under-dosing, inconsistent use, low DHA and EPA intake, poor absorption, and low-quality fish oils.
When it comes to fish oil supplements, we believe the absorption of the EPA and DHA matters more than labels or form.
You’ll often hear discussions about the triglyceride form of fish oil versus ethyl ester form.
Triglyceride form can offer about a 1.3-times improvement in absorption compared to basic ethyl esters. That’s helpful — but it’s not the whole story, as you can do much better.
In TrueOmega-3, we use the AquaCelle® delivery system, which has been shown to deliver up to 6.0x times greater bioavailability compared to standard fish oil forms.
With more EPA and DHA getting absorbed into the bloodstream, you should be able to raise your Omega-3 Index reading faster than with regular fish oil supplements.
Because again, the goal isn’t swallowing capsules — it’s raising and sustaining omega-3 blood levels.
As mentioned, one of the most empowering things about omega-3s is that you can actually measure your status.
Companies like OmegaQuant offer well-respected Omega-3 index testing, allowing people to:
- Establish a baseline
- Adjust intake if needed
- Confirm they’re in a protective range
This turns omega-3s from a guessing game into a measurable strategy, with a target of sustaining Omega-3 Index levels above 8%.
Affron Saffron May Boost Mood & Self-Esteem in Women
The Affron brand of saffron extract is backed by 12 human studies showing benefits for mood, sleep, and vision support.
The latest study was recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition involved menopausal and post-menopausal women and explored the effects of Affron on mood and related aspects, such as emotional well-being, self-esteem, sleep quality and perceived appearance.
The researchers randomly assigned 86 women between the ages of 50 and 70, into two groups that received either 28mg of the saffron extract, or a placebo daily for 12 weeks.
By the end of the study, the Affron group had a 51% reduction in low mood scores compared with 32% in the placebo group. Significant improvements started by week 4 of the 12-week study.
The researchers also noted greater improvements in self-esteem and sleep-related impairment in the saffron group.
No significant differences were noted for self-rated physical appearance.
The makers of Affron noted that saffron can help neurotransmitter balance through its effects on serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine activity.
In addition, saffron’s antioxidant properties can increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which helps support emotional adaptability and protects brain cells from oxidative stress.
Vitamin B-Complex Made From Organic Plants! Get Your FREE Bottle!
The eight vitamins making up the vitamin B family work closely together to spark many important body functions.
These include cellular energy and cell formation, red blood cell creation, and many aspects of cardiovascular and cognitive health.
Most B vitamin formulas contain vitamins that are all made in a lab. However, TrueB™ is a novel vitamin B-complex mostly made with vitamins produced by nature – from USDA organically certified plants (lemon peel, guava, holy basil and sesbania) grown in India.
Plant based vitamins can be easier to absorb and gentler on the stomach. Plus, like food, the plant extracts contain nutritional “co-factors” that may enhance efficacy.
To round out TrueB™, it also includes the “active form” of vitamin B12 from the MecobalActive™ brand. MecobalActive™ is non-GMO and made in Barcelona, Spain.
It has superior absorption properties when compared to other vitamin B12 options.
Finally, the natural folate in TrueB™ is fortified with the active folate (5-methylfolate) from Italian made Quatrefolic®. Quatrefolic® is the most bioavailable form of folate – and can go to work immediately.
Q&A - You Ask... We Answer!
Q: I read vitamin B12 can come from spirulina seaweed and soybeans. What do you think? Where does yours come from?
A: In our opinion, neither spirulina nor soybeans are practical sources of vitamin B12, Spirulina contains an inactive analog of B12 that humans can’t absorb or use (worse some believe it can inhibit the uptake of actual vitamin B12). The B12 content of soybeans is low or barely detectable.
This can be increased somewhat if fermented (if B12 producing bacteria are present during fermentation), but still not enough to be a reliable source to our knowledge.
We believe MecobalActive is the premier source of methylcobalamin (the active form of vitamin B12) and is what we use in all our supplements. MecobalActive is vegan, Non-GMO and made in Barcelona, Spain using a patented process. It has superior absorption and tissue retention properties compared to other vitamin B12 options.
Also important, it offers the lowest levels of impurities, which allows MecobalActive™ to remain stable throughout its shelf life.
MecobalActive is made using a sustainable production process that avoids negative effects on the environment. Some other methylcobalamin ingredients are produced using volatile chemicals that are environmentally hazardous, like methyl iodide and dimethylsulfate that cause large amounts of air pollution and toxins (but are cheap to make).
In contrast, the patented MecobalActive is produced by using dimethyl carbonate, which is environmentally innocuous and non-toxic and creates a harmless biodegradable byproduct.
Q: How many mg of DPA is in your TrueOmega-3?
A: A serving of TrueOmega-3 (2 soft gels) has around 40mg of DPA, but is not standardized like the EPA and DHA (so it may fluctuate slightly by batch). Q: Does TrueAloe contain Aloe latex? A: TrueAloe is not made from the Aloe latex and is virtually free of anthraquinones like aloin and emodin because these compounds have very strong laxative properties.
Anthraquinones can cause painful stomach cramps, diarrhea and interfere with nutrient absorption, which over time could lead to unwanted health conditions.
As mentioned, this is not a concern with TrueAloe. Each batch of TrueAloe is tested, and routinely shows the powder contains less than 1 part per million (ppm) of anthraquinones, which is far better than the maximum 10ppm purity standard set by International Aloe Science Council (IASC).
In the News...
Akkermansia Muciniphia Probioic Strain May Help Metabolic Health. A study in ECronicon found that supplementing with 10 billion CFU of an Akkermansia muciniphia probiotic strain daily for 60 days led to improvements in several measures of metabolic health compared to the placebo group including fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels, HbA1C and triglyceride levels. Other improvements included body weight, BMI, and waist circumference.
Lutein/Zeaxanthin May Help Boost Cognitive Performance in Teens. A study in Nutrition Research found that teenagers who took a supplement with 10mg of lutein and 2mg of zeaxanthin daily for six months improved cognitive performance (measured by attention and processing speed) compared to the placebo group. Non-verbal memory did not improve. Significant increases in Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) were also recorded by the supplement group, indicating better antioxidant protection.
Rhodiola Rosea May Support Endurance Performance and Recovery. A review of 26 studies in Frontiers in Nutrition found that supplementing with Rhodiola Rosea and its key compound salidroside, can help several measures of physical performance and recovery from exercise. Endurance metrics that improved included VO2max, time to exhaustion and time trial performance. Muscle damage markers were reduced along with oxidative stress.
Health Tips
Higher Bedroom Temperature Can Increase Sleep Stress. New research from Griffith University in Australia found that for individuals over 65 years old, keeping the nighttime bedroom temperature at no more than 75 degrees can reduce the likelihood of a heightened stress response during sleep and take pressure off the cardiovascular system. When the human body is exposed to heat, the heart rate typically increases as the heart is working harder to circulate blood to the skin for cooling. That creates stress and can make it harder for the body to recover while sleeping.
Vitamin K1 Rich Diet May Support Lung Function. Researchers from Edith Cowan University in Australia tracked the diets of 179,000 adults over 10 years and found that those with the highest intake of vitamin K1 from foods like spinach, kale and broccoli, were less likely to develop lung dysfunction compared to those with the lowest vitamin K1 intake. In addition, the lungs of those with the higher vitamin K1 intake performed better at holding and moving more air, which is a key indicator of good respiratory health and lung function.
Reviews from You!
“Will Never Run Out of TrueAloe Again!”
“I’ve taken TrueAloe for many years. I don’t remember why I started, but I know I do not want to run out again. I ran out about a year ago and felt like everything was dull, there was no “normal” to my days and it was boring. A few days after beginning again, I felt the “normal” again, clear headed and focused. I will never let myself run out again."
– Sharon, United States
CHECK OUR LATEST MONTHLY SPECIALS
and Get a FREE Bottle of TrueB!
TrueB™ features B vitamins from USDA certified organic plants - guava, lemon peel, holy basil and sesbania. TrueB™ is fortified with the “active” form of vitamin B12 from the MecobalActive™ brand and active folate (5-methylfolate) branded as Quatrefolic®. Get your FREE bottle today!
Your favorite products at great prices!
