Omega 3

So how many omega-3 fatty acids are enough — and how should you get them? That likely depends on your age and your specific health concerns. The United States does not yet have guidelines for DHA or EPA, and consensus among nutrition experts is elusive. But specialty groups, some governmental agencies and individual experts have started to take a stand. For healthy adults without major medical issues, the European Food Safety Agency recommends a daily dose of 250 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA, while the National Heart Foundation of Australia suggests 500 milligrams.

An omega-3 fatty acid plentiful in fish oil boosts the ability of healthy young adults, whose brains are already at their peak levels of speed and performance, to hold several items in memory for a short time, a study has found. The study is the first to suggest that fish oil might enhance cognitive performance in healthy people by boosting their working memory. The latest research adds to evidence of fish oil's beneficial neuropsychiatric effects: Supplementation with the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Omega-3 fatty-acid supplements, often called fish-oil capsules, did not curb the mental decline in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, researchers said Tuesday. The study marks yet another attempt to treat the disease that has failed in clinical trials. Treatment with omega-3 supplements had generated considerable enthusiasm because, unlike the other unsuccessful experimental therapies, it was a natural therapy and would not have required development of a new prescription drug.

Is there something fishy going on with omega-3 fatty acids? For years, major health and medical organizations have recommended fish oil supplements rich in omega-3s to reduce the threat of heart disease. In Europe, where support is particularly enthusiastic, a doctor's failure to recommend the supplements is viewed by some as bordering on malpractice. But several recent studies have raised questions about the benefits of fish oil, sparking no small amount of confusion. A report published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.

Heart health is a numbers game. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides -- you practically need a personal data assistant to know how worried you should be. Now some experts want to add yet another number to the mix: the "omega-3 index," a measure of the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood. Omega-3 fatty acids, naturally found in fish, have a steadying influence on the entire circulatory system. Two of them in particular -- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Pregnant women need them for their babies' brains. Kids need them to learn. Adults get healthier hearts from them. The do-it-all nutrients known as omega-3 fatty acids appear to reduce pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis — and may help treat autism, bipolar disorder, depression, Alzheimer's disease, ADHD and prostate cancer. Even dogs and cats need omega-3s to stay healthy. So eat more fish. Take fish oil pills (or their vegetarian counterparts). Start buying fortified foods.

Much attention has been focused recently on the growing popularity of vitamin/mineral-fortified products and vitamin/mineral supplements as a means of promoting health. It seems many people want a "quick fix"--opting to improve their health with these products instead of building a healthy body from a wide variety of food sources. The latest development for the pill-popping generation is fish oil supplements.

Americans seem to be falling for fish oil supplements -- and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A new survey suggests fish oil pills are the most popular dietary supplement in the country, even over multivitamins. Fish oil matters because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA. If you've been paying attention (and the ConsumerLab.com survey indicates that you have), you know fish oil can help maintain a healthy heart and better brain function for starters.

You’ve probably heard of omega-3 fatty acids , the nutrients that make fish oil so healthy. You may even have heard of particular ones, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) or EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). But unless you’re one of the scientists who worked on a study being published in Friday’s edition of the journal Cell , you surely have no idea why omega-3 fatty acids are so good at tamping down inflammation and enhancing sensitivity to insulin.

Re "The Fat From These Pigs May End Up Helping Your Heart," March 27 As a gastroenterologist, I have good reason for doubting the benefits of the new omega-3 enhanced pigs. According to a new British Medical Journal study, there is no evidence that taking omega-3 supplements or eating oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids has any health benefit. Moreover, pork is high in cholesterol and saturated fat, two key contributors to heart disease. It simply doesn't make sense for people to consume such unhealthy products when a healthy, plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is proven to lower cholesterol.

From kitschy gift to kitchen darling, chia is having another 15 minutes of fame. And this time, it's not slathered on clay "pets. " Chia seeds have become popular for their omega-3 fatty acids and fiber content. With their neutral taste, they can be consumed in many ways - now they're even showing up in processed foods such as chips and spreads. Eaten by the Maya and Aztec people, chia seeds have long been reputed to be nutritional powerhouses. "They were basics when we grew up," says Ramiro Arvizu, a chef at La Casita Mexicana in Bell.

Sugar creates addicts out of us. It tempts us, wears down our willpower and keeps us coming back for more. Yup, just like cigarettes, which, you know, come with warning labels. And just like a pack of smokes, processed sugar has absolutely no nutritional value . In fact, our not-so-harmless guilty pleasure is fattening us up like helpless livestock and then killing us off . "Your child will live a life 10 years younger than you because of the landscape of food that we've built around them," warned chef and activist Jamie Oliver in a 2010 "TedTalks" presentation . And yet there's still no stigma around consuming sweets and carbs, which is contributing to our country's obesity epidemic.

Struggling with the black dog of depression? The supplement aisle abounds with options for people seeking a non-medicinal remedy - but figuring out what works and what doesn't can be a challenge for consumers and experts alike. That's because the data are generally poor, says Dr. Charles Raison, associate professor of psychiatry in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. There are some exceptions. Hundreds of studies have investigated the effects of omega-3 fatty acids and St. John's wort.

In a finding suggesting powerful psychiatric benefits for a component of fish oil, a study published Wednesday has linked military suicides to low levels of docosahexaenoic acid and found that service personnel with higher levels of DHA in their blood were less likely to take their own lives. The study, published this week in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, looked back at the medical records of 800 U.S. servicemen and women who took their own lives between 2002 and 2008, and compared them with the records of 800 service personnel -- matched for age, gender and rank -- who had no history of suicide attempts.  Men whose records showed they had low levels of DHA in their blood were 62% more likely to have been suicide victims than those with the highest levels.

Pregnant women are often urged to eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (usually simply referred to as “fish”) for healthier and smarter babies, but now research suggests that the “brain food” may also help women ward off postpartum depression. Or, rather, depression symptoms. Maybe. In a 52-person study, pregnant women who took a fish oil capsule five days a week during their third trimester had fewer symptoms of postpartum depression—such as anxiety—than women who took a placebo of corn oil during their third trimester, researchers at the University of Connecticut have announced.

A healthy intake of omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and fish oil supplements, has been shown to protect against retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness, particularly among people with diabetes. Now researchers have clarified how fish oil helps. Previously, researchers from Children's Hospital Boston showed that mice fed a diet rich in omega-3s had less abnormal blood-vessel growth in the retina and less of an inflammatory response compared with mice fed omega-6 fatty acids, a less beneficial fatty acid.

Re: ["The Mind, as It Evolves," Feb. 12]: Although the main topic concerned new findings about depression, the diagnosis and treatment the psychologist Stephen S. Ilardi suggests is sage advice for each and every one of us. "We were never designed for our sedentary, socially isolated, indoor, sleep-deprived, frenzied, poorly nourished lifestyle," Ilardi says. He recommends "lifestyle changes" -- aerobic exercise; ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids; light, positive social interaction; substituting activity for rumination; and increased sleep.

Sugar creates addicts out of us. It tempts us, wears down our willpower and keeps us coming back for more. Yup, just like cigarettes, which, you know, come with warning labels. And just like a pack of smokes, processed sugar has absolutely no nutritional value . In fact, our not-so-harmless guilty pleasure is fattening us up like helpless livestock and then killing us off . "Your child will live a life 10 years younger than you because of the landscape of food that we've built around them," warned chef and activist Jamie Oliver in a 2010 "TedTalks" presentation . And yet there's still no stigma around consuming sweets and carbs, which is contributing to our country's obesity epidemic.

Americans seem to be falling for fish oil supplements -- and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A new survey suggests fish oil pills are the most popular dietary supplement in the country, even over multivitamins. Fish oil matters because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA. If you've been paying attention (and the ConsumerLab.com survey indicates that you have), you know fish oil can help maintain a healthy heart and better brain function for starters.

The Institute of Medicine recommends 1,100 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per day for women and 1,600 mg for men. Here's a look at the amounts and types of omega-3s found in selected foods: FoodAmount & Type of omega-3s 3 ounces of salmon1,000-1,500 mg of EPA and DHA 3 ounces of sardines1,000-1,500 mg of EPA and DHA 1 Smart Balance Omega-3 Grade A Natural Large Egg160 mg of ALA, plus 32 mg of DHA 1 Land O Lakes Omega-3...