A team of researchers across seven European countries and co-ordinated by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine sought to investigate the association between fish intake and omega 3 fatty acids with wet AMD, comparing people with wet AMD with controls. Participants were interviewed about their dietary habits including how much fish they ate and what type. Information on the main omega 3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoicacid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was obtained by linking dietary data with food composition tables.

The findings show that people who habitually consume oily fish at least once a week compared with less than once a week are 50% less likely to have wet AMD. There was no benefit from consumption of non oily white fish. There was a strong inverse association between levels of DHA and EPA and wet AMD. People in the top 25% of DHA and EPA levels (300 mg per day and above) were 70% less likely to have wet AMD.

Would fish oil supplement do the trick as well? They don’t know.

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Oily Fish Consumption May Prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Under the assumption that intake of olive oil in the dose provided here was inert, our results support that increasing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in late pregnancy may carry an important prophylactic potential in relation to offspring asthma.”

In fact, the hazard rate for children of mothers consuming fish oil supplements during the third trimester to suffer from asthma in general was reduced by an impressive 63%. The relative risk for the offspring to be affected by allergic asthma was even further reduced to 87%.

“Our finding of lower occurrences of asthma in children of mothers who received supplements of marine omega-3 fatty acids in pregnancy is in line with 2 retrospective and 3 prospective studies. It is biologically plausible that increasing the intake of marine omega-3 PUFAs in the third trimester of pregnancy could have a preventive effect against asthma in the offspring. The marine omega-3 PUFAs, EPA and DHA, may affect fetal immune function through many different mechanisms.”

I just don’t understand why they would assume that olive oil is inert, when numerous studies have already demonstrated that olive oil exert various health benefits, although perhaps not in asthma or  allergies. If you’d like to read the manuscript yourself, you may refer to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Image Credit: sofijab

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Fish Oil During Pregnancy Prevent Asthma in Children

In the study, gerbils were given various combinations of three compounds needed for healthy brain membranes: choline, found in eggs; uridine monophosphate (UMP) found in beets; and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish oils. Other gerbils were given none of these to serve as a baseline. Then they were checked for cognitive changes four weeks later. The scientists found that the gerbils given choline with UMP and/or DHA showed cognitive improvements in tasks thought to be relevant to gerbils, such as navigating mazes. After these tests were concluded, the researchers dissected the mouse brains for a biological cause for the improvement. They found biochemical evidence that there was more than the usual amount of brain synapse activity, which was consistent with behaviors indicating higher intelligence.

Eggs, beets, and fish. Could it be that easy to boost brain power?

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Brain Foods: Eat Smart, Be Smart

Kids who have had bronchiolitis may be more likely to develop asthma later in life, but it’s unclear whether the illness causes or triggers asthma, or whether children who eventually develop asthma were simply more prone to developing bronchiolitis as infants. Studies are being done to clarify the relationship between bronchiolitis and the later development of asthma.

Although not conclusive, there have been several studies indicating that omega-3 fish oil supplements can help prevent or reduce the degree of asthma and allergies. Fish oil consumption during pregnancy has also been reported to protect infants against asthma, and I can only hope that the omega-3 supplements I am currently taking (which she gets as well since I’m breastfeeding) helps, too, to spare her from asthma and other allergies later on.

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Can Fish Oil Consumption Protect Against Asthma?

The protein solution is extracted from fish muscle. When coated onto the fish it forms a barrier, locking in taste and moisture, but blocking out fat and carbohydrates. “These protein molecules after we treat them and extract them the way we do, they form these very, very, micro-thin films that — when they are sprayed onto the surface — become this invisible, impenetrable, film that forms on the surface,” Kelleher says.

The protein molecules go through a treatment process. Water and other ingredients are filtered then added to the batter. Kelleher says the finished product has 25-percent to 75-percent less fat. Plus the added protein cuts down the carbohydrates by 15 percent.

They say the protein coating, marketed under the brand NutriLean, may also be used in other food items such as chicken and other meat, and possibly even potato chips, too.

Read this report with accompanying video for more info.

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NutriLean Makes Deep Frying Healthier

“In conclusion, based on in vivo data showing reduced excretion of lipid peroxidation products, namely isoprostanes, after polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and our data on ROS (reactive oxygen species) production and direct superoxide scavenging by (long chain) PUFAs, notably those of the omega-3 series, we propose that this series of fatty acids might indirectly act as anti- rather than pro-oxidant in vascular endothelial cells, hence diminishing inflammation and, in turn, the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.”

As mentioned above, it is important to note that the antioxidant effect was not associated with a direct oxidation of the omega fatty acids, indicating that alterations in cellular signaling (and thus indirect antioxidant mechanisms) might be responsible for the observed antioxidant activity in vitro.

As the situation usually is more complex in vivo, the authors point out that additional research is required to determine whether the same effect(s) occur in animals and/or humans, too.

The manuscript has been published online in Pharmacological Research on March 18.

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Omega Fatty Acids Lower Levels of Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress

Apparently, babies’ visual acuity as well as their cognitive and motor development were closely linked to DHA concentration in the umbilical cord blood at the time of their birth. This emphasizes how important a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids is, particularly during the last trimester when the fetus undergoes crucial retinal and brain development.

“A diet rich in omega-3s during pregnancy can’t be expected to solve everything, but our results show that such a diet has positive effects on a child’s sensory, cognitive, and motor development. Benefits from eating fish with low contaminant levels and high omega-3 contents, such as trout, salmon, and sardines, far outweigh potential risks even during pregnancy,” conclude the researchers.

Don’t know which fish is safe to eat? Read my previous entry on this. Don’t like fish? Fish oil supplements are just as good.

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Omega-3 Fatty Acid (DHA) Boosts An Infant’s Cognitive And Motor Development

Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is a long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, or ‘good’ fat, found throughout the body. It is important for infant brain, eye and nervous system development and has been shown to support long-term heart health. It is important throughout pregnancy, but particularly in the third trimester when significant brain growth occurs.

Arachidonic acid, AA, is a long-chain omega-6 fatty acid, another ‘good’ fat. Like DHA, AA omega-6 is important for proper brain development in infants. It is also a precursor to a group of hormone-like substances called eicosanoids that play a role in immunity, blood clotting and other vital functions in the body.

Considering that there is major infant brain growth during pregnancy and throughout the first two years of life, infants have the greatest need for DHA omega-3 and AA omega-6 during this period.

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Infants Need Omega-3 and AA Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Who benefits most from their cardio-protective effects? What is recommended administration– eat fatty fish or take fish oil supplements? How much fish oil do people need to put into their diets? Are there possible adverse effects to fish oil consumption?

These and more are discussed in detail in the article. Here’s the abstract:

The most compelling evidence for the cardiovascular benefit provided by omega-3 fatty acids comes from 3 large controlled trials of 32,000 participants randomized to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or to act as controls. These trials showed reductions in cardiovascular events of 19% to 45%. These findings suggest that intake of omega-3 fatty acids, whether from dietary sources or fish oil supplements, should be increased, especially in those with or at risk for coronary artery disease. Patients should consume both DHA and EPA. The target DHA and EPA consumption levels are about 1 g/d for those with known coronary artery disease and at least 500 mg/d for those without disease. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia benefit from treatment with 3 to 4 g/d of DHA and EPA, a dosage that lowers triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%. Although 2 meals of oily fish per week can provide 400 to 500 mg/d of DHA and EPA, secondary prevention patients and those with hypertriglyceridemia must use fish oil supplements if they are to reach 1 g/d and 3 to 4 g/d of DHA and EPA, respectively. Combination therapy with omega-3 fatty acids and a statin is a safe and effective way to improve lipid levels and cardiovascular prognosis beyond the benefits provided by statin therapy alone. Blood DHA and EPA levels could one day be used to identify patients with deficient levels and to individualize therapeutic recommendations.

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Heart Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Until recently, there was no scientific basis for that belief, Fisher added. But what he and his colleagues have discovered is that mussels, clams and oysters contain compounds that have been shown to be effective in releasing sexual hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen. These compounds are D-aspartic acid and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate).

“We found there might be a scientific basis for the aphrodisiac properties of these mollusks,” Fisher said.

But what is it in oysters that boosts libido? For a while scientists thought that it’s their high zinc content (zinc is found in sperm and men lose between one and three milligrams per ejaculation. But another report says it may be attributed to two amino acids present: D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA).

“They are not the normal amino acids that Mother Nature uses,” said Dr Fisher. “You can’t just find them in a vitamin shop.”

Dr D’Aniello had found in earlier experiments that injecting the amino acids into rats triggered a chain reaction of hormones that ended with the production of testosterone in males and progesterone in females.

“Increased levels of those hormones in the blood means that you are more active sexually,” he said.

So there you go. Candlelight dinner? You know what to order!

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Valentine Special: Are Oysters Aprodisiacs?