A new study published in the journal Nutrients found reductions in the overall risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease was found with higher levels of DHA.
Data was gathered from the Framingham Offspring Cohort study which was established in 1971 as a follow up to a study which was begun in 1948. The original study goals were to find heart disease causative factors. However as with other large population studies the data gathered for the original research was used to address additional research questions which were posed later on.
Data from almost 1,500 participants who were older than 65 and dementia free was included in this study. Blood from the participants who made periodic visits during the study period was tested and analyzed for the Omega-3 levels in red blood cell tissue. The cohort was divided into quintiles based on these measurements. Participants cognitive performance was also assessed using a standard tool for cognitive testing, the Mini-Mental State Examination.
Researchers found that the highest quintile had a 49% reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those participants in the lowest quintile. Those participants in the highest quintile were estimated to add an additional 4.7 years of life free of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s symptoms. Researchers also found that DHA might also be beneficial for individuals carrying the APOE4 gene, which increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Further studies are needed.
Here is some additional information about Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids:
Chemically a fatty acid is an organic acid with an acid group at one end of its molecule and a methyl at the other end. Fatty acids are categorized in the Omega groups 3, 6 or 9 according to the location of their last double bond.
An Essential Fatty Acid is a fatty acid that the body cannot manufacture by itself, in other words they must be obtained through supplementation or through foods. There are 2 fatty acids that are designated as essential fatty acids: linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. There are more fatty acids than these 2 specific essential fatty acids found in the Omega 3-6-9 groups but a healthy body may be able to manufacture them as long as there is enough linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, so they are considered non-essential fatty acids. There are however certain health benefits to be obtained by intaking some of the non-essential fatty acids directly, especially in the case of the Omega 3 fatty acids.
The Need for More Omega 3
Humans evolved on a diet that had approximately a 1:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), today our Western diet contains a ratio of 15:1 – 16.7:1. A typical Western diet is deficient in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and has an overabundance of Omega-6 Fatty Acids when compared to the diet in which humans evolved and their genetic patterns were established. In a study done by The Harvard School of Public Health over 96,000 deaths in the US were attributed to being caused by an Omega-3 deficiency. Other research shows that excessive amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids and high Omega-6/Omega-3 ratios promote many types of diseases like autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease. It is obvious that increasing Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake is necessary for a healthier population.
Molecular Distillation
The public was made aware of excessive levels of mercury, a neurotoxic heavy metal, as well as PCBs and other toxic organic compounds found in certain fish species from a well-publicized federal advisory in 2001. It was determined that fish oil supplements could also be subject to excessive levels of these neurotoxins. It makes choosing a “CLEAN” fish oil even more important than ever. For this very reason Viva Vitamins uses pure, high quality, molecularly distilled Omega-3 EPA/DHA fish oil in the products they manufacture. Molecular distillation is a process where all heavy metals and PCBs are virtually removed from the fish oil. Additionally extensive testing is performed to verify that all federal standards of purity have not just been met but have been surpassed.
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