Fish Omega-3s Could Reduce Heart Disease Risk

03/10/06 Favorable heart rhythms, improvements in childhood depression, and increased production of brain cells are potential benefits of regularly consuming fish or fish oil, according to new peer-reviewed research. One or both of the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish and fish oil, known as DHA and EPA, are responsible for these positive results. The research reports are summarized in the September 2006 Fats of Life e-newsletter for consumers and PUFA Newsletter for health professionals.

In a study on the effects of eating fish on the heart's electrical properties, researchers observed that participants who ate tuna or other baked/broiled fish often (5 or more times/week) had significantly lower heart rate and other healthy heart measures compared with those who ate these fish less than once a month.

"The omega-3s (EPA and DHA) in fish oils alter several electrical properties of the heart to reduce heart disease risk," said Joyce Nettleton, DSc, RD, editor of Fats of Life and the PUFA Newsletter. "These effects explain why eating fish reduces the risk of sudden death."

Evidence linking EPA and DHA to improvements in certain mental disorders continues to accumulate. Major depression occurs in about 2% of U.S. children and 4% to 8% of adolescents. EPA and DHA have shown promising results in several studies of people with various mood disorders, including depression. A new pilot study in children with major depression reported significant improvements with EPA-rich supplements.

Other new research from Sweden found that if children ate fish during their first year of life, their chance of later developing an allergy was significantly lower than if they avoided fish. In fact, children who ate fish at least 2 to 3 times/month in their first year had a 40% less chance of having allergies.

Another breakthrough study showed that DHA stimulates the production of new cells (neurons) in certain parts of the brain. These findings may havefuture treatment implications for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Previous studies have shown that brain DHA is reduced in people with this disease.

"These findings, if confirmed by others, suggest that dietary DHA might be helpful in slowing the progress or partly overcoming the effects of Alzheimer's disease," Nettleton concluded.