The Omega-3 Blog

Fish Oil Reduces Risk for Allergies Among Children

The Omega-3 Blog — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:28:20 +0000

Researchers at the Linköping University in Sweden have found that fish oil can protect children from allergies. Pregnant mothers who took fish oil capsules during pregnancy, gave birth to children with less allergic reactions to egg.

Furthermore, these children had less prostaglandin E2 in their blood – a substance which can increase the risk for allergic immune reactions.

EU Recommends Fish Oil During Pregnancy

The Omega-3 Blog — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 08:34:42 +0000

Early Nutrition Programming (Earnest) and Perinatal Lipid Nutrition (PeriLip) – two projects supported by the European Union – are recommending omega-3 supplements to pregnant women.

The diet of nursing and pregnant women is often low in omega-3. These fatty acids can help boost child development and healthy births.

The committee recommends 200 mg DHA per day. Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is an omega-3 fatty found in fat fish like salmon, mackerel and herring. DHA can improve brain and eye development and it can also lower the risk for premature births and low birth weights.

The Omega-3 Experiment

The Omega-3 Blog — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:23:07 +0000

PhD student Philippa Jackson is investigating the effects of omega-3 intake among children in relation to their mental function and mood. To be able to complete this study she is looking for participants, and needs at least 1,000 for the study to be successful.

She writes in an email that there are still many questions that need to be addressed regarding children and their omega-3 intake. This study will hopefully answer some of these questions. Philippa Jackson has started a website with information and a questionnaire that participating children and their parents need to fill out. If you wish to participate you can find out more at the link below.

Here is the address to the site: www.omega3research.org.uk.

Fish Oil Has a Positive Effect on Muscle Mass

The Omega-3 Blog — Sun, 20 May 2007 13:32:26 +0000

A study shows that omega-3 fatty acids have a positive effect on muscle mass. Fish oil supplements with EPA and DHA were added to the regular diet of steers. The results showed an increased sensitivity to insulin which improved protein metabolism.

Read the press release at Science Daily.

Omega-3 Derived from Algae Can Lower Blood Pressure

The Omega-3 Blog — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:14:45 +0000

Researchers at King’s College London have found that small amounts of DHA, derived from algae, can lower diastolic blood pressure. A lower blood pressure can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Healthy middle-aged individuals were given docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or placebo for three months. After a following break for four months, the participants were again given either active capsules or placebo for another three months. The results showed that an intake of 0.7 g DHA lowered the diastolic blood pressure by 3 mmHg.

Previous studies with fish oil have shown that it normally requires at least 2-3 g of EPA and DHA to lower the blood pressure.

Source: King’s College London

Omega-3 Increases Grey Matter in Brain

The Omega-3 Blog — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:48:55 +0000

Researchers at the University of Pittsburg have found that people who consume high amounts of long-chain omega-3s (found in oily fish), have more grey matter in the parts of the brain associated with mood. Previously it has been shown that people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood, are more positive and less likely to be depressed.

Read the press release at the University of Pittsburg.

Omega-3.se – Information Site

The Omega-3 Blog — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:09:28 +0000

On the Swedish site Omega-3.se you can find lots of information and research about omega-3 fatty acids. The long chain fatty acids EPA and DHA are commonly derived from fish, whereas the short chain ALA is plant derived.

The site is available in both Swedish and English, and some of the more interesting sections are about supplements, health and disease, and food that is high in omega-3.

Visit the website here: www.omega-3.se.

GOED Omega-3

The Omega-3 Blog — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:53:08 +0000

A new omega-3 website has been launched by the “Global Organization of EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED Omega-3)“. The website is an information resource that will spread knowledge and research about EPA and DHA and the GOED organization.

GOED is a non-profit trade association that is only two months old. Members of the organization are companies that work with EPA and DHA such as manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

Visit the website: www.goedomega3.com.

Oily fish like herring, mackerel and salmon are very high in the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Read more in the previous post “What are omega-3 fatty acids?“.

Tea: A Healthy Beverage

The Omega-3 Blog — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:31:46 +0000

Tea originally comes from China, where it has been consumed for a few thousand years. As the story goes, it was the Chinese emperor Shen Nung who first discovered tea. Some tea leaves found its way into his boiling water, as they fell down from a nearby tea bush. The emperor immediately became very fond of the newly discovered beverage.

Tea is made from the plant Camellia sinensis. This plant is used for all types of tea, such as black tea, oolong and green tea. Click on the links below to read more about tea and its health benefits.

Black tea is fermented, which means that the leaves have oxidized and turned dark red.
Oolong tea is partly oxidized. This means that the fermentation process has been stopped halfway through, before it becomes black.
Green tea has not gone through any fermentation at all.

All types of tea are healthy beverages, but the unfermented ones appear to be a little bit more beneficial to our health, since they have not been oxidized. This is because some of the nutrients in the leaves are lost during the oxidation (fermentation).

Green teas are therefore extra high in antioxidants called polyphenols and catechins. These antioxidants may prevent cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

In Swedish about tea: Te och grönt te.

A Healthy Lifestyle Improves Childrens Learning and Behavior

The Omega-3 Blog — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:22:00 +0000

The foundation Food for the Brain has completed a health campaign at Cricket Green SEN School in Merton, England. The program was implemented for seven months and 90 pupils participated. The children, who were all in the ages of 5-16 years old, ate healthy school lunches and exercised. They also took a multivitamin and an omega-3 supplement (Eye q) every day.

When they were tested for ADHD prior to the implementation of the health program, 49 out of 90 pupils showed signs of ADHD. The new and healthy diet and exercise plan improved the childrens learning and behavior significantly.

Using the Parent Conner’s Rating Scales the psychosomatic problems dropped 25 %, and a 14 % reduction in ADHD symptoms. Furthermore, impulsive behavior and restlessness was reduced by 15 %, and an 18 % reduction in shyness and anxiety.