The 'NEWS' link will focus on information and literature on both Omega-3 as well as other important resources from the ocean. If you have comments or questions, please feel free to send an e-mail to info@bjorgeocean.com.
Fatty fish may slash men’s heart failure risk
23.04.2009:
Source: www.nutraingredients.com
One portion of fatty fish per week may reduce a man’s risk of heart failure, according to new research from the US and Sweden.
The benefits appear linked to the omega-3 content of the fish, report researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden in the European Heart Journal. The highest intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids linked to a reduction in the risk of heart failure of 33 per cent. However, larger intakes did not appear to offer any additional benefit.
“Previous research has demonstrated that fatty fish and omega-3 fatty acids help to combat risk factors for a range of heart-related conditions, such as lowering triglycerides [fats in the blood] reducing blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability,” said lead author Emily Levitan, PhD.
“Collectively, this may explain the association with the reduced risk of heart failure found in our study,” she added.
The new study is said to be one of the largest studies to investigate the association between fatty fish and omega-3 intake, and heart failure: Almost 40,000 Swedish men between the ages of 45 and 79 were followed between 1998 and 2004.
Heart failure, which arises when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, is the leading cause of hospitalisation among the over 65s, and is characterized by such symptoms as fatigue and weakness, difficulty walking, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and persistent cough or wheezing.
“Our study reinforces the current recommendations for moderate consumption of fatty fish,” she added.
“Current guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend eating fatty fish twice a week. It will be important, going forward, to replicate these findings in other populations, particularly those including women, as our study looked at men only.”
Source: European Heart Journal
Published online ahead of print, 21 April 2009, doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehp111
“Fish consumption, marine omega-3 fatty acids, and incidence of heart failure: a population-based prospective study of middle-aged and elderly men”
Authors: E.B. Levitan, A. Wolk, M.A. Mittleman
Omega-3 linked to lower levels of inflammation
14.04.2009:
European web-magazine www.nutraingredients.com writes today:
Increased blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are associated with lower levels of a marker of inflammation linked to heart disease, says a new study from Australia.
Writing in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Newcastle in New South Wales report that levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation and reported to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular-related events, are inversely related to blood levels of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
“The importance of this study is such that individuals with higher plasma high sensitivity-CRP (>3.0 mg/l) concentration according to risk cut points, have significantly lower plasma n-3 fatty acids,” wrote the researchers, led by Professor Manohar Garg.
“Given that n-3 fatty acids is cardioprotective, this inverse correlation with hs-CRP, a surrogate marker of CVD risk, could represent a possible mechanism by which n-3 fatty acids are involved in CVD risk reduction.”
Omega-3 fatty acids, most notably docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood.
Findings from this study support previous observations that n-3 fatty acids may improve cardiovascular health in healthy individuals," they concluded.
Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.20
"An inverse relationship between plasma n-3 fatty acids and C-reactive protein in healthy individuals"
Authors: M A Micallef, I A Munro and M L Garg
Omega-3, vit C, and zinc may ease childhood asthma
07.04.2009:
www.nutraingredients.com is today referring to an Egyptian study on supplements to ease childhood asthma:
A combination supplement containing omega-3, vitamin C and zinc may improve symptoms of asthma, a condition on the rise, suggests a new study from Egypt.
The trio of nutrients were associated with improvements in asthma measures, lung function, and markers of inflammation in the lungs, according to findings of a randomised, double blind, placebo-self-controlled crossover trial published in Acta Pædiatrica.
“Children with moderately persistent bronchial asthma may get benefits from their diet supplementation with omega- 3 fatty acids, Zn and vitamin C,” wrote the researchers, led by Mohammed Al Biltagi from Tanta University in Egypt.
The study adds to a growing body of science linking fish consumption and fruit and vegetable intakes to a reduction in the risk or asthma, or improvements in the symptoms associated with the condition.
Commenting on the potential mechanisms at work, the research note that omega-3 and zinc have anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, vitamin C is an antioxidant and this may “counteract oxidant stress and reduce the external attacks (bacteria, virus, toxins and xenobiotics) in the lung,” said the researchers. “The antioxidant effect of vitamin C may modulate the development of asthma and the impairment of pulmonary functions.”
Zinc may work via different mechanisms, they said, including the regulation of T-cell lymphocytes, which are part of the bodies allergy response. “It also inhibits the activation of NF-kB, a transcription factor implicated in the expression of many proinflammatory genes,” they added.
Source: Acta Pædiatrica
April 2009, Volume 98, Issue 4, Pages: 737-742
“Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and Zn supplementation in asthmatic children: a randomized self-controlled study”
Authors: M. Al Biltagi, A.A. Baset, M. Bassiouny, M. Al Kasrawi, M. Attia
Omega-3 DHA boost for heart health in high-risk men: Study
06.03.2009:
www.nutraingredients.com reports today:
Supplements of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may reduce compounds associated with inflammation by up to 20 per cent, says a new study.
Men with elevated levels of triglycerides in their blood (hypertriglyceridaemia) had lower levels of markers in their blood, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), following daily supplements of a DHA oil, compared to men receiving olive oil.
“The anti-inflammatory effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in hypertriglyceridemic men have not been previously reported, to our knowledge, and were the focus of this study,” explained lead author Darshan Kelley from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.
Hypertriglyceridaemia has been linked to an increased risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - the causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy about €169bn ($202bn) per year.
Kelley, in collaboration with scientists from the University of California, Davis, and the Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System, recruited 34 men with hyperrtriglyceridaemia (age range 39 to 66) and randomly assigned them to receive with DHA supplements (3 grams per day) or olive oil placebo for 90 days.
The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel study showed that supplementation with DHA for 45 days resulted in decreased levels of the number of circulating white blood cells (neutrophils) by 11.7 per cent, and these reductions were maintained until the end of the 90-day study (10.5 per cent reduction).
The number of circulating neutrophils was positively linked to the concentration of omega-6 fatty acids in red blood cells, and negatively linked to levels of both EPA and DHA in the red blood cells.
“In conclusion, DHA may lessen the inflammatory response by altering blood lipids and their fatty acid composition,” wrote Kelley and her co-workers.
Source: Journal of Nutrition
2009, Volume 139, Pages 495-501, doi:10.3945/jn.108.100354
"DHA Supplementation Decreases Serum C-Reactive Protein and Other Markers of Inflammation in Hypertriglyceridemic Men”
Authors: Darshan S. Kelley, D. Siegel, D.M. Fedor, Y. Adkins, B.E. Mackey
Omega-3 and soy may protect against pollution harm: Study
23.09.2008:
www.nutraingredients.com refers today to the first study done on polyunsaturated acids, pollution and oxidative stress:
Supplements of omega-3 or soy may protect the heart against certain damaging effects of air pollution, according to a new study from an international team of researchers.
Exposure to high levels of particulates from vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions is known to detrimentally affect the heart, possibly by inducing oxidative stress. Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) may also inhibit the action of protective antioxidant enzymes in the body, such as copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) superoxide dismutase (SOD), manganese SOD, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px).
Supplementation with omega-3 or soy may cause an increase in Cu/Zn SOD activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, according to findings of a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Analysis of blood samples taken before and during supplementation showed that consumption of the omega-3 supplements was associated with lower levels of oxidative damage in blood cells, with the greater effect observed in the fish oil group.While no effect on levels of lipoperoxidation (LPO) products – a marker for oxidative stress – was observed in the soy oil group, a 72.5 per cent decrease in LPO products was recorded in the fish oil group.
“This is the first study to evaluate the impact of supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on biomarkers of response to oxidative stimuli related to air pollution exposure among individuals in a non-controlled environment,” wrote lead author Isabelle Romieu from the Mexican National Institute of Public Health.
Source: Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume 116, Pages 1237-1242, doi:10.1289/ehp.10578
“The Effect of Supplementation with Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Markers of Oxidative Stress in Elderly Exposed to PM2.5”
Authors: I. Romieu, R. Garcia-Esteban, J. Sunyer, C. Rios, M. Alcaraz-Zubeldia, S. Ruiz Velasco, F. Holguin
More fish during pregnancy boosts child development: Study
22.09.2008:
The well known web magazine www.nutraingredients.com is today referring to a study presented in the 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition' on fish intake during pregnancy and child development:
An increased intake of fish during pregnancy may enhance development of the infant at 18 months, says a new study.
The children of mothers who had higher intakes of fish during pregnancy were found to have higher development scores than children of women with low fish intake, according to new findings published in this month’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The research adds to our understanding of how fish and the omega-3 fatty acids they contain play an important role in the development of the baby in utero, with a wealth of other studies reporting that a diet rich in the omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding is associated with healthy pregnancies as well as the mental and visual development of infants.
Mothers are also said to be less at risk of post partum depression or mood change, and to recover more quickly after pregnancy, if they consume enough of the fatty acid.
Omega-3 pioneer Dr. Jorn Dyerberg told NutraIngredients.com last year in an exclusive interview that he expected omega-3 recommendations to become broader and broader, including supplements during pregnancy and early childhood.
This is because of the benefits reported for mental development, and there are studies that show omega-3 supplementation can influence breast milk composition and subsequently a child's brain, he said.
The new results support the growing body of science indicating the benefits of an omega-3-rich maternal diet and improved health of the offspring.
Study details
The researchers report that children born to mothers who consumed the most fish during pregnancy were 29 per cent more likely to have higher developmental scores at 18 months of age, compare to the children born to women with the lowest fish intake.
At six months of age, the development scores of the children did not differ significantly, added the researchers.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
September 2008, Number 3, Volume 88, Pages 789-796
“Associations of maternal fish intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding duration with attainment of developmental milestones in early childhood: a study from the Danish National Birth Cohort”
Authors: E. Oken, M.L. Osterdal, M.W. Gillman, V.K. Knudsen, T.I. Halldorsson, M. Strom, D.C. Bellinger, M. Hadders-Algra, K.F. Michaelsen, S.F. Olsen
Fish oil and metabolism
18.03.2008:
The Norwegian magazine 'Shape Up' has an article on how Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil contributes to improve metabolism when combined with exercise. A study published in 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition', tells about 65 overweight persons who were divided in two groups and given either fish oil capsules or sunflower oil capsules. Half of each group had to run or walk for 45 minutes 3 times a week. After 12 weeks, the persons who took fish oil and exercised had lost 1.2% of their body fat and 2 kgs on average, while the others did not see any results worth mentioning.
OMEGA-3 chewable capsules with taste of fruit
In August we launched our new product: Omega-3 chewable capsules with taste of fruit.
The capsules are developed with children from 3 years and up in mind, but because the capsules taste so good, the product has already become popular among adults as well.
You can buy the product from our webshop. Only NOK 298,- for 3 months use (2 x 90 capsules).
OMEGA-3 and ADHD
27.02.2008:
The well-known Oxford-Durham study in Durham, England, is a study of 115 children over a time period of 6 months. The results speak for themselves with an improvement in reading age of between 18 months and 4 years, and an improvement of attention of 400%. This is written on this studys own website by the scientist in charge, Dr Madeleine Portwood, Senior Educational Psychologist.
Fatty Fish = Smarter Babies
14.02.2008:
Women who eat fatty fish through their pregnancy can strenghten the development of their child's intelligence and social skills. The magazine 'Sjømatnytt' refers to international research done on this topic.
The magazine refers to Professor in Nutrition, Christian Drevon, who tells about a long-term British study where Omega-3 has proven to be more important than earlier. 9.000 mothers and children in Avon took part in the study, and the research showed that mothers who ate less Omega-3 had children with a lower IQ.
The study also indicated that a low intake of these important fatty acids can lead to greater problems with social interaction - such as the ability of getting new friends, according to BBC. The scientist in charge of the study, Joseph Hibbeln, said 'scary data' showed that 14% of the 17-year olds, where the mother had had a low intake of Omega-3, showed this kind of behaviour, according to BBC news.
The man who discovered Omega-3 and his opinion on the importance of Omega-3 in the future
11.02.2008:
The website 'foodnavigator' has published an extended interview with Dr Dyerberg, one of the three Danish scientists who discovered Omega-3 as a food supplement. They travelled around Greenland to find out why the natives could have an extremely fatty diet, but still have the lowest number of heart disease. Back in the 1970s, the Greenland natives only had 5.3% deaths caused by heart disease, compared to around 40% in the USA. After another two years of blood tests, they found that the difference was caused by different concentrations of the fatty acids DHA and EPA. And from that moment, Omega-3 was 'born'.
Since 1971, when the first publication came out, another 14.000 scientific articles have been published on Omega-3, and around 8.000 different studies on humans have been done.
In 1975, their report 'The Lancet Paper' was published in 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition'. The report showed a dramatic difference in levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids between people in Denmark and Greenland natives. Since then there has been no doubt that Omega-3 fatty acids have an impact on good health.
In the interview, Dr Dyerberg focuses on how important nutrition will become in the 21st century - overweight, diabetes and heart disease are all related to our diet, and Omega-3 will play an important role. He expects the fatty acids EPA and DHA to be recommended by health authorities, and that this will concern larger groups of people.
He mentions especially the importance of Omega-3 through pregnancy and early childhood. He is however less sure of the possibilities for Omega-3 to prevent development of cancer, even though he is referring to studies showing interesting data for breast and prostate cancer. Studies on Omega-3 and cancer have started to come out, Dr Dyerberg says, but there is a question on what he refers to as 'primary prevention'.
OMEGA-3 chewable capsules with taste of fruit
In August we launched our new product: Omega-3 chewable capsules with taste of fruit.
The capsules are developed with children from 3 years and up in mind, but because the capsules taste so good, the product has already become popular among adults as well.
You can buy the product from our webshop. Only NOK 298,- for 3 months use (2 x 90 capsules).