Fish Oil may slow the genetic age of cardiac patients.
The evidence:
A recent study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association at University of California in San Francisco concluded the following:
Of the nearly 600 men with heart disease tested, those with higher levels of fish oil in the blood also had less of a decrease in telomere length and what researchers would consider slowed genetic aging. Conversely, those with LOWER levels of fish oil also had the MOST decrease in telomere length, and are aging faster.
So... is there a correlation between fish oil and telomere length? And what the heck is a telomere?
Ok, a little background:
Telomeres are the tails found on chromosomes. It is found that they help the body repair damage. The more damage, the higher your genetic/chromosomal age. That's the most basic explanation.
As many are aware, fish oil has been found to be a major supplier of Omega-3 fatty acids, and ever since the Greenland Inuit Eskimo tribe was studied back in the 70's (due to their good health and longevity despite the frigid ridiculous climate!), Omega-3's have been seen as one of the more superior nutritional necessities to promote health and prevent sicknesses in ALL parts of the body.
Now it should be mentioned that this study I mention captions preliminary findings, and they do not factor in the extra variables, like the theory that those who eat more fish/consume more fish oil live healthier lifestyles than those who do not.
But if there is a correlation between aging faster and omega-3 fatty acids, I sure want to know about it!!!!
So what do we know about Omega-3's:
- Made up of 3 acids, ALA, DHA, and EPA. DHA and EPA are used by the body in brain and retinal growth. (ahhhh, I see!!! - I had to do it.) They have even been linked to slowing dementia in old age.
- Omega-3's help to fortify the myelin sheath. This helps the brain repair damage - think Alzheimer's, dementia, schizophrenia. These have all been linked to these Wonder-acids.
- We KNOW Omega-3's helps patients with coronary artery disease and heart risk, because it has a positive effect on LIPIDS, which, when left unchecked, circle and harm the heart. They also lower triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, and stabilize cell membranes.
- Help prevent blood clots, and, in turn, strokes.
- Is linked to aiding in the maintenance and prevention of diabetes, as well as in cellular health and regeneration.
- Did you know that concentrations of DHA in an infant's brain rises 300-500% in the third trimester of pregnancy??
- Studies are even being done right now to assess whether the presence or absence of Omega-3's has an effect on mood and emotion, as well as whether the presence of Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oil) can improve emotional and mental health problems.
Ok, so now where do we find this wonderful acid?
Well, they are most prevalent in cold water fish (like Alaskan salmon), although they can also be found in the following:
Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Grass-fed beef (has Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids)
Milk and cheese from the above cows
Tuna (I know, it's a cold water fish, but most people only think of salmon for Omega-3's!)
Sardines
Anchovies
Most oily fish have higher levels of fish oil (this would appear self-evident, but now you know for sure.)
Vegetarian Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts
Rapeseed oil
Butternuts
Hempseed
Eggs (organic, when hen has been fed flaxseed diet.)
Small amounts are found in the fat in green leafy vegetables, i.e. broccoli, cabbage.
If you aren't comfortable with your intake, you can always look to supplement what is missing from your diet. There are TONS of Fish Oil Supplements
to choose from - liquids, tablets, softgels, concentration levels and pill counts differ.... the list goes on and on.There has also been concern raised about the safety of ingesting the amount of fish needed to reach the daily goals on a regular basis. As salmon is higher on the food chain than many other fish, the potential for accumulated dioxins and heavy metals is higher. However, studies show that the risks from these are far outweighed by the benefits of adding fish oil to the diet. (Not to mention all the Vitamin D, etc a fishy diet can bring!)
The total recommended dose of fish oil for a cardiac patient is 1 gram per day. The accepted intake recommended for others is 1.6 grams/day for men and 1.1 grams/day for women. (Although always check with your doctor to be sure before taking ANY supplements, as our own body chemistries don't always fit into precise tables and figures.)
Recently I learned that there are two main forms of fish oil supplements - ester and triglyceride. While a small number of studies have shown that the triglyceride form is easier to digest, nothing has shown that the ester form is superior.
Also, the ester is cheaper to manufacture - and not to sound like a pessimist, but that to me sends up red flags telling me to shop triglyceride!!! Nothing worse than taking a supplement and wondering if it's even making it into your body, right?!?!
I will say one last thing about salmon.
There is this debate about wild vs. farmed, and I have been sitting on the fence for awhile now. I have read arguments that while yes, like most food we raise in a controlled environment, these fish tend to be fattier, that this also results in MORE OMEGA-3's!!!
It's hard for me to be ok with knowingly eating a fatter version of a healthy fish because there is more OF it.
But hey, it seems logical, as long as you consider the fact that everything ELSE is increased (mercury, dioxides, whatever else lies between the scales and the meat of a fish...)
Wild salmon, on the other hand, has not been subjected to the sometimes cruel and harsh realities of our farming industry (I'm not getting political, I know we all have to eat!)
Salmon farms have had problems with outbreaks of sea lice, which is an absolutely devastating parasite, HIGHLY contagious, and usually deadly to these fish.
Also, since the farms are trying to keep costs down and produce up, they are supplementing some of the meat in the developing salmons' diets with grain, which is producing a higher rate of ALA, the fatty acid LEAST desireable of the 3. (Attention salmon farmers: You're throwing off the balance of the almighty Omega-3's!!!!!)
So since Pacific Salmon is 80% more likely to be wild-caught than Atlantic, if you feel strongly about it, maybe it's a safer bet to choose Pacific. Although in these penny-pinching times, if you can afford to keep salmon stocked, do it any way you can!
Happy eating/fishing/supplementing!!!!
