Link: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819632
Title: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked to Brain Volume
Author: Sue Hughes
As people age, they start to lose some of their hippocampal brain volume.A study conducted by James Pottala, PhD, examined brain volume of postmenopausal women. He compared their brain MRI scans with their blood samples. The MRI scans were taken 8 years after the blood sample were taken.
The research showed that the difference in hippocampal brain volume between women in the lowest quartile and the highest quartile of omega-3 levels was about 2.5%. In context, people suffering from Alzheimer's have hippocampus volumes that are about 40% smaller than people without dementia.
Those in the lowest quartile had an omega-3 level of 3.4% compared to the highest quartile, which had an omega-3 level of 7%. Japanese people, who have a relatively heavy fish diet, have around a 10% omega-3 level. Therefore, a change in diet could reasonable increase omega-3 levels.
However, some scientists have not found a correlation between brain health and omega-3 fatty acids. It is also important to realize that other factors could be affecting the size of the hippocampus, not just omega-3 levels.
We seem to have an abundance of articles relating Omega-3 fatty acids to better brain health. Also, your article stated no harms have been associated with the supplementation of Omega-3. It seems as if Omega-3 will become a more and more important supplement as the benefits are seen in so many different areas of brain health. I find it interesting that brain size can affect neurological activity so much.
ReplyDeleteI think that the increased intake of omega-3s could in fact be the cause of the increased growth.
ReplyDeleteThe human brain is the fattest organ in the body and is made up of 60% fat and omega-3s increase insulin sensitivity, which allows less fat storage in the body. The decreased blood triglycerides and increased high density lipoprotein does not allow the fat to increase at such a rapid pace so there is a chance that this decrease in fat is allowing the brain to increase in volume even as it ages.