High Intakes of Omega-3s Linked to Big Health Benefits

Intakes of omega-3 essential fatty acids that exceed levels consumed by the general population in the United States may significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease, a new study with Yup’ik Eskimos suggests.

High levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) were associated with lower levels of triglycerides, as well as higher levels of HDL cholesterol, according to data from 357 Yup’ik Eskimos published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Higher levels of the fatty acids were also associated with decreased levels of markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced in the liver and is a known marker for inflammation. Increased levels of CRP are a good predictor for the onset of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The study of omega-3 intakes in native arctic populations is nothing new. The first reports of the heart health benefits of the marine fatty acids were reported in the early 1970s by Jorn Dyerberg and his co-workers in The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The young Danes sought to understand how these peoples could eat a high fat diet and still have one of the lowest death rates from cardiovascular disease on the planet.

Despite the precedent of study in these populations, the new research, led by Zeina Makhoul from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, claims that: “Few studies have examined the associations with biomarkers of chronic disease risk in populations with high intakes.”

In an attempt to fill this knowledge gap, they analyzed blood levels of EPA and DHA in red blood cells in a cross-section of 357 Yup’ik Eskimos. Data showed EPA and DHA represented an average 2.8% and 6.8%, respectively, of the total fatty acid content of red blood cells.

In addition to the links between EPA and DHA levels and triglycerides and HDL, increased levels of DHA were positively associated with LDL and total cholesterol levels, said the researchers.

While a link between EPA, DHA and CRP was reported, Makhoul and her co-workers noted that the link was stronger when EPA concentrations exceeded three percent of fatty acids in the cells, and when DHA levels exceeded seven percent.

“Increasing EPA and DHA intakes to amounts well above those consumed by the general U.S. population may have strong beneficial effects on chronic disease risk,” the researchers concluded.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Published online ahead of print.

Source: Lee Swanson Research Update, March 2010, copied in entirety with permission from http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/articles/nutrition/high-intakes-of-omega-3s-linked-to-big-health-benefits.html?SourceCode=INTHIR357

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