Omega-3s Linked to Prevention of Parkinson's Disease and Other Diseases

A milestone study has linked long-chain (marine) omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with the prevention of Parkinson's disease, according to new research.

The December 2007 issue of the Fats of Life and PUFA Newsletter electronic publications summarized the latest scientific findings on PUFAs. "Papers with the potential to redirect our thinking about diseases are rare, but this study from Laval University [Quebec City, QC, Canada], might do it for Parkinson's disease,” said Joyce Nettleton, editor of the newsletter. "The researchers showed that the consumption of marine omega-3s-mainly docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]--protected Parkinson's animals from losing their dopamine-producing neurons. Animals without these omega-3s lost 30% of these essential cells, a hallmark of the disease. The implication is that sufficient brain DHA might be able to prevent the onset of Parkinson's disease.”

Eating fish regularly or having higher amounts of omega-3s in the blood are characteristic of older people who have escaped dementia or Alzheimer's disease, according to research from France and the Netherlands. In Norway, participants in their 70s who consumed fish at least once a week had superior mental abilities compared with those who avoided eating fish.

Cognitive benefits from omega-3s seem not to be limited to older adults. Research from Australia found that infants consuming breast milk high in DHA had higher cognitive scores at age two-and-a-half years. The same study showed that mothers taking a high dose of fish oil in their last part of pregnancy increased the amount of omega-3s in their milk and in the infant for at least six weeks after delivery.

Research from Spain reported that more frequent fish consumption in children six-and-a-half years of age with higher risk of allergies was linked to significantly lower chance of developing allergic conditions. Evidence now suggests that maternal intake of omega-3s in pregnancy and a child's consumption of fish is associated with lower risk of childhood allergies.


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Laval University