Omega-3s promote thirst during aging
Aging: thanks to Omega 3s that make the body more thirsty, the body is healthier
The loss of mechanisms that control thirst that can occur during aging can be balanced with Omega 3 intake. This was demonstrated by researchers at Deakin University in Burwood, Australia, in a study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging. Data collected by the research authors identified the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect, which would be controlled by a gene expressed in thehypothalamus, the area of the brain where the nerve centers for thirst control are contained.
The link between aging and thirst
During aging, the mechanisms that control thirst may become less efficient. This causes that despite the presence of thirst-inducing stimuli, the individual does not feel a need to drink proportional to the body's need for water intake. The phenomenon, which has been well documented in both humans and rodents, is one of the biological reasons behind health problems in the elderly due to dehydration caused by intense heat.
The Role of Omega-3s
Aging can also lead to a decrease in the levels of Omega-3s in the body. Deficiency of these nutrients causes changes in fluid intake and sodium balance. For this reason, Australian researchers decided to evaluate whether dietary supplementation with Omega-3 had any effect on thirst response.
Fatty acids to be more thirsty
The study, carried out in rats, showed that Omega-3 intake balances the lack of the mechanisms that induce drinking during dehydration. Analysis of the molecular basis of this effect showed that although it is one of the mechanisms that regulate the sensation of thirst, the ability of the hormone angiotensin II to stimulate thirst does not change during aging. Conversely, the activity of other hormones that enable the balance of the amount of water in the body, such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and vasopressin (AVP), is altered as aging progresses. Omega-3 intake does not affect the action of these molecules in any way. Instead, the researchers found that in aged animals deficient in Omega-3, the expression of certain genes in the hypothalamus is higher than observed in rats given these fatty acids. In particular, levels of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2), a molecule involved in the control of water balance, were found to be higher in these animals. In agreement with these data, the scientists also observed that aged animals given a low dose of Omega-3 were characterized by higher hypothalamic levels of PGE(2) than all other rats. Not only that, the more water introduced as a result of dehydration, the lower the PGE(2) levels in the hypothalamus.
Omega-3s promote thirst through prostaglandins
Based on these results, the researchers concluded that Omega-3s may be useful in restoring the correct thirst perception mechanisms that may be lost during aging. Furthermore, the data collected allowed them to hypothesize that the mechanisms underlying the reduction of thirst sensation might be based on PGE(2) activity.
Source
1. Begg DP, Sinclair AJ, Weisinger RS, "Thirst deficits in aged rats are reversed by dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation," Neurobiol Aging. 2012 Jan 5. [Epub ahead of print].
