Omega 3 benefits: the inseparable friends of our health

The effectiveness of Omega-3s in preventing cardiovascular disorders and improving the overall health of those who take them has been demonstrated by several studies. And instances where doubts about the usefulness ofOmega-3 intake are now dispelled also include brain and eye development and maintenance of cognitive abilities during aging. However, numerous other research studies have shown that the benefits of eicospaentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-the Omega-3s that can be introduced through the diet-may also affect other aspects of health. In particular, more and more data are emerging to support the hypothesis that Omega-3s function in cancer treatment and prevention, infant health, and the well-being of nerve and muscle structures.

Diseases counteracted by omega-3s

Because of their ability to regulate a wide landscape of cellular processes, Omega-3s have been shown to be useful in the treatment of very different diseases among them. In addition to heart disease,alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoicacid (EPA) anddocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) would appear to be useful in protecting the body against cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus from alcoholism, from some diseases of the eyesight, kidney and respiratory system-including asthma, from malaria, from dermatitis and psoriasis, from cystic fibrosis, from migraines, and from problems affecting the nervous system (from depression to schizophrenia). In addition, these molecules would be beneficial for brain development.

Omega-3 for cancer prevention and treatment

Several studies, conducted in both laboratory animals and human populations, have highlighted the potential of Omega-3s in cancer prevention and treatment. One research study showed that in the Japanese population, linked to a diet that includes Omega-3-rich foods such as fish, the incidence of breast cancer increased as a result of switching to a diet and lifestyle more similar to Western ones. Since this discovery, several studies have shown that Omega-3 consumption is associated with a decreased risk of breast, prostate, colon, and kidney cancer. Currently, research is focusing on a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind this phenomenon. In particular, experts are trying to understand whether the benefits are directly associated with EPA and DHA intake or with the molecules into which the body converts these Omega-3s. But in the case of cancers, the benefits of Omega-3s would not stop there. In fact, data collected over the years suggest that DHA has an antiproliferative effect against cancer cells. Not only that, this molecule would also appear to act synergistically with chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, some studies suggest that in some cases Omega-3 would increase the effectiveness of treatment by promoting cancer cell death and prolonging the life expectancy of patients. Finally, DHA would appear to counteract the side effects of cancer therapies, such as those at the level of blood constituents and malnutrition. According to experts, this property could allow treatment to be intensified or prolonged if necessary.

Brain tumors: a special case

One particularly interesting study, published in the journal Experimental Cell Research, showed that DHA, in addition to being toxic to brain cancer cells, can protect healthy nerve tissue. In this case, the action of DHA would be mediated by its conversion in the body into molecules known as neuroprotectins. The latter, explain researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, authors of the study, could be particularly useful in the case of neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma, two forms of pediatric cancer with often negative outcomes.

The health of the nervous system

But the benefits of DHA for the brain go beyond what strictly relates to cancer. Recent analysis suggests, in fact, that this Omega-3 protects brain tissue from damage of traumatic origin, such as that to which some athletes are exposed, for example. In this case, DHA would act by reducing inflammation in nerve tissue and increase the activity of molecules that counteract cell death. One example comes from the pages of Neurosurgery, which published a study from the West Virginia School of Medicine (Morgantown, USA) in which this protective effect was demonstrated by inducing brain injury in laboratory rats. The authors of the research did, in fact, show that supplementation with DHA reduces the production of the precursor of amyloid protein - APP, a molecule associated with Alzheimer's disease - following head trauma. Not only that, levels of two markers of nerve inflammation and cell death - CD-68 and caspase 3 - are also reduced.

Omega-3 for muscles

Another emerging potential of Omega-3s is the stimulation of muscle protein production in older individuals. In fact, a study at Washington University School of Medicine (St Louis, USA) has shown that it is sufficient to take 4 grams a day of Omega-3s for 8 weeks for improved amino acid and insulin intake to result in an increased rate of muscle protein synthesis. Experts say this effect could reduce the risk of degenerative muscle mass loss.

From mom to baby, the "hereditary" benefits of Omega-3s

Finally,Omega-3 intake during pregnancy can have positive repercussions on the health of the baby. For example, a study recently reported in the journal Pediatrics showed that children of women who take 400 mg of a DHA supplement during pregnancy beat cold syndromes4 faster. The research, conducted by experts from the Nutrition and Health Sciences Program, involved monitoring the health status of the babies at 1, 3 and 6 months of age. The mothers were asked whether their babies had suffered from congestion, phlegm production, vomiting and rashes in the previous two weeks and, if so, how long these symptoms had lasted. Although all children suffered the same number of complaints, mothers who had taken DHA observed a reduction in symptoms in their children. Specifically, in children whose mothers had taken DHA, the duration of cough, phlegm production, and respiratory distress at age 1 month was 26, 15, and 30 percent shorter, respectively. Conversely, skin rashes lasted 22% longer.

A group of active molecules

All these findings completely overturn the traditional view of fatty acids, originally considered a simple source of energy for the body. In fact, the reality is quite different, and these molecules are extremely biologically active factors. Among their functions are the regulation of protein production, in the passage of information within the cell and in the constitution of cell membranes, whose fluidity, permeability and dynamics they regulate.