A new study has found that heart patients with the highest blood levels of omega-3s have lower levels of a key sign of aging.
I’ve long advocated omega-3’s for the health of your brain and your heart, largely because they’re one of the most anti-inflammatory substances on the planet. But the new study shows that they do even more than we thought.
A little background. Scientists have long known that as we age, the DNA sequence at the end of our chromosomes called telomeres begin to shorten. The more the cells replicate (and the more we age) the shorter the telomeres, which are basically like protective caps on your chromosomes. Last summer, researchers showed that two habits- drinking tea and taking a multivitamin- were associated with having longer telomeres.
The current study shows that omega-3’s also protect telomeres, at least in heart patients. But there’s every reason to believe they do the same for those without heart disease. The cellular anti-aging effect seems to be due to the omega-3’s proven antioxidant effects, or to their ability to stimulate a particular enzyme called telomerase that repairs the telomeres themselves.
The length of telomeres is an important sign of aging. With each cellular replication, telomeres shorten. When the telomeres are finally gone, the cells “unravel” much like your shoelaces would without the caps. Without telomeres the cells commit a kind of cellular “suicide” called apotosis (cell death).
Telomeres are highly vulnerable to damage from free radicals generated by normal metabolism, inflammation, and ingestion of polluted air and water. This is one likely reason why food-borne antioxidants – which help the body neutralize free radicals – appear to help maintain health
Researchers compared the lengths of telomeres in blood cells of 608 heart patients at the beginning and the end of a five-year period beginning September 2000. They found that people with the lowest omega-3 levels experienced the fastest rate of telomere shortening.
In contrast, those with the highest omega-3 levels showed the slowest rate of telomere shortening.
As the authors wrote, “… there was an inverse relationship between baseline blood levels of marine omega-3 fatty acids and the rate of telomere shortening over 5 years. These findings raise the possibility that omega-3 fatty acids may protect against cellular aging in patients with coronary heart disease.”
Results may help explain omega-3s’ proven heart benefits
The findings offer one plausible biological explanation for why fish oil helps heart patients.
The authors speculated that omega-3s may counteract oxidative stress, or increase the production of telomerase … an enzyme that lengthens and repairs shortened telomeres.
If you find it surprising that they’d suggest an antioxidant role for omega-3s, you’ve been listening to the wrong people.
Many observers make erroneous assumptions about the susceptibility of dietary omega-3s to oxidation in the body.
While omega-3s oxidize rapidly when exposed to air, several recent studies have shown that they act as antioxidants inside our vascular system … thereby reducing inflammation and, in turn, the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
This month, you can get 15% off on three of our most popular fish oil products- Barlean’s Omega-Swirl, Barlean’s Fresh Catch EPA-DHA, and Krill Ultra from Crayhon Research.
Barlean’s Omega-Swirl |
Barlean’s Fresh Catch EPA-DHA |
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(Thanks to Craig Weatherby of Vital Choice for additional reporting on this story. You can find out more about the superb line of Vital Choice seafood products here Don’t forget to use the coupon code DRJONNY for 10% off your order.)
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jonny, I love your blog and read it all the time. One thing I’m wondering about is how much Omega 3′s (or fish oil) to take? I’m a bit confused about how much I need to take every day.
Thanks!
Hi!
Well if you ask the “experts” they’ll say 1/2 gram a day. If you ask me, I’d recommend a gram or two. Pretty hard to imagine someone OD’ing on fish oil. I rarely take the capsules any more because a tablespoon (or even teaspoon) of the liquid gives you so much more. I put a couple spoonfuls in my morning drink every day and I’m done. Remember, the dose is on the EPA and DHA, not the “total fish oil”. So don’t be confused when you see some big box store offering an off-brand that says “1200mg fish oil”– you need to look on the back and see how much of that is EPA and DHA.. that’s all you care about. I like at least a gram a day of combined EPA and DHA for most people.
warmly
jb
Hi,
Thanks for sharing so much.
Can you please explain the relation between ALA,CLA, EPA and DHA?
Can ALA (flaxseedoil), CLA (capsules) and L-leucine(powder) be taken “together” ?
Sure. There are three omega-3 fatty acids. ALA is alpha linolenic acid, the omega 3 found in plants like flaxseed and chia seeds. DHA and EPA are the two omega-3′s found in fish. Most of the studies show benefits for humans from the EPA and DHA, but the body will make SOME of that from ALA though not a whole lot. However for vegetarians it may be the only option.
CLA is entirely different- it’s conjugated linolenic acid, and found naturally in the meat and milk of grass fed ruminants (cows)
Leucine is an amino acid, not a fatty acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.
They can certainly all be taken together.
warmly
jb
Dr. Jonny,
Aside from supplementation, do you have any general guidelines for an acceptable number of servings of seafood per week if choosing a source like Vital Choice (as you recommend)? Most people these days make seafood sound like poison, so I am curious if very conservative guidelines still apply or if the fish from Vital choice still allows a bit more latitude in terms of overall weekly consumption.
I also wanted to ask you 2 other questions.
I notice you recommend grill and “regular” fish oil products, whereas I see some who tend to tout one or the other with the krill crowd typically talking about regular fish oil going rancid in the body if you don’t take extra antioxidants. Given your comments in this post, is it a case of both being viable options with neither one being necessarily “superior” and that those trying to portray krill as vastly superior are somewhat off base?
While many need to start adding in fish oil, is there any test that you recommend (for those who already take it) to assess if they may need supplementary GLA and to back off fish oil (or possibly switch to a more DHA-dominant variety of supplement)?
Thank you for your time and help.
Hi
I don’t really worry about the seafood recommendations and eat it as often as possible; some of this is based on faith (I really really trust Vital Choice, and by and large wild salmon in the restaurants is likely to be less contaminated than farm raised). Some is based on science- studies that carefully weigh the benefits of fish against the possible negatives always come out on the side of the benefits. That’s my personal view- i don’t count the number of servings of fish i eat a week.
I think the debate over krill vs high-quality fish oil is a tempest in a teapot. Krill is very very good, has extra antioxidants like astaxathin (found in salmon), but the thousands of studies done on fish oil all used “regular” fish oil and i think when you’re talking high quality the difference is small.
I do know of a new test for omega-3′s in the blood, but do not know of any test for GLA. I think one to two caps of GLA a day are fine for most people, and the concern about an imbalance in favor of too much omega 3 vs not enough omega 6 is theoretically possible (especially if you live in Greenland!) but realistically not likely in today’s society.
warmly
jb
I am reading “150 Healthiest Foods”. Can you get benefit from artichoke hearts that are canned or seasoned and sold in a vacuum sealed bag?
Thanks
Sure. In general fresh (or frozen) are best; i’m not a fan of canned vegetables or fruits with VERY VERY few exceptions. Get the ones in the bag
warmly
jb
Dr. Bowden, I have read again and again that fish oil is not good for certain people, who are those people? Another concern I have: Is it your opinion that the majority of vitamin chains are not as reliable in the quality of the ingredients they use to manufacture important supplements as Co Q 10, and the Omegas themselves? I particularly go for the most expensive, but my husband is the frugal one and always argue about this.
I really, really appreciate you.
Thanks.
Hi Gloria
I would love to know who those people are that fish oil isn’t good for!
i can think of only two instances- one, people living in greenland eating a TON of fish who might be getting enough in their diet and wouldn’t need supplemental fish oil, and two, people a few days away from surgery, since omega-3′s can help thin the blood (a good thing) and might make it harder to clot; that’s why they tell you not to take fish oil, gingko or vitamin e right before surgery. I can think of no other situation in which fish oil wouldn’t be a good thing.
I believe quality of ingredients is always an issue- that’s why i carry the brands i carry on my site. There definitely are some bargains to be found in the stores, but i think the quality is very variable. And with things like fish oil, the source is critical- and i simply don’t trust the big box mass produced stores when it comes to the quality of the fish they get the oil from or the tests they undergo
warmly
jb
Jonny, I know you take liquid fish oil instead of capsules. I see that in at least one of your books you don’t distinguish between the two. The fish oil we bought most recently, Coromega brand squeeze packets, say “300% better absorption than softgel capsules.” I’m wondering if that is a big deal to get the oil in the blood stream that much faster. I’m assuming when you say “so much more” in the liquid you mean so much more EPA and DHA, correct? My kids like the orange flavor of this Coromega brand, which is one of the reasons we bought this brand. Thanks! Marc
Hi Marc
I don’t know that brand but i’d be suspicious of that claim..love to see the study on that one (I doubt there is one)
What makes the liquid effective is simply that you get so much more bang for your buck than with the capsules. Interestingly, one brand we carry in the web store, OMEGA SWIRLS by Barleans, is ridiculously kid-friendly- it’s liquid, but lemon flavored and kids don’t mind it at all. There’s also a very excellent study showing that it actually has BETTER absorption than the straight liquid.
But capsules are fine- you just have to take a lot more to get what you could get in a spoonful of either oil or Omega Swirls
warmly
jb
Hi, Jonny! Thanks for your reply. I appreciate that my new go-to health author will reply to questions! I will check out the Omega Swirls. The claim made by Coromega is listed with this:
“Source – AOCS Press, Coromega Bioavailability Study” -marc