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DHA

Vision Aid: Fatty acid shown to help eye disease

A healthy fat found in fish oil (docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA), may slow the rate of vision loss in people with an eye disease known as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP is a group of diseases that affect the retina, leading to night blindness, tunnel vision, and possible...

Smart Fats: brain food for all ages

The human brain is mostly fat, and good fat at that! To develop, grow and protect itself properly, the brain relies on us to give it a steady supply of this good fat, which cannot be made by the body but must come through the diet. However, most of us don’t give our...

Moms can lower kids’ diabetes risk

Cod liver oil is an important source of vitamin D and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which aid in the prevention of type 1 diabetes. At Ulleval University Hospital in Norway, researchers investigated...

Fish oils ease asthma symptoms

Asthma is one of the most common illnesses, affecting 13% of Canadians aged 5 to 19 years. Since the body uses the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) found in fish to produce anti-inflammatory compounds, it is believed that fish oils can benefit asthma...

Fish oils may improve behaviour

Adolescents who have a higher intake of fish oils tend to be less hostile than those who have a low intake, say researchers. And since hostility has been shown to predict heart disease, fish oil may also reduce heart disease risk. Scientists from across the US...

Fatty Acids and Epilepsy: DHA levels often low in patients

Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial to the proper development and function of cell membranes in the brain. But one particular fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is found at abnormally low levels in patients with uncontrolled epilepsy, according to researchers at...

Better Brains: DHA protects against Alzheimer’s

UCLA neuroscientists have shown for the first time that a diet high in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA helps protect the brain against the memory loss and cell damage caused by Alzheimer's disease. The new research suggests that a DHA-rich diet may lower one's risk of...

Omega fats may reduce diabetes risk

Scientists at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center report that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, may improve insulin resistance in overweight individuals. Insulin resistance is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Researcher Yvonne Denkins,...

EFAs boost learning: “Landmark study”

Food supplements can improve the abilities of children with learning difficulties, a study has shown. The major trial into the effects of essential fatty acids (EFAs) on concentration and learning levels has produced extremely encouraging results and has boosted the...

Fish oil fights asthma: two new studies

Asthma is a bronchial disease that hits younger Canadians hard, affecting 13% of all children aged 5 to 19. Though asthma has no cure, its symptoms—wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath—can be managed with medication and nutrition. According to many recent...