Omega-3, the fatty acid found in oily fish, could be combined with a commonly used anesthetic to develop drugs to treat breast cancer, according to researchers. Compounds of omega-3 fatty acids and propofol reduce the ability of breast cancer cells to develop into...
DHA
Help for Epilepsy? EFAs reduce seizure frequency
Scientists from England report that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may help epileptics reduce seizure frequency and help attenuate inflammation. “Animal studies and a preliminary clinical observation suggest that nutritional supplementation" with long chain omega-3...
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...
More Fish for Better Behaviour? Study links low omega-3s and hostility
Researchers report that adolescents who have a higher intake of fish oils tend to be less hostile than those who have a low intake. And since hostility has been shown to predict both the development and manifestation of coronary disease, fish oil may also reduce heart...
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...