Breaking News on Supplements & Nutrition - Europe
Previous page :



Scientists connect DHA to warding off symptoms of Parkinson's

By Clarisse Douaud

27/11/2007- Scientists have linked what has become the brain health staple of the supplement industry - the omega-3 fatty acid DHA - to yet another application, this one for Parkinson's disease.

In a study on mice - set to be published in the April 2008 edition of the FASEB Journal (the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) - researchers from Université Laval in Canada claim to have demonstrated a protective effect of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids on the neurodegenerative disease.

It is estimated that four million people worldwide Parkinson's. Approximately 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with the disease each year, according to the Parkinson 's Disease Society, while the National Parkinson Foundation estimates that in the US 60,000 new cases are diagnosed annually, adding to the 1.5 million Americans who already have the disease.

The condition is characterized by the death or impairment of neurons in the brain that produce the chemical dopamine, which is responsible for the coordination of muscles and movement. Symptoms of the disease become debilitating and include tremors, rigidity and difficulty balancing. While the disease usually develops after the age of 65, 15 percent of diagnosed cases occur under the age of 50.

The Université Laval research team say its findings could help prevent the disease and potentially slow down its progression.

The researchers found that when mice were fed an omega-rich diet, they seemed to be immune to the effect of the toxic compound MPTP that causes the same damage to the brain as Parkinson's.

"This compound, which has been used for more than 20 years in Parkinson's research, works faster than the disease itself and is just as effective in targeting and destroying the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain," said researcher Frederic Calon.

Subsequently, the group of mice fed an ordinary diet developed symptoms of the disease when injected with MPTP. This included a 31 percent drop in dopamine-producing neurons and a 50 percent decrease in dopamine.

According to the researchers, among the mice that had been given omega-3 supplementation - in particular DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - omega-3 fatty acids replaced the omega-6 fatty acids in their brains.
Due to the fact concentrations of other omega-3s had maintained levels in both groups of mice, the researchers suggested the protective effect against Parkinson's indeed came from DHA.

"This demonstrates both the importance of diet on the brain's fatty acid composition and the brain's natural inclination for omega-3 fatty acids," said Calon.

A potentially negative finding for fatty acids from the study however, is the conclusion drawn by the researchers that a brain containing a lot of omega-6 fatty acids may in fact be more susceptible to Parkinson's.
In a balanced diet, the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids should be 4 to 1, say the Université Laval team. However, the average Western diet contains ten to 20 times more omega-6's than omega-3's.

"In North America, the average intake of DHA is between 60 to 80 mg a day, while experts recommend a daily minimum of 250 mg," said Calon. "Our results suggest that this DHA deficiency is a risk factor for developing Parkinson's disease, and that we would benefit from evaluating omega-3's potential for preventing and treating this disease in humans."

Omega-6 fatty acids are found in foods rich in vegetable oil or animal fat. These fatty acids are already under suspicion for their role in the body's inflammatory response, cardiac disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer's.

The sole survivor of a West Virginia coal mine disaster had suffered major brain damage from carbon monoxide and was pretty much a vegetable. After several months he had recovered enough to go home. His doctor reported that the only explanation that he could offer was that, with the family's approval, he had been pumping him full of large mounts of omega-3s.

Omega-3 fatty acids found to restructure brain matter tied to positive mood and emotionsby David Gutierrez

Intake of omega-3 fatty acids is correlated with a better mood and more positive outlook, and may contribute to improving the structure of the areas of the brain associated with emotions, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society.

What you need to know - Conventional View
• Researchers studied 55 healthy adults, questioning them about their omega-3 intake and taking magnetic resonance images of their brains. Higher intake of omega-3s was significantly correlated with a higher volume of brain matter in the areas associated with the regulation of mood and emotion.

• In a prior study, the same researchers had discovered a correlation between blood levels of omega-3s and a positive life outlook. People with lower omega-3 levels were more likely to be impulsive and have a negative outlook. People with higher levels were more likely to have a positive mood and outlook.

• The new study suggests that omega-3s may play a role in the structuring and improvement of mood-regulating areas of the brain.

• Omega-3s are one of the two types of fatty acids; the others are omega-6. Scientists believe that the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 intake is between 3:1 and 5:1.

• The typical omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the modern, Western diet is between 10:1 and 30:1.


What you need to know - Alternative View
Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, author of The 7 Laws of Nutrition

• The typical Western diet is dangerously low in omega-3 fatty acids. The health effects of these severe deficiencies, which include diabetes, breast cancer, depression, ADHD, schizophrenia and heart diseases, are usually diagnosed as independent "diseases" requiring chemical treatment. But in many cases, the root cause of the problem is simply a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids.


Resources you need to know
• Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include chia seeds www.GoodCauseWellness.com
or
www.IntegratedHealth.com, flax seeds, certain fish oils (wild salmon) and various nuts and seeds.


Bottom line
• Studies suggest that a higher intake of omega-3s may lead to a more positive outlook and a better regulation of mood.

I use it in organic fruit smoothies, etc..
cooking fish -
I have been eating food cooked in virgin coconut oil,
I have a gut feeling that organic virgin coconut oil is helping me a great deal,
I have always loved the taste of organic coconut milk...
and they say the bodily cravings signal that the body needs this to heal etc...

Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil and Coconut Cream :

Boosts Metabolism (thyroid) to Help Lose Weight
Source of Essential Fatty Acids -omega 3 for vegans

Helps with Diabetes, Thyroid and Chronic Fatigue
Helps those with Ulcers, Colitis, Crohn’s and IBS
Help Reduce Inflammation and Immune Responses caused by Allergies
protecting against the free radical damage
Topically Rejuvenates Skin, Prevents Wrinkles
Less Calories than Other Fats/Not stored in the body as fat

Anti-Bacterial,
Anti-Viral,
Anti-Parasitic funguses, yeast.
Helps to Heal Wounds and Reduce Acne

Boosts the Immune System,
reported as an healing substance for HIV

I even use it to brush my teeth because of dry mouth from pillszzzzzzzzzzz - true brush your teeth with coconut oil - you will protect yourself from cavities and plaque...
use it as lip balm as well


I use the brand -garden of life
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is a stable, healthy saturated fat that is naturally free from trans-fatty acids. It contains medium-chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid, which have a shorter chain length than most animal derived long-chain saturated fatty acids. Newer research supports the theory that saturated fats rich in medium-chain fatty acids, like those found in extra virgin coconut oil, are beneficial. In fact, consumption of coconut oil at recommended levels, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, helps maintain already healthy levels of cholesterol.

Unlike refined coconut oils, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is not hydrogenated, bleached, refined or deodorized. It is produced using the same methods farmers have used for centuries. Meat from only the freshest, organically grown coconuts is shredded and cold-pressed to create coconut milk, and then fermented to achieve a great taste and aroma.

Not only are they high content, because they are at the bottom of the food chain they don't concentrate toxins the way bigger fish do. And they are cheap.

helloooo
pushin' the post up for ann...