omega 3's- research pubMed- misc. interesting abstracts

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??????1: Neurobiol Aging. 2005 Oct 30; [Epub ahead of print]

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Prevention of Alzheimer's disease: Omega-3 fatty acid and phenolic anti-oxidant

interventions.

Cole GM, Lim GP, Yang F, Teter B, Begum A, Ma Q, -White ME, Frautschy SA.

Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Geriatric Research,

Education and

Clinical Center, Sepulveda, CA 91343, USA; Department of Medicine, University of

California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Neurology, University of

California,

Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are syndromes of aging

that

share analogous lesions and risk factors, involving lipoproteins, oxidative

damage and

inflammation. Unlike in CVD, in AD, sensitive biomarkers are unknown, and

high-risk

groups are understudied. To identify potential prevention strategies in AD, we

have

focused on pre-clinical models (transgenic and amyloid infusion models), testing

dietary/

lifestyle factors strongly implicated in reducing risk in epidemiological

studies. Initially, we

reported the impact of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), notably

ibuprofen, which reduced amyloid accumulation, but suppressed few inflammatory

markers and without reducing oxidative damage. Safety concerns with chronic

NSAIDs led

to a screen of alternative NSAIDs and identification of the phenolic

anti-inflammatory/

anti-oxidant compound curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric that we found

targeted

multiple AD pathogenic cascades. The dietary omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic

acid

(DHA), also limited amyloid, oxidative damage and synaptic and cognitive

deficits in a

transgenic mouse model. Both DHA and curcumin have favorable safety profiles,

epidemiology and efficacy, and may exert general anti-aging benefits

(anti-cancer and

cardioprotective.).

PMID: 16266772 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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1: Nutrition. 2005 Oct 10; [Epub ahead of print]

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Bioavailability and safety of a high dose of docosahexaenoic acid

triacylglycerol of algal

origin in cystic fibrosis patients: a randomized, controlled study.

Lloyd-Still JD, Powers CA, Hoffman DR, Boyd-Trull K, Lester LA, Benisek DC,

Arterburn LM.

Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have reported omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid

imbalances in

patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Whether these imbalances contribute to or

are

manifestations of the pathophysiology of CF is unknown. The study objective was

to

determine bioavailability, tissue accretion, and safety of a large dose of an

algal source of

docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) triacylglycerol and to observe effects on lung

function in

patients with CF. METHODS: Twenty subjects with CF (8 to 20 y of age) were

randomly

assigned to receive algal oil providing 50 mg of DHA per kilogram per day (1 to

4.2 g of

DHA per subject per day) or placebo for 6 mo. Fatty acids, liver enzymes, and

lipid soluble

antioxidants were measured in blood at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 mo. Rectal

biopsy

specimens were collected at baseline and at 3 mo for fatty acid analysis. Lung

function,

anthropometrics, and adverse experiences were monitored throughout the study.

RESULTS: Compared with placebo, DHA supplementation increased plasma,

erythrocyte,

and rectal DHA levels four- to five-fold (P < 0.001) with concomitant decreases

in blood

arachidonic acid levels and the ratio of arachidonic acid to DHA.

Supplementation was well

tolerated, with no treatment-related changes in liver enzymes, growth, or

antioxidant

status. DHA supplementation had no detectable effect on lung function during the

course

of this study. CONCLUSIONS: Algal DHA triacylglycerol oil is readily absorbed,

well

tolerated, and increases blood and tissue DHA levels in patients with CF. No

adverse

developments were associated with this large dose of DHA oil. Larger studies of

longer

duration are needed to determine whether DHA supplementation results in any

clinically

significant benefits in patients with CF.

PMID: 16226012 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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1: Int J Biol Markers. 2005 Jul-Sep;20(3):169-76.

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Plant-based diet, serum fatty acid profile, and free radicals in postmenopausal

women: the

diet and androgens (DIANA) randomized trial.

Colombo C, Muti P, Pala V, Cavalleri A, Venturelli E, Locardi M, Berrino F,

Secreto G.

Hormone Research Laboratory, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei

Tumori, Milan,

Italy.

High calorie and fat consumption and the production of free radicals are two

major

mechanistic pathways between diet and disease. In this study we evaluated the

effect of a

plant-based diet poor in animal fat and rich in (n-3) fatty acids on fatty acids

of serum

phospholipids and on the production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs). One

hundred

and four healthy female postmenopausal volunteers were recruited and randomized

to a

dietary intervention or a control group. Dietary intervention included a program

of food

education and biweekly common meals for 18 weeks. When the intervention and

control

groups were compared, it was seen that dietary intervention resulted in a

significant

reduction of saturated fatty acids (-1.5%) and a significant increase in (n-3)

fatty acids

(+20.6%), in particular docosahexaenoic acid (+24.8%). We observed that

arachidonic acid

decreased (-7.7%), while (n-6) fatty acids did not, and the (n-3)/(n-6)

polyunsaturated

ratio increased significantly (+24.1%). As expected, ROMs decreased

significantly in the

intervention group (-6%). The results indicated that a plant-based diet can

improve the

serum fatty acid profile and decrease ROMs production. These results suggest

that a

plant-based diet may reduce the body's exposure to oxidative stress.

Publication Types:

• Clinical Trial

• Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 16240844 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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1: Diabet Med. 2005 Nov;22(11):1465-75.

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Fat food for a bad mood. Could we treat and prevent depression in Type 2

diabetes by

means of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids? A review of the evidence.

Pouwer F, Nijpels G, Beekman AT, Dekker JM, Dam RM, Heine RJ, Snoek FJ.

Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre, Department of Medical Psychology, EMGO

Institute,

Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Abstract Aims Evidence strongly suggests that depression is a common

complication of

Type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, there is considerable room to improve the

effectiveness of pharmacological antidepressant agents, as in only 50-60% of the

depressed subjects with diabetes does pharmacotherapy lead to remission of

depression.

The aim of the present paper was to review whether polyunsaturated fatty acids

(PUFA) of

the omega-3 family could be used for the prevention and treatment of depression

in Type

2 diabetes. Methods MEDLINE database and published reference lists were used to

identify

studies that examined the associations between omega-3 PUFA and depression. To

examine potential side-effects, such as on glycaemic control, studies regarding

the use of

omega-3 supplements in Type 2 diabetes were also reviewed. Results

Epidemiological and

clinical studies suggest that a high intake of omega-3 PUFA protects against the

development of depression. There is also some evidence that a low intake of

omega-3 is

associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, but the results are less

conclusive.

Results from randomized controlled trials in non-diabetic subjects with major

depression

show that eicosapentaenoic acid is an effective adjunct treatment of depression

in

diabetes, while docosahexanoic acid is not. Moreover, consumption of omega-3

PUFA

reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and may therefore indirectly decrease

depression in Type 2 diabetes, via the reduction of cardiovascular

complications.

Conclusions Supplementation with omega-3 PUFA, in particular eicosapentaenoic

acid,

may be a safe and helpful tool to reduce the incidence of depression and to

treat

depression in Type 2 diabetes. Further studies are now justified to test these

hypotheses

in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Diabet. Med, 22, 1465-1475 (2005).

PMID: 16241908 [PubMed - in process]

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1: Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Oct 20; [Epub ahead of print]

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Red cell membrane omega-3 fatty acids are decreased in nondepressed patients

with

social anxiety disorder.

Green P, Hermesh H, Monselise A, Marom S, Presburger G, Weizman A.

Laboratory for the Study of Fatty Acids, Felsenstein Medical Research Center,

Beilinson

Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Department of Internal Medicine B, Rabin Medical

Center,

Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa 49100, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research

Center, Sackler

Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

The " phospholipid hypothesis " attributes a pathophysiologic role to the

polyunsaturated

fatty acid (PUFA) composition of phospholipids in depression. The aim of the

present study

was to determine whether the hypothesis is relevant to social anxiety disorder

(SAD). The

study sample consisted of 27 untreated, nondepressed patients with SAD (DSM-IV)

and 22

controls. Severity of SAD was assessed with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale

(LSAS).

Erythrocyte PUFA concentrations were measured by gas-liquid chromatography.

Concentrations of most n-3 PUFAs were lower in the patients: 18:3n-3 by 32%

(p<0.002),

20:3n-3 by 34%, 20:5n-3 by 36% (all p<0.001) and 22:6n-3 by 18% (p=0.002). No

significant differences were observed in other fatty acids. Significant inverse

correlations

were obtained between levels of n-3 PUFAs and LSAS scores. In conclusion, the

phospholipid hypothesis may apply to SAD, thereby opening new therapeutic

options. The

robust relationship between low erythrocyte n-3 PUFA concentrations and SAD

justifies

exploration of relevant neuropathophysiological mechanisms.

PMID: 16243493 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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1: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2001 Dec;25(12):1758-65.

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Ethanol consumption alters electroretinograms and depletes neural tissues of

docosahexaenoic acid in rhesus monkeys: nutritional consequences of a low n-3

fatty acid

diet.

Pawlosky RJ, Bacher J, Salem N Jr.

Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center ARS,

USDA,

Beltsville, land 20705, USA. pawlosky@...

BACKGROUND: Alcohol amblyopia is a rare neuropathy characterized by the

development

of blurred vision and a reduction in visual acuity. Further diagnostic details

of this

condition have shown abnormalities in the electroretinogram (ERG) that include

an

increase in implicit times in the a- and b-waves and a depression of b-wave

amplitude.

METHODS: Periodically, the ERGs and the fatty acyl composition of nervous tissue

were

analyzed from alcohol-consuming rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) (mean

consumption

2.6 g kg/day over a 5-year period) and controls that were maintained on a

nutritionally

sufficient diet that had low, yet adequate, amounts of linoleic acid but very

low alpha-

linolenic acid. RESULTS: Animals consuming alcohol had increased a- and b-wave

implicit

times and decreased b-wave amplitudes in their electroretinograms compared with

those

of the dietary control group at 2.5 and 5 years. The fatty acyl composition of

brain

specimens obtained by surgical biopsy at baseline, 2.5 years, and 5 years

demonstrated

that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) had decreased in both groups of animals compared

with

baseline values. In the brains of the alcohol-treated animals, DHA was even

further

decreased (2.5 years: -20%; 5 years: -33%) compared with the diet controls. In

the retinas

of the alcohol-consuming animals at 5 years, there was a similar decrease in DHA

(-35%)

compared with controls. Generally, the n-6 fatty acid, docosapentaenoic acid

(DPAn-6)

increased in these tissues, apparently compensating for the loss of DHA.

CONCLUSIONS: A

reciprocal change in the DHA/DPAn-6 ratio is known to be associated with

abnormal

electroretinograms in a number of species. Thus, a marginal intake of n-3 fatty

acids in

some alcohol abusers may, in part, be responsible for the biochemical changes

that

underlie the diminished retinal function associated with the visual

abnormalities observed

in alcohol-amblyopic patients.

PMID: 11781509 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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