Article on DHA producer Martek in NY Times

[Guest guest]

DHA is one of the components of fish oil that is currently in clinical

trials in Boston and Rochester, MN for slowing PSC (supported by

Foundation, BTW). DHA prevented a PSC like liver complication

in mice lacking the cystic fibrosis gene that were induced to have

colitis. The times article is about Martek, the company that is

supplying the clinical trial

with DHA, and their efforts to produce quantities of it and persuade

food producers to add it to their products. It is from a business, not

medical point of view. One interesting point is that they are

producing it from a plant source, not from fish oil. It lacks EPA, the

other omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil. From the standpoint of the PSC

study this may be a good thing, because Dr Freedman found that EPA was

not active in the colitis model they used, and when I inquired about

the study, he told me he thinks it may decrease absorption of DHA by

competing for the same receptors.

Registration is free unless you subscribe to Times Select; the article

is 3 long pages; here's the link.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/business/yourmoney/14omega.html?pagewanted=1 & e\

i=5087%0A & em & en=8da38dfc0e297c1d & ex=1169010000

Martha (MA)