Recent Studies on Omega-3

I guess you'll agree with me if I say: Being healthy is a lifestyle.

But how?

The food you eat can be either the best medicine or the slowest form of poison. In this post, you will read the science-based health benefits of omega-3 with specific studies.

COVID‐19 and Associated Dyslipidemia & Omega-3

COVID‐19 is being studied by researchers all over the world. In this context adjunctive therapies are being studied, too.

In the first study COVID‐19 and associated dyslipidemia in other words implications for the mechanism of impaired resolution and novel therapeutic approaches are studied.

Dyslipidemia is such a problem that an abnormal amount of lipids (like triglycerides, cholesterol, and/or fat phospholipids) in the blood.

In developed countries, dyslipidemias are caused generally by hyperlipidemias; which is an elevation of lipids in the blood.

It was researched the role of omega‐3 fatty acids in generating specialized pro-resolving mediators and how together with anti‐inflammatory drugs, they could decrease inflammation and thrombotic complications associated with COVID‐19.

Omega-3 is one of the adjunctive therapies currently under investigation for COVID‐19. They are currently being tested in several ongoing clinical trials using EPA monotherapy or as a supplement mixture containing EPA, gamma‐linolenic acid, and antioxidants in COVID‐19 patients.

The rise in eicosanoids and hypercoagulation that occurs in COVID‐19 may possibly be controlled by combined therapy with omega‐3 fatty acids and aspirin, which by itself has anticoagulant properties. This drug combination has been clinically validated and presents with a low risk of interactions with other COVID‐19 treatments (1).

Update - January 2021

In recent research (January 2021), the pilot data suggest that a higher omega-3 index may lower the risk for death from COVID-19. You can read the full article here (update-1).

Looks like the more research is conducted, the more strong trend suggests that a relationship may indeed exist.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Have a Protective Effect Against The Fine Particulate Matter Found in Air Pollution

Omega-3s have been shown to reduce brain damage caused by neurotoxins like lead and mercury. So it was studied if omega-3 fatty acids have a protective effect against the fine particulate matter found in air pollution (another neurotoxin).

The study involved 1,315 women with an average age of 70 who did not have dementia at the start of the study.

Researchers found that women with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood also had greater volumes of the hippocampus.

Bottom line

The findings suggest that higher levels of omega-3s in the blood from fish may preserve brain volume as women age and possibly protect against the potentially toxic effects of air pollution (2).

Hyperlipidaemia & Omega-3

Omega-3s are beneficial against the development of hyperlipidemia.

But there is a catch

The underlying mechanisms still need to be studied.

A recent study reports that sacha inchi oil with plant-derived omega-3 alleviates gut microbiota dysbiosis, prevents bile acid dysmetabolism, and ameliorates hepatic lipid dysmetabolism of glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids.

The results showed that sacha inchi oil can provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms by which plant-derived omega-3s prevent the development of hyperlipidemia (3).

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) and Omega-3 Intakes are Protective Factors for Sarcopenia in Kidney Transplant Patients

A study was conducted to associate the dietary intake with sarcopenia in kidney transplant patients.

Sarcopenia can decrease the quality of life and kidney transplant patients have a high risk for sarcopenia. Inadequate dietary intake is one of the reasons for sarcopenia.

Omega-3 intake was positively associated with Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index. So the greater intake of PUFA and omega-3 was associated with a lower Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index and sarcopenia.

It was concluded that Omega-3 and PUFAs intakes are protective factors for sarcopenia and low muscle mass in kidney transplant patients.

This study was published online on 3 July 2020 in "Nutrition" journal (4).

Preventing Glucocorticoid-Induced Reduction in Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Increase in Apoptosis

Glucocorticoids are suggested to be involved in several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression.

A protective approach for this disease might be the consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA, and DHA, which are known for the neuroprotective properties.

In this research, a piece of solid evidence for treatment with both EPA and DHA to prevent a cortisol-induced reduction in human hippocampal neurogenesis has been provided (5).

DHA inhibits pro-angiogenic effects of breast cancer cells via down-regulating cellular and exosomal expression of angiogenic genes and microRNAs

What is the real story?

DHA has been shown to exert anti-angiogenesis effects. However, the mechanisms of such effects are still limited. Exosomes secreted by cancer cells may act as angiogenesis promoters.

Researchers aimed to determine altered expression levels of pro-angiogenic genes and their regulating microRNAs in the particular cell lines after treatment with DHA in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

As key findings, researchers showed a significant decrease in the expression of pro-angiogenic genes in cells and also their secreted exosomes after treatment with DHA in normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

That's not all

The expression levels of tumor suppressor miRs were increased and the expression levels of oncomiRs including were decreased after treatment with DHA in cells and exosomes.

Why does this matter?

It is significant that DHA can alter the expression of pro-angiogenic genes and microRNA contents in breast cancer cells and their derived-exosomes in favor of the inhibition of angiogenesis.

The data has shown new insight into DHA's anti-cancer action to target not only breast cancer cells but also their derived exosomes to suppress tumor angiogenesis (6).

Rheumatoid Arthritis & Omega-3

Study in June 2020: Omega-3 fatty acids act as precursors to lipid mediators of inflammation so may attenuate and modulate the autoimmune inflammatory response.

Why does this matter?

With this study, omega-3s have been shown to ameliorate or prevent experimental arthritis and may decrease disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (7).

"A host-microbiome interaction mediates the opposing effects of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids on metabolic endotoxemia" (8) Metabolic endotoxemia is commonly derived from gut dysbiosis. It is a primary cause of chronic low-grade inflammation that underlies many chronic diseases. It has been revealed that elevated tissue omega-3 fatty acids enhance intestinal production and secretion of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), which induces changes in the gut bacteria composition resulting in decreased lipopolysaccharide production and gut permeability and ultimately, reduced metabolic endotoxemia and inflammation (8).