How to Slow Down Cancer Naturally

Posted on August 31, 2012 by admin

The fatal nature of cancer lies doesn’t lie so much in the tumor that develops; it’s the spread of cancer throughout the body that’s most lethal. A new health breakthrough turned the tables a little bit and opted not to look at what natural substances can fight a tumor — but rather, which ones can slow the spread of cancer. And it’s led to some enlightening and positive news for treating cancer.

The unique study, Continue reading →

Diet Rich in Fish Oil and Protein May Help Combat ADHD

Posted on January 13, 2012 by admin

In the past few decades, there have been a growing number of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 9 percent of children between the ages of 4 and 17 have been diagnosed with the disease.

While there is medication to treat this disorder, it is not effective for all children. Recently, research published in the journal Pediatrics revealed that making changes in diet could combat the symptoms of ADHD in children who are unresponsive to pharmacotherapy.

“A greater attention to the education of parents and children in a healthy dietary pattern, omitting items shown to predispose to ADHD, is perhaps the most promising Continue reading →

Olive and Fish Oil Found To Potentially Prevent Pancreatitis

Posted on January 4, 2012 by admin

There seem to be more and more reasons to consume oils that contain healthy fats. For example, researchers from the University of Granada in Spain have discovered that oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, which can be found in virgin olive oil and fatty acids in fish, can prevent the development of acute pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is a disease that is believed to be caused by an oxidative-inflammatory process happening in the body. Researchers found that the antioxidants inside olive and fish oils seems to prevent this process from occurring. According to the study authors, it all comes down to what a person is eating.

“There is increasing evidence that there are oxidative-inflammatory processes involved Continue reading →

Natural Remedies Help Lymphedema

Posted on November 15, 2011 by admin

The condition known as lymphedema is caused by the accumulation of fluid in the body’s interstitial tissues which surround the lymph glands. It occurs when lymph nodes are missing, removed or damaged – making it impossible for the lymphatic system to remove excess lymphatic fluid through the lymph vessels. Left untreated, lymphedema can cause serious complications including infection and interference with wound healing. However, there are natural lifestyle changes and remedies which can often offer substantial relief.

There are two types of lymphedema. The first, primary lymphedema, is caused by the absence of lymph nodes or abnormalities in the lymphatic system at birth. Secondary lymphedema is caused by removal of lymph nodes during surgery, radiation treatments, infection, malignancy, or build up of scar tissue. Continue reading →

Gluten Weakens Bones

Posted on October 12, 2011 by admin

Years ago, a bread company boasted that its product “builds strong bodies 12 ways.” But if you’ve got a gluten problem, bread may actually be destroying your body, not building it. In particular, it may be weakening your bones. And unless you stop eating gluten-containing foods (made from wheat, barley and rye), the deconstruction of your bones may continue until you suffer debilitating osteoporosis.

Looking back on my own experience with celiac (an autoimmune reaction to gluten), I can remember several medical misfortunes that should have indicated to an alert healthcare practitioner that I was suffering a health problem that needed investigation. For example, in elementary school, while playing baseball, I broke a bone in my hand while fielding a relatively slow ground ball. Continue reading →

A Natural Remedy for Bipolar Disorder

Posted on August 18, 2011 by admin

A look at how omega-3 fatty acids influence depression, with a flurry of evidence concerning how they may treat major depression and depressive symptoms in bipolar disorders.

Nine double-blind controlled studies were found on how effective omega-3s can be for depressed patients, including those with bipolar disorder. Let’s take a look:

1999: A 16-week study of 30 bipolar patients used 6.2 grams (g) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus 3.4 g of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — both are fish oil — and tested it versus placebo (olive oil). Patients were also taking antidepressants, benzodiazepines, or mood stabilizers. The omega-3 fatty acid group had a longer remission period than placebo group did. The omega-3 group did better than placebo group in all measures of depression.

2002: A one-month study looked at 20 patients with major depression. It compared 2.0 g of EPA to placebo Continue reading →

Why You Should Consider Stopping Fish Oil Now

Posted on May 6, 2011 by admin

In a study on rats that directly compared krill oil and fish oil supplementation, krill oil reduced liver triglyceride levels significantly more.

Scientists looked at three groups of rats — one group that consumed a control diet, one group that had its diet supplemented with 2.5 percent krill oil, and a final group that was given 2.5 percent fish oil in its diet. Both krill oil and fish oil significantly inhibited the activity of enzymes that metabolize fat in the liver, but the krill oil had a more pronounced effect.

Emax Health reports:

“According to the study’s authors, ‘these data suggest Continue reading →

Best Ever Home Remedies for Headaches

Posted on March 2, 2011 by admin

More than 45 million Americans not only get headaches, but they also get them time and time again. Some people are born with biology that makes them headache prone. Most of these are tension headaches, which account for 90%of all headaches. The pain is typically generalized all over the head, and you may feel a dull ache or a sense of tightness.

But an estimated 28 million people experience migraine headaches, which are even worse. Migraine is a complex disease that causes severe and often disabling pain, usually located on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea, light and noise sensitivity, and other symptoms. Lots of things can set off a migraine attack, including changing hormone levels, poor eating or sleeping habits, dehydration, stress, weather or altitude changes, or more.

When you’re in pain, and ibuprofen just won’t cut it, try these natural pain relievers.

Headaches aren’t fun for anyone and are especially crippling for migraine sufferers. OTC medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen can help, but you have to be careful not to overuse them, which can lead to a rebound effect that makes symptoms worse. Here are the best home remedies to prevent headaches and help them get better faster. Continue reading →

Asian Food that Delivers Health Benefits More than Fish Oil…

Posted on February 22, 2011 by admin

According to a new study, krill oil has effects similar to fish oil on serum lipids, oxidative stress and inflammation — but unlike fish oil, it works even with lower doses of EPA and DHA.

EPA and DHA provide a variety of health benefits, including for your heart, your eyes, and illnesses caused by inflammation. However in fish oil these omega-3 fats are in triglyceride form, whereas in krill oil they are in phospholipid form.

According to the study:

“A total of 113 participants … were randomized into three groups. Thirty-six were given 6 capsules of 3g krill oil a day, with 543 mg of EHA and DHA; 40 were given 3 capsules of 1.8g fish oil a day, with 864 mg of EPA and DHA … The remaining 37 received no supplementation … [T]here was a significant increase in plasma EPA, DHA, and DPA in both the krill oil and fish oil groups … and no significant differences were seen between the fish oil and the krill oil groups. The EPA + DHA dose in the krill was 62.8 % of that in the fish oil.”

Sources:

Lipids October 2010 10.1007/s11745-010-3490-4

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

More great news about krill!

If you read the study above you will find that it supports what I have been saying for some time now; that krill is actually superior to fish oil when it comes to optimizing cholesterol profiles.

This study showed that a krill dose that provides 1/3 less DHA and EPA had a far more profound influence on the HDL and triglyceride to cholesterol ratios, which are well established as two of the most potent blood predictors of heart disease. In fact I first posted this association over 13 years ago.

This is likely due to krill’s phospholipid liposomal structure, which allows far superior absorption compared to fish oil, and the astaxanthin that is present in krill.

History of Krill Oil

Krill, or Okiami, as the Japanese call it, has been a cherished food source in many Asian countries since the 19th Century, or even earlier. As with so many health practices, like acupuncture and natto, the Asians had things figured out long before most Westerners.

Krill benefits your health by providing two of the most important nutrients we know of: the animal based omega-3 oils, EPA and DHA, and a potent marine based carotenoid antioxidant called astaxanthin.

The benefits of omega-3 fats truly run the gamut, from mental and behavioral health at any age, to preventing premature death from a number of diseases. Proven benefits of omega-3 fats include:

Coronary heart disease and stroke
Essential fatty acid deficiency in infancy (retinal and brain development)
General brain function, including memory and Parkinson’s disease
ADHD
Autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus and nephropathy)
Osteoporosis
Crohn’s disease
Cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate
Mild hypertension
Rheumatoid arthritis

One of krill oil’s major advantages over fish oil is its superior potency, which is demonstrated clearly in this study. Researchers gave subjects only 62.8 percent as much krill-based EPA/DHA as the fish oil group, yet both groups showed equivalent blood levels—meaning that the krill was more potent.

What is it about krill oil that makes it so special?

Your body absorbs krill oil faster and more completely because of its phospholipid structure.

Krill’s Weapons of Mass Nutrition: Phospholipids and Choline

Unlike fish oils, krill oil carries omega-3s in the form of phospholipids—liposomes or little packages that deliver the fatty acids directly to your body’s cells. Scientific evidence to date has shown that the safest and most effective carriers of EPA and DHA are these phospholipids.

Unfortunately, standard fish oils lack this phospholipid complex. Instead they contain omega-3 fatty acids in the less-beneficial form of free triglycerides.

This unique relationship between the phospholipids and omega-3 fatty acids greatly facilitates the passage of the fatty acid molecules through your intestinal wall, and from there directly into the tissues that desperately need them, like your brain. This makes the fats in krill oil significantly more bioavailable than those in fish oil. In fact, recent studies show that krill oil is absorbed 10-15 times as well as fish oil.

About 80-85 percent of fish oil is never absorbed from the intestine, which causes about half of those who take it to have “burp back,” which is unpleasant enough, and many end up discontinuing it.

When you consume fish oil, your liver has to attach it to phosphatidyl choline in order for it to be utilized by your body.

But krill oil ALREADY contains phosphatidyl choline!

Krill oil is already in the physiologically correct form, so your body can immediately absorb and use virtually 100 percent of it.

Phosphatidyl choline is composed partly of choline, which is the precursor for the vital neurotransmitter acetylcholine (which sends nerve signals to the brain), and for trimethylglycine, which protects your liver.

Choline is important to brain development, learning and memory. In fact, choline plays a vital role in fetal and infant brain development so it is particularly important if you are pregnant or nursing.

But krill’s superiority doesn’t end there.

Krill is Supercharged with Astaxanthin—the Most Potent Antioxidant on Earth

Krill oil contains one of the most potent antioxidants ever known called astaxanthin, which provides huge health benefits to you, as well to the oil itself. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid antioxidant that is exponentially more effective in quenching dangerous free radicals than beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, lycopene and lutein, other members of its chemical family. Astaxanthin protects your cells, organs and body tissues from oxidative damage.

I have been particularly impressed with astaxanthin’s ability to phelp revent sunburn, radiation damage, cataract formation and the most common cause of blindness, age related macular degeneration.

Part of the reason why astaxanthin is so effective in radiation induced damage is that it is produced by the microalgae Haematoccous pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. The krill consume the microalgae, and the astaxanthin becomes concentrated in their oil.

Omega-3 Fats Are Incredibly Fragile and Need Protection.

Omega-3 fats are loaded with highly perishable double bonds that are particularly susceptible to oxidative damage from heat, pressure, or oxygen in the air. It doesn’t take much to damage these fragile double bonds and when they are damaged the oil is essentially rancid and biologically useless.

The vast majority of fish oil on the market today is actually rancid before you even open the bottle, as it doesn’t contain this antioxidant. When exposed to air, fish oil (and poor quality krill oil) will oxidize within a matter of minutes, and once oxidized, it won’t benefit you in the least—it will actually ADD to your body’s oxidative load.

Not only is astaxanthin a fantastic free-radical scavenger for you, but it also acts as a powerful natural preservative, making krill oil 200 times more stable and resistant to oxidation—preventing the DHA and EPA from going rancid.

Besides acting as a natural preservative, astaxanthin has been found to have widespread health benefits, including:

Preventing and treating a great number of eye diseases
Boosting immunity
Improving cardiovascular health
Stabilizing blood sugar
Protecting your brain
Lowering inflammation
Reducing your risk of cancer
Preventing sunburn

And this list of positives is growing by the day!

Krill is Pollution-Free, Eco-friendly, and a Highly Sustainable Food Source

Krill is the most abundant biomass on Earth, amounting to about 500 million tons. Despite its growing popularity as a food source, less than 2 percent is harvested.

Contrary to a statement made by National Geographic that told only part of the story, human consumption of krill oil does not steal significant food from our whales. In fact, harvesting fish for their oil creates far more of an environmental burden and is less sustainable than harvesting krill, as 90 percent of the fish that swam in the oceans 60 years ago are now gone due to overfishing.

Most harvested fish are ground up into fishmeal that gets fed to other fish, particularly farm-raised fish.

In fact, not only is krill the largest biomass in the world, but krill harvesting is one of the best regulated on the planet, using strict international precautionary catch limit regulations that are reviewed regularly to assure sustainability. For more on this, please read my 2009 article about this issue.

In addition to the environmental concerns with harvesting fish, many fish oils on the market today are contaminated with relatively large amounts of metals and toxic chemicals. Toxins like mercury are typically screened for, at least in higher quality brands. However, there are many toxins that are NOT routinely screened for, including PCBs, dioxin, and radioactive strontium, to name a few.

Krill, especially Antarctic krill, avoid this contamination because they are much lower in the food chain than fish and have had very little time to accumulate toxins.

What the Research Says About Omega-3 Fats and Your Heart

There are plenty of quality studies showing that omega-3 fats DO benefit your cardiovascular system.

Here are just a few examples:

Researchers at Southampton University found that omega-3 oils stop the buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries.
An Italian study (GISSI) of 11,324 heart attack survivors found that patients supplementing with fish oils markedly reduced their risk of another heart attack, stroke or death.
Danish researchers concluded that fish oil supplementation might help prevent arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in healthy men.
American medical researchers reported that men who consumed fish once or more every week have a 50 percent lower risk of dying from a sudden cardiac event than do men who eat fish less than once a month.

These studies were done with fish oil though and not krill as the science of krill is just beginning to emerge. However, from the study above you can see that the strong preliminary evidence is that krill provide the same EPA and DHA in a superior form.

Final Recommendations

Many physicians in Europe are switching from conventional drugs to krill oil to support healthy, normal lipid levels and cardiovascular health. It is my hope that American physicians will follow suit.

And the great news is that krill oil seems to work at a lower dose. This results in a major cost savings to you, actually making it more affordable than fish oil.

For women (and many men, as I personally take the krill for women), there still seems to be some benefit to taking two capsules of my Krill Oil for Women because it has the beneficial GLA fat from evening primrose oil. Each of the capsules of the women’s formula contains 300 mg of krill; so two capsules would give you 600 mg of krill, plus all the additional benefits of the primrose oil, for less cost than an equivalent dose of fish oil.

Quality is of the essence when selecting any supplement, and krill oil is no exception, so make sure you know what you are buying.

Supplementing your diet with a high quality source of omega-3 fats such as genuine krill oil is a tremendous, cost effective way to supercharge your health!

Courtesy of Dr.Mercola

Consuming Junk Food Harms Brain Health

Posted on October 27, 2010 by admin

SYDNEY – Apart from being responsible for the flab on body, processed food also harms behavior and emotional health of children, suggests a new study.

The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has linked diets high in these foods to a greater risk of behavior and emotional problems, as well as double the risk of having ADHD.

The two studies are based on data from around 1800 WA adolescents from all backgrounds, whose health has been tracked by the Institute since birth, showed that these problems were less among teens with a healthier style of eating.

“We’re showing a significant relationship between what children eat and their brain function, yet it’s not being taken seriously,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted says Wendy Oddy, leader of nutrition studies at the Institute as saying.

“We don’t have enough promotion of fruit and vegetables, but you can walk through a supermarket and see whole aisles devoted to sweets, soft drinks and refined breakfast cereals,” said Oddy.

The research classified the children’s diets into two eating styles – a ‘healthy’ pattern high in fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and fish, and a ‘Western’ diet higher in saturated fat, refined sugar and salt, with more takeaway foods, confectionery, processed, fried and refined foods.

“Omega 3 fats are an essential part of the nervous system and the theory is that when there’s not enough in the diet, brain function is affected.

“This is something the omega-3 industry has latched on to with fish oil, but I think this misses the point that some plant foods like nuts also contribute some of these omega -3 fats,” she said.

Other research has found that impulsive young adults are more likely to go for snack foods when they’re hungry, for instance, while feeling depressed or emotionally distressed can drive preferences for eating sweet carbohydrate or fatty foods.

There’s also a link between being overweight and being depressed, said Oddy.

“Because we’re seeing more overweight and obesity, I think we’ll see more depression, although I don’t know whether the depression comes first or the obesity.

“We also know that people who are overweight or obese have more inflammatory factors in their blood so it may be that this is having an effect on brain function,” she added.

Omega Fish Oil Supplements are Vital for Life

Posted on October 20, 2010 by admin

Fish oil supplements contain essential fatty acids (lipids) that are particularly found in cold water fish. Omega 3 can also be obtained from other marine life like phytoplankton which is an excellent source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) of the n-3 (omega-3) type.

The health benefits that come from omega 3 fatty acids are simply astounding – so much so that both conventional and alternative medicine agree, which is something that rarely occurs. High dosage of fish oil can improve a person’s physical performance, prevent heart disease, make someone smarter and thinner; helps reduce pain and inflammation, helps in reversing cancer as well as the aging process, and treating neurological diseases.

Omega 3 Fish oils may also be useful for those suffering from asthma, bipolar disorder, depression, heart attack and schizophrenia. It may also help with kidney, lupus, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and Raynaud’s disease. Additionally, it may be useful for atherosclerosis, breast-feeding support, cardiac arrhythmia, cystic fibrosis, eczema, pre- and post-surgery health and sickle cell anemia.

Fish oil is also thought to be valuable to the immune function especially for seriously ill patients and those suffering post surgery. It may also be of use to those suffering from osteoporosis by combining it with evening primrose oil. It might also be helpful to those with phenylketonuria which occurs if the person is deficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Fish oil supplement also contain the 20 carbon eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which is the key fat for health and the 22-carbon docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is the key fat for the brain. DHA helps build the neural tissue while the EPA helps alleviate constricted blood vessels, increase cell division, dilate blood vessels, enhance the immune system, improve brain function and reduce pain.

EPA also promotes cell division, moderate pain and blood clots so that a person does not to bleed to death. It also prevents Alzhemir’s disease, arthritis, cancer, chronic infection, depression, heart attack, hypertension and stroke.

Despite the numerous benefits that one can attain from omega 3 fatty acids, many health experts believe that it is one of the most important nutrients missing in a person’s diet. Researchers cite this as one of the reasons why there are so many who suffer from cancer, brain disorders and heart diseases.

It is no wonder there are numerous fish oil supplements that are now being marketed to help combat diseases and prevent ailments. One of the more popular brands of fish oil supplements would be Omega 1000EC which is endorsed by experts. Omega 1000EC is ultra high potency with 600mg EPA and 400mg DHA, it is enteric coated and is molecularly distilled to remove impurities. High doses of EPA and DHA found in Omega 3 fish oil supplements are believed to address health issues including blood pressure, memory loss, bone density loss, burns, high cholesterol, colon cancer, depression, diabetes, eating disorders, heart disease, menstrual pain, skin problems, vision problems, weight loss and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In short, fish oil supplements are believed to offer numerous health benefits for today’s most common health concerns.

EPA also promotes cell division, moderate pain and blood clots so that a person does not to bleed to death. It also prevents Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, cancer, chronic infection, depression, heart attack, hypertension and stroke.

High doses of EPA and DHA found in Omega 3 fish oil supplements are believed to address health issues including blood pressure, memory loss, bone density loss, burns, high cholesterol, colon cancer, depression, diabetes, eating disorders, heart disease, menstrual pain, skin problems, vision problems, weight loss and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In short, fish oil supplements are believed to offer numerous health benefits for today’s most common health concerns.

Can Fish-Oil Components Treat Chronic Illness?

Posted on October 11, 2010 by admin

WASHINGTON – A new study has been undertaken to find out how healthful natural compounds known as Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fishes like salmon and albacore, help us protect against chronic diseases.

The ongoing study is conducted by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) chemist Darshan S. Kelley and co-investigators are helping uncover new details about how these fish-oil components help protect us from chronic diseases.

In an early study with laboratory mice, Kelley and colleagues investigated the interplay of two omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil-DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)-and a third fatty acid, CLA (as trans-10, cis-12 CLA) found in some dietary supplements.

Kelley’s 8-week test with 50 laboratory mice indicated that DHA protected the animals against two harmful side effects of CLA: LA-induced insulin resistance and CLA-induced non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease.

In contrast, EPA offered only partial protection against CLA-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and provided no protection against insulin resistance.

If untreated, insulin resistance can lead to diabetes. An estimated 36 million to 57 million Americans are insulin-resistant. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can result in cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. The study appeared in a 2007 issue of Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.

Their review underscores the need for new investigations, with larger numbers of volunteers.

Such research might reveal more about the mechanisms of action that DHA and EPA use, the sites upon which they act in the human body, and the genes that control these mechanisms.

4 Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure

Posted on October 8, 2010 by admin

Many factors, including weight, salt intake, stress, age, and family history can increase the odds of developing high blood pressure, and although many patients take medication to control high blood pressure, nutrients can also be useful.

These four all-natural ways can help lower blood pressure:

1. Co enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

One double-blind, placebo-controlled study gave a group of hypertensive men and women 60 mg of CoQ10 each day, and gave a control group a placebo. The patients taking CoQ10 had an average drop of 17.8 mmHg in their systolic blood pressure when compared to those not taking the nutrient, a better result than using combinations of prescription drugs.

And a study at the University of Western Australia found those taking 100 mg of CoQ10 twice a day reduced systolic and diastolic pressure (6.1 mmHg and 2.9 mmHg respectively) when compared to those not taking CoQ10.

2. Garlic

Many studies have shown garlic lowers blood pressure. Garlic that has been aged for up to a year after being extracted is the most common form of garlic used in experimental studies. A team of researchers at Adelaide University in South Australia reviewed 11 studies examining the link between garlic and high blood pressure and found significant decreases in blood pressure levels of the patients who consumed garlic.

The decreases were greatest in those whose blood pressure was the highest. In some cases, garlic got results as good as prescription drugs. The daily amount of allicin (the active ingredient in garlic responsible for its health benefits) used in most studies was no more than the amount found in one small clove.

3. Hawthorn

Hawthorn is a traditional herbal remedy for high blood pressure. In a randomized, controlled British clinical trial. Eighty patients took either 1,200 mg of hawthorn extract daily or a placebo for 16 weeks. And the end of the study, diastolic blood pressure of the hawthorn group was reduced a significant 2.6 mmHG. “The blood pressure lowering effect in this study was real,” study leader Ann F. Walker, Ph.D., said in a statement.

4. Fish oil

Multiple human trials have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil reduce blood pressure. Omega-3 fish oil contains both DHA (docosahexanoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), but DHA may be more beneficial than EPA. WebMD recommends taking a maximum of no more than 3 grams of fish oil daily. The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel, or salmon, at least twice a week.

Fish Oils Are Effective Against Diabetes

Posted on September 11, 2010 by admin

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.

The discovery could lead to development of a simple dietary remedy for many of the more than 23 million Americans suffering from diabetes and other conditions.

Writing in the advance online edition of the September 3 issue of the journal Cell, Jerrold Olefsky, MD, and colleagues identified a key receptor on macrophages abundantly found in obese body fat. Obesity and diabetes are closely correlated. The scientists say omega-3 fatty acids activate this macrophage receptor, resulting in broad anti-inflammatory effects and improved systemic insulin sensitivity.

Macrophages are specialized white blood cells that engulf and digest cellular debris and pathogens. Part of this immune system response involves the macrophages secreting cytokines and other proteins that cause inflammation, a method for destroying cells and objects perceived to be harmful. Obese fat tissue contains lots of these macrophages producing lots of cytokines. The result can be chronic inflammation and rising insulin resistance in neighboring cells over-exposed to cytokines. Insulin resistance is the physical condition in which the natural hormone insulin becomes less effective at regulating blood sugar levels in the body, leading to myriad and often severe health problems, most notably type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Olefsky and colleagues looked at cellular receptors known to respond to fatty acids. They eventually narrowed their focus to a G-protein receptor called GPR120, one of a family of signaling molecules involved in numerous cellular functions. The GPR120 receptor is found only on pro-inflammatory macrophages in mature fat cells. When the receptor is turned off, the macrophage produces inflammatory effects. But exposed to omega-3 fatty acids, specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the GPR120 receptor is activated and generates a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

“It’s just an incredibly potent effect,” said Olefsky, a professor of medicine and associate dean of scientific affairs for the UC San Diego School of Medicine. “The omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response.”

The scientists conducted their research using cell cultures and mice, some of the latter genetically modified to lack the GPR120 receptor. All of the mice were fed a high-fat diet with or without omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. The supplementation treatment inhibited inflammation and enhanced insulin sensitivity in ordinary obese mice, but had no effect in GPR120 knockout mice. A chemical agonist of omega-3 fatty acids produced similar results.

“This is nature at work,” said Olefsky. “The receptor evolved to respond to a natural product – omega-3 fatty acids – so that the inflammatory process can be controlled. Our work shows how fish oils safely do this, and suggests a possible way to treating the serious problems of inflammation in obesity and in conditions like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease through simple dietary supplementation.”

However, Olefsky said more research is required. For example, it remains unclear how much fish oil constitutes a safe, effective dose. High consumption of fish oil has been linked to increased risk of bleeding and stroke in some people.

Should fish oils prove impractical as a therapeutic agent, Olefsky said the identification of the GPR120 receptor means researchers can work toward developing an alternative drug that mimics the actions of DHA and EPA and provides the same anti-inflammatory effects.

Fat Deficiency Kills More People Every Year than Breast Cancer

Posted on September 7, 2010 by admin

Omega-3 deficiency is the sixth biggest killer of Americans, according to a new study.

Harvard University researchers looked at 12 dietary, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors such as tobacco smoking and high blood pressure, and used a mathematical model to determine how many fatalities could have been prevented if better practices had been observed.

The study determined that there were 72,000-96,000 preventable deaths each year due to omega-3 deficiency, highlighting the importance of establishing a dietary reference intake (DRI) for omega-3 forms such as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Another study found that a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) decreased blood pressure and heart rate in kidney disease patients.

People with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which increases the risk of heart disease, experienced improvements in both blood pressure and heart rate following supplementation with four grams of omega-3 fats.

Furthermore, when the omega 3’s were taken in combination with coenzyme Q10, the blood pressure reducing benefits were enhanced. CKD is linked to increased prevalence in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events and hospitalization.

In addition to benefitting your physical health, omega-3 fats can also be good for your mind.

Researchers have shown that depressed patients have, on average, lower levels of omega-3 in their blood than nondepressed individuals. A greater severity of depression is also linked to lower levels of omega-3. A number of well-controlled depression treatment studies have found therapeutic benefits following omega-3 supplementation.

The Telemedicine Reporter

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