The FSA has today issued new advice on eating oily fish and, for the first time, is able to recommend maximum levels at which the health benefits of preventing heart disease clearly outweigh the possible risks from dioxins.

Men and boys, and women past child bearing age or who cannot or are not intending to have children, can eat up to four portions of oily fish a week before the possible risks might start to outweigh the known health benefits.

Girls and women who may become pregnant at some point in their lives can eat between one and two portions of oily fish a week to get the known health benefits whilst limiting any possible effects on any children that they may have in the future.

Pregnant and breast feeding women can also eat between one and two portions of oily fish a week, and should do so not just for the health benefits to them but because oily fish also helps the neurological development of their babies. (The Agency already advises pregnant women, and women intending to become pregnant to avoid shark, marlin and swordfish and not to eat large amounts of tuna.)

Occasionally eating more than the amounts of oily fish advised by the Agency will not be harmful. Possible risks from chemicals such as dioxins are not immediate: they develop as the chemicals accumulate in the body over a long period of time.

Source: FSA Issues New Advice On Oily Fish Consumption

Women in particular gain from an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids, according to a new study, which found that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids might help to prevent preeclampsia, postpartum depression, menopausal problems, postmenopausal osteoporosis and breast cancer, among others.

“Furthermore, because elevated triglyceride levels are associated with cardiovascular disease, especially in women; and because omega-3 fatty acids have powerful effects on triglycerides, women in particular gain from an increased intake of these fatty acids. This is especially important in women receiving hormone therapy, which can increase triglyceride levels,” note the researchers. They also add that the quality of the omega-3 preparation is important.

Source: Omega-3s good for women’s health

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are now permitted to display a nutrient content claim after a the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made no objections to a petition filed earlier this year.

Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to lower risk of certain cancers, reduce inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and help prevent autoimmune diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

The nutrient content claim will help consumers identify foods high in these fats. The notification specifically covers ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) for which the terms ‘good source’, ‘high source’ and ‘more’ are permitted, and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) for which the term ‘high source’ is allowed.

Source: Nutrient content claim for omega-3 fatty acids

Fish oil is the most widely used source of omega-3 fatty acids, but it is by no means the only source. A growing number of people know that flax oil as a potential source, but most are unaware of the wide variety of other omega-3 sources already available on the nutritional supplement market.

Shark liver oil, for example, has been described as “an excellent source of alkylglycerols, squalamine and omega-3 PUFAs providing a multitude of health benefits”.

Lyprinol, a nutritional oil derived from stabilised green lipped mussel powder, has none of the side effects typically associated with fish oil supplementation, but is much more expensive.

Another omega-3-rich source is emu oil - an excellent source not only of omega-3 but also of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. Emu oil is marketed as a source of good fat helping to balance excess quantities of saturated fats in most diets and consequently control cholesterol.

Seal oil is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids including docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Source: Omega alternatives to fish oil need more promotion

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibre, beta-carotene and vitamin E appear to offer significant protection against non-Hodgkin lymphoma, says a Swedish-Danish-American study.

The researchers behind the new study, led by Ellen Chang from the Northern California Cancer Center, looked at the dietary intakes of 591 people with non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and certain lymphoma subtypes, and 460 healthy controls recruited from seven Swedish counties.

After adjusting the results to eliminate potential confounding factors like gender and BMI, Chang and her colleagues report that, while dietary intake of most macronutrients was not associated with NHL risk, average consumption of about 0.8 grams per day (0.4 grams per 1,000 kcal) of omega-3 or marine fatty acids was associated with a 20 and 60 per cent reduced risk of NHL and its subtypes, compared to those who consumed about 0.2 grams per day.

This also extended to fish oil supplements, with people who supplemented their diet with fish oil at a significantly reduced risk of NHL and its subtypes than people who did not take the supplements (risk reduction of between 30 and 50 per cent).

Fish oil has been found to greatly reduce the symptoms of lupus disease, offering hope to millions of sufferers with little alternative to steroid treatment. At present there is no cure for lupus. Steroids are used to reduce side effects but cannot be administered long-term. Now researchers from the University of Ulster in Belfast report that a key way of managing lupus may be through diet.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or lupus is a disorder of the immune system, where the body harms its own healthy cells and tissues. The body tissues become damaged causing painful or swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes, kidney problems, complications to the cardiovascular system and extreme fatigue.

Fish oils contain long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential for normal growth and development but also have anti-inflammatory and anti-autoimmune properties, noted researchers Dr Emeir Duffy, from the School of Biomedical Sciences, and Dr Gary Meenagh, from Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast.

Dr Duffy said: “We have been investigating how fish oil can improve the quality of life for lupus sufferers. In lupus, the body’s immune system does not work as it should. Antibodies, which help fight viruses, bacteria and other foreign substances, are not produced effectively. The immune system actually produces antibodies against the body’s own healthy cells and tissues. These auto-antibodies contribute to inflammation and other symptoms of the disease.”

Participants in a recent study who were taking fish oil supplements three times daily for 24 weeks, saw a reduction in disease activity, an improvement in quality of life and reported an overall feeling of improved health by the end of the study compared to those taking a placebo, reported Dr Duffy.

Participants taking the fish oil also showed a reduction in fatigue severity, the most debilitating symptom for lupus sufferers, she added. “From our study and from other work, there is evidence that increasing dietary intake of the polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish can have beneficial effects for lupus sufferers,” concluded Dr Duffy.

Good examples of fatty fish include mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, tuna and salmon. There are approximately 500 diagnosed cases of SLE in Northern Ireland and it is most common in women of child-bearing age.

Previous research has suggested that a developing foetus uses up large quantities of the mother’s omega-3 and makes women more susceptible to degenerative diseases including lupus.

Source: http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news.asp?id=6602

Canadian ingredients company, Ocean Nutrition, has received GRAS status for its omega-3 powder fish oil product. The powder can be cooked in food, such as bread, or mixed into liquids like milk, and has no change in the taste or smell of the food product.

Before awarding the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), the FDA carried out a strict evaluation of the two main components of omega-3 fish oil Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA).

Clinical trials and epidemiological studies have shown increasing dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of fish or of fish oil supplements, can have a profound effect on the heart and mind. Blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids are found to be inversely related to the risk of sudden death.

Studies presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions last year stated taking supplements of omega-3 fatty acids resulted in a significant cardioprotective benefit both for patients at risk of developing cardiovascular disease and in healthy subjects.

Source: GRAS approval for omega-3 fish oil

There’s now more evidence that consuming supplements of the omega 3 fatty acid DHA - naturally found in breast milk - could allow new moms to contribute to the development of their baby’s brain and visual system.

A study found that children whose mothers received a 200mg dose of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for the first four months of breastfeeding performed better on a test of sustained attention than those whose mothers received a placebo, suggesting supplementation of DHA during breastfeeding elevates these levels.

DHA is an essential fatty acid naturally present in breast milk, and a key building block of the developing infant’s brain and visual system. The human body cannot produce sufficient amounts of DHA for the needs of the eye and brain consequently it must be consumed through foods, such as cold water fatty fish, or in supplemental form.

Source: DHA from mother boosts infant development

British researchers have created a vegetable with high levels of healthy fatty acids, normally found only in fish and poultry products.

They engineered a relative of the cabbage plant to produce substantial quantities of two very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid (ARA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), in the plant.

EPA has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease, relieve the symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, fight depression and may also protect against Alzheimer’s.

ARA is important for mental health and is a precursor to a group of hormone-like substances called eicosanoids, which impact immunity, blood clotting and other vital functions in the body.

With fish stocks declining, and concerns over high levels of toxins, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, biotech crops could provide a safer and more sustainable source of omega fatty acids.

Source: Modified vegetable could be new fatty acid source