Omega-3 in healthy aging-related fish oils

Picture

Higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, the fats found in fish, are related to a healthier age,according to a new study.

The researchers followed 2,622 adults, 74 years old on average and in good health at the beginning of the study, from 1992 to 2006, seeking to know if they continued to live without chronic illnesses or mental or physical problems. .

The investigators measured blood levels of four common types of omega – 3: EPA and DHA, found in seafood; ALA, derived from plants; and DPA, which the body produces in small amounts.

After adjusting for many medical, dietary and lifestyle factors, they found that, compared to people in the fifth of the lowest omega-3 levels, the risk of unhealthy aging was reduced 18% for the fifth person. The study appeared in BMJ.

Considered separately, EPA and DPA were associated with a reduced risk of unhealthy aging, but not DHA and ALA.

Lead author, Heidi T.M. Lai, a postdoctoral fellow at Tufts University, said that this study is observational and does not prove the cause and effect.

Nevertheless, she said, "In our study, we found that adults with higher blood levels of omega-3 from seafood were more likely to live longer and healthier lives. So it's a good idea to eat more fish. "