Omega-3 fatty acids boost gray matter, mood

[yeahright]

March 7, 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids boost gray matter, mood

On March 7, 2007 at the American Psychosomatic Society’s Annual Meeting held in Budapest, Hungary, Sarah M. Conklin, PhD of the University of Pittsburgh reported the discovery that an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with greater gray matter volume in areas of the brain related to mood and behavior.

Animal research has shown that increasing omega-3 fatty acids in the diet results in structural brain changes. The researchers involved in the current study sought to determine whether gray matter volume was related to omega-3 fatty acid intake in humans to help explain the improvement in mood associated with increased omega-3 intake.

Dr Conklin, who is a postdoctoral scholar at the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Program in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, and her colleagues questioned 55 healthy adults on their diets to determine their average intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. High-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was used to measure gray matter volume.

It was discovered that subjects whose intake of omega-3 fatty acids was high had greater gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, the right amygdala and the right hippocampus, which are associated with with emotional arousal and regulation. These areas have been found to be reduced in individuals with mood disorders such as major depressive disorder.

In a study presented by Dr. Conklin at the previous year's meeting, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that participants who had lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids tended to have a more negative outlook and were more impulsive.

Although the current study found an association with structural changes in the brain associated with greater omega-3 fatty acid intake, the team recommends further research to confirm a causative effect.

 

[alan aragon]

March 7, 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids boost gray matter, mood

On March 7, 2007 at the American Psychosomatic Society’s Annual Meeting held in Budapest, Hungary, Sarah M. Conklin, PhD of the University of Pittsburgh reported the discovery that an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with greater gray matter volume in areas of the brain related to mood and behavior.

Animal research has shown that increasing omega-3 fatty acids in the diet results in structural brain changes. The researchers involved in the current study sought to determine whether gray matter volume was related to omega-3 fatty acid intake in humans to help explain the improvement in mood associated with increased omega-3 intake.

Dr Conklin, who is a postdoctoral scholar at the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Program in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, and her colleagues questioned 55 healthy adults on their diets to determine their average intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. High-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was used to measure gray matter volume.

It was discovered that subjects whose intake of omega-3 fatty acids was high had greater gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, the right amygdala and the right hippocampus, which are associated with with emotional arousal and regulation. These areas have been found to be reduced in individuals with mood disorders such as major depressive disorder.

In a study presented by Dr. Conklin at the previous year's meeting, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that participants who had lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids tended to have a more negative outlook and were more impulsive.

Although the current study found an association with structural changes in the brain associated with greater omega-3 fatty acid intake, the team recommends further research to confirm a causative effect.

TIME TO EAT MORE GREASY FISH!!!!!!!!

 

[yeahright]

TIME TO EAT MORE GREASY FISH!!!!!!!!

No kidding. So much of nutrition information is following attenuated trendlines (ex. 20% lower disease rate over time).....it's kind of rare to be able to take a snapshot and say "yep, right there the brain is bigger in people who consume this food item." They haven't proven causation but I'm at a loss to guess what could be at work to make this a coincidental correlation.

 

[bioman]

I give my baby girl fish oil and have since she was 2 weeks old. I literally noticed her being more alert and active a day or two after starting. At 3 months she's recognizing faces well, smiling a lot and trying to baby talk with lots of expression...not bad for a kid who was born 4 weeks early.

My chiropractor supplements his baby as well and has noted the same thing. His boy is 12 months and very actively talking compared to his unsupplemented peers. People are often surprised when he tells them how old the child really is.

 

[John Smeton]

I give my baby girl fish oil and have since she was 2 weeks old. I literally noticed her being more alert and active a day or two after starting. At 3 months she's recognizing faces well, smiling a lot and trying to baby talk with lots of expression...not bad for a kid who was born 4 weeks early.

My chiropractor supplements his baby as well and has noted the same thing. His boy is 12 months and very actively talking compared to his unsupplemented peers. People are often surprised when he tells them how old the child really is.

Interesting. Ive always thought the first five years of a child's life of getting the right vitamins and healthy stuff will effect soooooo much of adult-hood from intelligence to other factors. Not to say that the supplements that we take dont effect us because they most certainly do. I was likely when I was young. My mom made me take Flintstone chewable Vitamins. Think of all the children in the third world countries and whatnot, Like in the movie Babel. Feels good to live in the best country in the world doesnt it?

 

[\_JIMBO_/]

Interesting, I looked into the matter of childhood fat intake, I read somewhere that "Fish oils" - EPA and DHA compete with arachnid acid. The article was saying something about a balance being important. I think it was in formulas. If the child had a higher ratio of EPA/DHA to AA then their brain developed more but they had smaller builds, likewise more AA in the diet provided a Larger build, yet less intelligence. It had me asking my mom what she fed me

 

[John Smeton]

Interesting, I looked into the matter of childhood fat intake, I read somewhere that "Fish oils" - EPA and DHA compete with arachnid acid. The article was saying something about a balance being important. I think it was in formulas. If the child had a higher ratio of EPA/DHA to AA then their brain developed more but they had smaller builds, likewise more AA in the diet provided a Larger build, yet less intelligence. It had me asking my mom what she fed me

lol this is funny but if its true its not. want a genius child feed there epa/dha. want a brute feed them aa.

 

[bioman]

That's certainly possible and I try not to supplement her too far outside of what natural mother's milk would provide. We use Enfamil formula because the Mrs could not breastfeed due to illness. It's a good formula overall but I have read that the sources they use for EPA/DHA are plant based and therefore highly oxidized.

I give her about 1 mL of fish oil, a few drops of B-complex, about 1 gram of taurine per day and some probiotics all based on recommendations by naturopaths and some good research. This mirrors what she would get in real breast milk pretty well. I am not trying to raise a super baby, rather just trying to avoid developmental disorders like autism and ADHD.