Fish-Oil Omega-3s May Slow Genetic Aging

Scientists have attached great importance to the telomeres, which are pieces of DNA at the ends of the chromosomes, rather like the plastic ends of shoelaces.  Telomeres undergo steady shrinking with each cell division, and thus can limit the cell’s life-span; the length of telomeres can be considered a marker of biological aging.

University of California researchers have explored the association between omega-3 fatty acid blood levels and the rate of change in telomere length in patients with stable coronary heart disease.  Their findings are reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.      

Over 600 patients had their white blood cell telomeres length measured at baseline and after 5 years’ follow-up.  Baseline levels of omega-3 fatty acids - docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – were used to categorize the patients into 4 groups, or quartiles.  Those in the lowest quartile (i.e. those with the lowest omega-3 blood levels) had the fastest rate of telomere shortening over the 5 years.  And those patients in the highest quartile had the slowest rate of telomere shortening, suggesting that they were aging more slowly.

This study doesn’t really prove anything.  As one eminent cardiologist points out, being an observational study, it can’t prove cause-and-effect.  And it didn’t examine whether eating more fish oils or taking omega-3 supplements resulted in telomere shortening.  Finally, it remains entirely possible that the patients with higher omega-3 blood levels had favorable health habits apart from their consumption of fish oils.

Nevertheless, the findings are supportive of the benefits of fish-oil omega-3 fatty acids.  Until we know more, eat plenty of the right sort of fish - mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, halibut, or salmon.  Or you can take a supplement – one to two capsules daily of standard over-the-counter fish oil provide 300 to 600 mg of DHA and EPA.

Comments

[Lucille]

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(edited - RWG)