Podcasts about docosahexaenoic

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.04.18.537291v1?rss=1 Authors: Sahu, B. S., Mukherjee, M., Mukherjee, C., Ghosh, V., Jain, A., sadhukhan, s., Dagar, s. Abstract: Dense core vesicles (DCVs) and synaptic vesicles (SVs) are specialised secretory vesicles (SSVs) in neurons/neuroendocrine cells harbouring cargo whose abnormal release is associated with pathophysiology. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress and inter-organellar communication are also associated with disease biology. In pursuit of investigating the cell physiological consequences arising from the crosstalk of a stressed ER and DCVs, ER stress was modelled in PC12 neuroendocrine cells using Thapsigargin (Tg). DCV exocytosis was severely compromised in ER-stressed PC12 cells, reversed by Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Experiments with Tunicamycin(Tm), an independent ER stressor, yielded similar results. Concurrently, ER stress caused impaired DCV exocytosis also in INS-1 cells. Molecular analysis revealed blunted SNAP25 expression, potentially attributed to augmented levels of ATF4 (a well-known CREB inhibitor) and its transcriptional regulator CREB (also known to regulate key granulogenic players Chromogranin A, Secretogranin II). Our studies revealed severe defects in DCV exocytosis in ER-stressed cells for the first time, mediated by reduced levels of key 'exocytotic' and 'granulogenic' switches regulated via the CREB/ATF4/eIF2 axis. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Protein sources contain different quantities of this macronutrient. To plan our diets with healthy protein, we need to understand the best sources to ensure adequate supply to every cell or tissue in our bodies. There are nine amino acids that the body must obtain from food. Studies show that it is the protein package (source) rather than the quantity that matters that matter to our health.   Which foods can supply us with the best protein? We get protein from plants, poultry, and animals, as discussed below.   Plant Protein Kingdom Plantae offers different types and quantities of healthy protein for daily consumption. These include legumes, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and other plant sources that are healthy and environmentally friendly.   Legumes include beans, lentils, peas, soybeans, beans, and peanuts. This plant-based protein contains the essential macronutrient, fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Eat the right quantity of legumes per meal to get the best health benefits.   High protein Seeds and nuts include cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, almonds, chia seeds, macadamia, and hemp seeds, among others. You can set a meal target to guide you through the healthy consumption of nuts and seeds; based on your protein requirements and goals.   Whole grains such as rice, oats, quinoa, kamut, teff, millets, buckwheat, and wheat, supply us with B vitamins, carbohydrates, calories, and protein. Unrefined whole grains contain more protein than when refined.   Other plant products that consist of some protein quantities include fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, corn, and Brussels sprouts.   Animal and Poultry Protein What animal protein is the best? When consuming animal-based protein, it is fundamental to consider the protein package rather than the quantity. Common animal/poultry-based proteins come from the following. Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey, and eggs. Seafood: fish, mollusks, crustaceans. Dairy foods: milk, yogurt, and cheese. Red meat: unprocessed beef, veal, mutton, goat meat, lamb. Processed meats.   What Other Vitamins and Minerals Are We Getting When We Eat Animal Protein In addition to protein supply, animal-derived foods provide us with the following vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B12; is an essential nutrient in the formation of blood, the brain, and the nervous system. Zinc for growth and body maintenance. Selenium; is an essential trace element that aid in various body functions, including the manufacture of active thyroid hormone. Iron, often in heme form; for making hemoglobin, myoglobin, and some hormones. Niacin (vitamin B3), whose deficiency has been linked to increased heart disease risk. Vitamin B6 is essential for energy metabolism and blood formation. Phosphorus is fundamental in the growth and maintenance of the body. Retinol (vitamin A), a fat-soluble vitamin, is fundamental in vision maintenance, reproduction, physical development, and immune function. Creatine; a molecule that supplies our body muscles and brain cells with fast energy, and boosts muscle growth, size, and strength. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is an omega-3 fatty acid that shields the brain against oxidative stress and inflammation, especially in children. Riboflavin; a pro-metabolic B vitamin that aids in the production of energy from ingested food, good eye vision maintenance, and iron uptake.   You may consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to learn more on the best sources of protein.  

 Hey lovely, does your interest peak when solutions are offered when it comes to keeping your skin looking youthful?Do you struggle with brain fog or low energy levels?In this episode, we will be discussing the incredible benefits of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) on maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin.DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, improve skin moisture retention, and promote skin repair. These properties make it an effective tool in preventing wrinkles and other signs of aging.We will explore the science behind DHA's actions on the skin, as well as how it can be incorporated into a skincare routine. We will also discuss the potential for DHA to improve brain health and energy levels, making it a versatile nutrient for overall health and wellness.Tune in to learn more about the powerful effects of DHA on wrinkles prevention and how you can incorporate it into your beauty routine. The Powerful Effects of DHA on Wrinkles PreventionDHA is a truly amazing micronutrient!Docosahexaenoic acid (better known as DHA) is one of the Omega-3 fatty acids (along with eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA). As you no doubt know, Omega-3s are found in a wide range of food sources, including:Flax seedsAlgaeCold-water fish, including salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and cod liverDHA is particularly important for your brain. It accounts for up to 97% of the fatty acids in the human brain, and up to 25% of the total fat content in your brain. It's critical for memory, recall, cognitive function, and can even prevent Alzheimer's.DHA also plays a role in everything from pregnancy to eye health, from cognitive development to heart disease, even depression and the treatment of arthritis.But today, we want to highlight a truly important but lesser-known function of DHA: maintaining skin health.How DHA Prevents Wrinkles and Protects Your SkinYou might have seen images or read articles about how fish skin is sometimes used on human skin for grafts.This is done to not only speed up healing, but to provide an infusion of skin-critical nutrients—including DHA.DHA is has been the subject of a number of studies, which examined how this amazing Omega-3 fatty acid could help to protect the skin against damage such as UV radiation, environmental pollutants, etc. - and accelerate repair.Back in 2013, a team of researchers examined the effects of both DHA and EPA on the skin, examining inflammation, fatty acid composition in the skin cell membranes, and the function of the lipid rafts that affect skin composition.As the study discovered, regular intake of DHA (in this case, in supplement form) led to reduced inflammation and better skin cell composition.In 2018, another study found that DHA can not only decrease inflammation, but also accelerate skin healing (from wounds and environmental damage).The study actually recommended using DHA-rich fish oil for both dermatological and cosmetic treatments, specifically to improve skin health.But it was a 2020 study that really provided the most fascinating insight into DHA and its ability to improve your skin health.The study involved caviar (sturgeon eggs), which are incredibly rich in DHA, which proved to have a preventive role in UV-induced skin aging. Specifically, the DHA enhanced adipocyte activity, increased adiponectin production, and in so doing, prevented premature skin aging (including wrinkles and skin lines) caused by UVB radiation in sunlight.To understand how DHA helps, we need to take a closer look at how wrinkles form…Wrinkles are the creases, folds, or ridges in your skin that appear as you age.They're the result of tension in the muscles of your eyes and mouth.When you're young, your skin is able to repair any microscopic damage that occurs as a result of this tension.However, as you age, your skin grows thinner, repairs are affected more slowly, and the elasticity of your skin decreases.Eventually, the wrinkles deepen beyond your body's ability to repair.One of the main reasons your body can't repair itself effectively is due to the decrease in collagen and elastin production.Collagen and elastin are the two proteins that keep your skin fresh, tight, and elastic.As your aging naturally decreases their production, there aren't enough of these proteins to effect repairs.UV-induced damage is another major contributor to wrinkles.The radiation in sunlight accelerates the breakdown of collagen and elastin, triggering inflammation in the “damaged” areas, which in turn makes it harder for your body to make repairs.This vicious combination of more sun damage and less protein is what leads to wrinkle formation.And that's where DHA comes in! By reducing UV-induced skin damage, DHA gives your skin a fighting chance at making repairs.DHA counteracts the inflammation and acts as a moisture barrier to prevent skin dryness (which also decreases collagen and elastin production).It serves as an external protector that, paired with a healthy diet rich in the nutrients required to produce collagen and elastin, increases the longevity of your skin and stave off wrinkles.DHA, via fish oil, is a truly marvelous supplement to add to your daily life.Taking it orally can deliver an infusion of the fatty acids that contribute to brain health, regulate mood, and decrease internal inflammation.Evoq makes sure to curate clean and cold pressed lipids like DHA —to help to fight wrinkles and stave off UV-induced skin damage.With the anti-inflammatory, skin-protecting, oil-infusing benefits of DHA, you can give your skin more years of smooth, sleek beauty.It's such a simple fatty acid, but it will improve your health on so many levels!Visit Evoq Beauty for Lipid Rich, Organic Skincare: Evoqbeauty.com

If you suffer from dry eye syndrome, part of the reason could be either you're not getting enough healthy fats in your diet, or you're not absorbing the fats in your diet. So in today's show, I want to talk specifically about Docosahexaenoic acid, better known as DHA. And it's a very important component that's found in omega threes. Enjoy the show.

Study shows people with a high omega-3 DHA level in their blood are at 49% lower risk of Alzheimer's https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/12/2408/htm Zinc found to play an important role in lung fibrosis https://www.jci.org/articles/view/157338 Dietary fibre in the gut may help with skin allergies: Monash study https://www.nature.com/articles/s41385-022-00524-9 Vitamin D may restore the body's natural barrier against ovarian cancer https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0945053X22000397?via%3Dihub #alzheimers #IPF #Ovarian Alzheimer's , Dementia, Memory, DHA, Fibrosis, IPF, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, zinc, zip8, lungs, Docosahexaenoic acid, omega, inulin, skin barrier, dust mites, butyrate, SCFA, Fiber, Vitamin D, Ovarian Cancer, allergic skin inflammation, skin barrier, fermentable, mesothelial cells, zinc transporter 8, peritoneal #alzheimers #IPF #Ovarian #DHA #fibrosis #zinc #inulin #VitaminD #zip8 #omega #cancer #skin #scfa #fiber #fibre #ovarian #allergies #lungs --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ralph-turchiano/support

Breakthroughs in DHA ZINC INULIN & D Study shows people with a high omega-3 DHA level in their blood are at 49% lower risk of Alzheimer's https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/12/2408/htm Zinc found to play an important role in lung fibrosis https://www.jci.org/articles/view/157338 Dietary fibre in the gut may help with skin allergies: Monash study https://www.nature.com/articles/s41385-022-00524-9 Vitamin D may restore the body's natural barrier against ovarian cancer https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0945053X22000397?via%3Dihub #alzheimers #IPF #Ovarian Alzheimer's , Dementia, Memory, DHA, Fibrosis, IPF, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, zinc, zip8, lungs, Docosahexaenoic acid, omega, inulin, skin barrier, dust mites, butyrate, SCFA, Fiber, Vitamin D, Ovarian Cancer, allergic skin inflammation, skin barrier, fermentable, mesothelial cells, zinc transporter 8, peritoneal #alzheimers #IPF #Ovarian #DHA #fibrosis #zinc #inulin #VitaminD #zip8 #omega #cancer #skin #scfa #fiber #fibre #ovarian #allergies #lungs --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ralph-turchiano/support

What is the Nutritarian Diet? Can it Prevent and Reverse Chronic Diseases?    When faced with disease, many of us don't prefer taking medicines. Medicines are an option but they aren't a long-term solution. So, could you shift the health of your cells by changing your nutrition?   In this blog, you will discover just how big of a role nutrition plays in the prevention and reversal of illness. This comprehensive blog with answers to all of your nutrition and diet-related questions: The Connection between Nutrition & Chronic Illness The Issue with Most Types of Diets About the Nutritarian Diet What are the G-BOMBS? The Importance of Including Nuts & Seeds in the Diet Oils vs. Seeds Veganism & Deficiencies  Is there a natural source of Omega 3 to replace supplements?  Macronutrients—too much or too little?   Ready to dig in? Let's go!   But before that, here's what you need to know about the creator of the Nutritarian diet, Dr. Joel Fuhrman: Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a long-term Board-certified family physician and seven times New York Times bestseller author who has a retreat center in San Diego called the “Eat to Live” retreat.  His specialty is preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. Dr. Furhman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss, reverse heart disease, diabetes & many other chronic illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, he keeps delivering this life-saving message to people around the globe.   Now, let's dive right in! The Connection between Nutrition & Chronic Illness   Modern nutritional science gives us the power to treat chronic diseases to a large degree. Access to processed & high-calorie nutrient-deficient foods more readily available at low prices has given rise to obesity and poor health conditions that follow. Things have gotten worse, not better.  The idea, proposed by Herbert Shelton in the 1950s, that the body is a miraculous self-healing machine and disease is unnatural is imperative. Dr. Fuhrman believes that it's not normal to live with diseases. One has to earn all diseases by living an unhealthy lifestyle. A species can be protected from disease if you feed it properly, taking care of all essential nutrients. This underlying premise will never change.    Studies reveal that wholesome organic plant-based diets can prevent chronic fatal diseases. So making healthy shifts in diet can provide longevity and help in reversing heart diseases, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, reducing daily migraines, getting rid of arthritis, and whatnot.   As such, Nutritional excellence can be utilized as a therapeutic modality. It can not only prevent disease but also reverse disease.    So, while we're living in a world of information with all the research readily available around us,    Why is there still so much confusion about nutrition?    The fast-food and the restaurant industry with billions of dollars to spend on promotion whereas the organic food producing industry doesn't put out  information at that scale. Nobody is promoting those industries.   With such a massive level of promotion of processed food and meats; it's easier to make people buy a full meal quicker for money, rather than try to eat whole foods.       The different types of diets out there and the media also have a role to play here. The vegan diet, the paleo, or the ketogenic diet, etc.  For instance, seeing people lose weight with the keto diet can be tempting to anyone who wants to lose weight.   The Issue with Most Types of Diets As we know, most types of diets are targeted towards either weight loss or reducing cholesterol levels etc. Yet, short-term change doesn't mean that a certain diet is sustainable. Dr. Fuhrman believes that short-term benefits shouldn't be utilized as a measurement of the success of any diet. Like medications, while they might be a good short-term solution, diets too might have some long-term consequences (such as the shortened lifespan of a person).    Likewise, for various diets, you could give credence & generate a hypothesis for short-term changes. However, you shouldn't draw conclusions based on short-term changes; instead, you should see the observations drawn from credible researches conducted over decades of people doing these interventions.    For example, when people are given a proton pump inhibitor for reflux esophagitis: in the short run, they feel better in the long run, we know that it increases the risk of heart attack or cancer; it's dangerous as a long-term solution.    The same thing goes for various weight-loss diets, we must conduct studies before concluding. What are the criteria for validating the effectiveness of a diet?   There are three criteria for giving high credence to a study on diet for long term use: The study should be conducted on thousands of people; not just 50 or 100 people.   Hard endpoints should be given more importance over soft endpoints. Soft endpoints are lost weight, lower cholesterol, etc. Most doctors make soft endpoints as the parameters to measure a diet's effectiveness. Hard endpoints are the increased risk of a heart attack or cancers etc. For Instance, some drugs that might help lower cholesterol in the short run might increase the risk of developing cancers in the long run. So, it's important to consider a diet's response to the impact on these hard endpoints.   The study should go on for decades not years. Short-term studies should be corroborated with long-term studies.    Some studies support that as people's dietary intake of animal products goes up,  their hard endpoint death rates go up, and as they increase plant protein their longevity increases.  There are also studies showing that both high-protein paleo diets & keto diets are extremely dangerous too in the long run; they shorten people's life span.  Including a lot of animal products and restricting various phytochemicals can be harmful.   About the Nutritarian Diet The nutritarian diet is a very nutrient-dense, sustainable diet with a moderate caloric restriction and micronutrient surplus for optimal health.    It's different from a whole-food, plant-based diet. The nutritarian diet tries to cultivate nutritional excellence by including a wide variety of food that covers the full spectrum of human needs for nutrients; the G-BOMBS.    What does the Nutritarian diet include?  The diet includes all the foods that are proven to have anti-cancer & longevity benefits—beans, mushrooms, nuts & seeds, fruits & vegetables, etc—including the most effective foods that enable people to push the envelope of human longevity, get to be in great health & live a hundred years long.    For instance, if you have a 1500 calorie limitation per day, what are the most nutritious foods that you can fit into the caloric pie for the day.    What are the G-BOMBS?   G-BOMBS are the six foods that have the most scientific support for extending the human lifespan & protecting against chronic illnesses. In the Nutritarian diet, it is recommended to include all of these foods on a daily basis.    Greens Beans Onions Mushrooms Berries Seeds   “The G-BOMBS are the foods with the highest nutrient-to-calorie ratio and the most scientific evidence to prevent cancer. Eat them almost every day.”   —Dr. Joel Fuhrman   The Importance of Including Nuts & Seeds in the Diet   Studies show that the inclusion of nuts & seeds in the diet decreases the risk of cardiovascular death by 40%. It's amazingly consistent across various studies—with every study having different cohorts with different ages, genders, ethnicities, high & low animal product intake, vegans or non-vegans, etc.    With every cohort looked at, the consistency was that the exclusion of nuts and seeds increased risks of cardiac diseases by 40%, and their inclusion of about an ounce a day reduced heart attack rates by 40%. Therefore, reducing mortality.    Here, conclusions are drawn based on consistency from one study corroborating another.    Oils vs. Seeds Oil is a fat-promoting food. Dr. Fuhrman explains that there's a huge difference between an oil concentrated from a seed and the seed itself. Walnuts are healthier than walnut oil, sesame seeds are healthier than sesame oil.    It's much healthier to include the whole nut or seed, rather than the oil from that nut or seed because the components of seeds are fine for people in small amounts when eaten a handful of seeds, but when people consume highly processed oils made from seeds,  they end up consuming those components—such as phytic acid, omega-6 fatty acids, lectin proteins, etc.—in much larger amounts than what's healthy for them.    In the nutritarian diet, recipes are created with whole nuts and seeds being utilized to prepare the creamy or fattiness of the food dressing, instead of just the oils.    Percentage of Animal Products in the Diet It's important to establish what percentage of the diet should be animal products. For a diet to be optimal, the animal product percentage should be between 0-5%, even 10% of calories from animal products on a consistent basis is enough to prevent you from maintaining optimal health.   A diet that has a 0-5% of animal products has a sub-optimal range of zinc, B12, K2 & DHA. Nutritarian diet includes the judicious use of supplements to ensure that an individual is not missing out on those nutrients.    Veganism & Deficiencies  It has been noted that people who have a vegan diet for all of their lives tend to develop dementia or Parkinson's disease in old age over those who have a plant-based diet rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants.  The reason is the deficiencies caused by the vegan diet that exacerbates the problems faced in old age.  There are studies to prove that as your Omega 3 index drops, the chances of cognitive impairment and brain shrinkage with aging go up. The nutritarian diet covers a beneficial B12 level and is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids to ensure that one's Omega 3 index remains above 5.    Is there a natural plant-based source of Omega 3 to replace supplements?  Essentially, no.  While the body can convert about 5% of Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) found in foods like hemp seeds, walnuts & green vegetables into Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and about 2% of that into Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It depends on an individual's ability to convert which is subjective.   Macronutrients—too much or too little? There are three types of macronutrients—protein, fat, or carbohydrates. All of these act as our main sources of calories. The problem today is that people are consuming way too many calories than needed for their body's normal functioning. The most important thing is to maintain a balance in calorie intake as well as its source.  For instance, while a vegan diet that is too low in protein might be an issue, a diet with too much animal protein is also not safe.  Too much animal protein accelerates the aging process. On the other hand, as we remove animal protein from the diet, people should make sure that they include an adequate amount of plant-based protein in their diet to meet their protein needs. A way to look at this would be that there are two types of proteins: Protein that comes from Fat Protein that comes from Fiber  You want to increase your intake of the protein that comes from fiber. Don't equate the word protein with animal products. Beans, greens & seeds are examples of plant-based protein-rich foods.    The Bottom line While a very nutrient-dense, sustainable diet with moderate caloric restriction is important for optimal health, finding the right balance differs from person to person—the basis being the inclusion of the G-BOMBS in the diet.  Strive to learn about nutrition to eat healthily, rather than to lose a few pounds. Even though disease might be common today, let's learn to not normalize being ill or contracting a medical condition just because of age. This blog covered just the highlights from our latest podcast by Dr. Nisha Chellam, Board Certified Internist and Founder of Holistic ICON, and Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D. and Founder of Eat to Live Retreat. To know  more about the Nutritarian Diet, listen to the full podcast on our YouTube channel by clicking this link:This LINK In case you have any questions related to nutrition and diet, please drop us an email with your question and a brief about yourself at xdrchellam@holisticicon.com and we will get back to you shortly. Hoping that this blog provided clarity and answered your questions.

It would be hard to find any health practitioner - traditional, functional, or otherwise - who doesn’t acknowledge the importance of consuming omega-3 fatty acids. Supplements in the form of fish oil or krill oil are widely recommended and consumed, and come with claims of cardiovascular disease prevention, cognitive benefits, and anti-inflammatory properties. But is it really a good idea to get your omega-3s in a gel cap rather than from food? And do they really do everything the media would have you believe? On this podcast, NBT Scientific Director Megan Hall and I discuss omega-3 fatty acids: what they are, what they’re good for, and the best ways to get them. Megan outlines the different types of omega-3 and explains why some are better than others. She also explains why some health claims are overblown, and why buying fish oil supplements may not be the best health strategy. Be sure to follow along with Megan’s outline for this podcast.  Here’s the outline of this interview with Megan Hall: [00:04:30] Blood flow restriction (BFR) training; Podcast: Blood Flow Restriction Training for Improved Strength, Performance, and Healthspan with Dr Jim Stray-Gundersen MD. [00:04:51] Podcast: Wired to Run: Why Your Brain Needs Exercise, David Raichlen. [00:05:41] What are omega-3 fatty acids? [00:06:31] Picture of omega-3 fatty acids. [00:08:40] Finding omega-3s in the diet; Review: Saini, Ramesh Kumar, and Young-Soo Keum. "Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Dietary sources, metabolism, and significance—A review." Life sciences 203 (2018): 255-267. [00:09:16] Poor conversion from ALA to EPA/DHA: Gerster, Helga. "Can adults adequately convert a-linolenic acid (18: 3n-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (20: 5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22: 6n-3)?." International journal for vitamin and nutrition research 68.3 (1998): 159-173. [00:10:56] Why EPA and DHA are important. [00:11:38] Conditions associated with inadequate omega-3 intake. [00:12:02] Whole foods vs. supplements; other micronutrients. [00:12:42] Krill oil vs. fish oil; Studies: 1. Ulven, Stine M., et al. "Metabolic effects of krill oil are essentially similar to those of fish oil but at lower dose of EPA and DHA, in healthy volunteers." Lipids 46.1 (2011): 37-46. 2. Schuchardt, Jan Philipp, et al. "Incorporation of EPA and DHA into plasma phospholipids in response to different omega-3 fatty acid formulations-a comparative bioavailability study of fish oil vs. krill oil." Lipids in health and disease 10.1 (2011): 1-7. 3. Maki, Kevin C., et al. "Krill oil supplementation increases plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in overweight and obese men and women." Nutrition research 29.9 (2009): 609-615. 4. Mödinger, Yvonne, et al. "Plasma kinetics of choline and choline metabolites after a single dose of SuperbaBoostTM krill oil or choline bitartrate in healthy volunteers." Nutrients 11.10 (2019): 2548. [00:16:59] Megan's outline for this podcast. [00:18:21] Algae-based omega-3 supplements. [00:19:40] Omega 6:3 ratio; Paper: Simopoulos, Artemis P. "The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids." Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 56.8 (2002): 365-379. [00:25:54] Should we be supplementing with grams of fish oil? Studies: 1. De Magalhães, João Pedro, et al. "Fish oil supplements, longevity and aging." Aging (Albany NY) 8.8 (2016): 1578. 2. Strong, Randy, et al. "Longer lifespan in male mice treated with a weakly estrogenic agonist, an antioxidant, an α‐glucosidase inhibitor or a Nrf2‐inducer." Aging cell 15.5 (2016): 872-884. 3. López-Domínguez, José A., et al. "The influence of dietary fat source on life span in calorie restricted mice." Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences 70.10 (2015): 1181-1188. [00:27:42] No support for omega-3 (fish oil) in the prevention of cardiovascular disease; Meta-analysis: Aung, Theingi, et al. "Associations of omega-3 fatty acid supplement use with cardiovascular disease risks: meta-analysis of 10 trials involving 77 917 individuals." JAMA cardiology 3.3 (2018): 225-233. [00:29:12] Signs you're supplementing too much fish oil. [00:30:26] Podcast: How Oxidative Stress Impacts Performance and Healthspan [00:30:43] Elevated blood glucose omega-3 supplementation; Study: Friday, Karen E., et al. "Elevated plasma glucose and lowered triglyceride levels from omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in type II diabetes." Diabetes care 12.4 (1989): 276-281. [00:31:01] Immunosuppressive effects of supplementing omega-3s: Fenton, Jenifer I., et al. "Immunomodulation by dietary long chain omega-3 fatty acids and the potential for adverse health outcomes." Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 89.6 (2013): 379-390. [00:34:17] Stages of life when omega-3s are especially important. [00:34:48] Specialized pro-resolving mediators; STEM Talk podcast episode: David LeMay Talks About Countering Inflammation with SPMS. [00:35:31] DHA to mitigate traumatic brain injury; Study: Bailes, Julian E., and Vimal Patel. "The potential for DHA to mitigate mild traumatic brain injury." Military medicine 179.suppl_11 (2014): 112-116. [00:35:45] DHA for cognitive function and aging; Study: Weiser, Michael J., Christopher M. Butt, and M. Hasan Mohajeri. "Docosahexaenoic acid and cognition throughout the lifespan." Nutrients 8.2 (2016): 99. [00:37:20] omega-3s for athletic performance; Review: Gammone, Maria Alessandra, et al. "Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: benefits and endpoints in sport." Nutrients 11.1 (2019): 46. [00:38:54] omega-3s during pregnancy; Studies: Greenberg, James A., Stacey J. Bell, and Wendy Van Ausdal. "Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy." Reviews in obstetrics and Gynecology 1.4 (2008): 162; 2. Braarud, Hanne Cecilie, et al. "Maternal DHA status during pregnancy has a positive impact on infant problem solving: a Norwegian prospective observation study." Nutrients 10.5 (2018): 529. [00:39:44] Excess omega-3 consumption during pregnancy could be detrimental to offspring; Study: Church, M. W., et al. "Excess omega-3 fatty acid consumption by mothers during pregnancy and lactation caused shorter life span and abnormal ABRs in old adult offspring." Neurotoxicology and teratology 32.2 (2010): 171-181. [00:40:12] Testing: The Omega Index test; Framingham Heart Study: Harris, William S., et al. "Erythrocyte long-chain omega-3 fatty acid levels are inversely associated with mortality and with incident cardiovascular disease: The Framingham Heart Study." Journal of clinical lipidology 12.3 (2018): 718-727. [00:42:34] Bottom line: More may not be better. [00:43:09] SMASH fish - sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, herring (also black cod), 3-4x/week. [00:49:30] Schedule a free 15 min call with Megan.

Today, I am blessed to have here with me for the THIRD time Dr. Jeff Matheson. He is the co-founder of an all-natural migraine and headache centre, which promotes a non-narcotic approach to pain and headache management. Plus, Dr. Jeff Matheson is the co-founder and medical director of Pure Life Science. Dr. Jeff Matheson successfully practiced medicine in emergency departments across Canada and internationally, from Ontario, Newfoundland, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He later was appointed Medical Director of Med-EmergInc in 1998, a company dedicated to staffing underserved hospitals in Canada. Dr. Matheson has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South East Asia and well as Oceania. According to Dr. Matheson, “traveling is the best education!” Dr. Matheson is an enthusiastic believer, as well as being immersed in other cultures. Similarly, if one does not listen to patients, one won’t hear what is necessary to understand the patient’s problem, i.e., the patient’s “culture.” It is with this ability to listen and empathize with the patients that Dr. Matheson allows an accurate diagnosis and develop sustainable solutions, optimizing health, and patient outcomes. If a solution cannot be determined, resources will be dedicated, through the involvement of alternative care specialists, ascertaining the best possible treatment for the patient by trying to treat causes, not just manage symptoms. In this episode, Dr. Jeff Matheson dives straight into how our body will produce energy through our cell membranes. If someone lacks energy, they usually think they have a hormone problem, meaning they need to take more hormones. However, that's not the case. Dr. Jeff Matheson explains how our hormones require a delicate balance; adding exogenous hormones will push our bodies out of balance. Instead, think about making different nutritional decisions to fix any hormone irregularities. Later, we discuss why keto and fasting are great for our cells and why fish oils aren't so great for them. Tune in as we chat all about Pure Life Omegas. Pure Form Omega: https://purelifescience.com/products/pure-form-omega-natural (Use code: Ben4) Pure Form Omega Liquid: https://purelifescience.com/products/pure-form-omega-liquid (Use code: Ben3) [01:15] How Our Body Will Produce Energy We're made up of about 70 trillion cells. Our body is great at communication, not only within each organ but between organs. All this communication is done through the cell membranes. The cell membrane is the basic divide between the outside world and the inside world – that’s where the fundamental communication takes place. All hormonal issues boil down to unhealthy cell membranes.   [03:45] Hormones Aren’t That Simple Hormones need a delicate balance. If you start adding exogenous hormones into the system, you're going to push that system out of balance. How adding exogenous hormones into your body will affect you later on down the road is really difficult to predict. The whole hormonal cascade is extremely complex. When people correct their underlying nutritional issues, usually within six to nine months, they should be able to come off all exogenous hormones.   [06:25] Bad Things That Develop In Our Cells The problem that will affect people first is mitochondrial issues. The mitochondria is a very high-energy place, it's supposed to produce lots of energy, but it can be screwed up fairly easily. The first thing that people feel is fatigue - that's that mitochondria sort of breaking down. Later down the road, genetic issues will show up, and that’s when you start getting cancers.   [09:15] Why Your Supplements Might Not Be Working If you have an unhealthy cell membrane, things can't get in. On average, the cell membrane is 50% fat. If you have abnormal fats in that cell membrane, that membrane becomes more like plastic. When you put plastic wrap on something, not a lot of stuff gets through. So, you won't be able to get good things in very efficiently, and you won't be able to get the bad things out very efficiently. It's only a matter of time in that kind of situation until you have a total cell breakdown.   [14:30] How Keto & Fasting Help Support The Cell Membrane   The brain is about 70% fat – it operates on keto about seven to eleven times more efficiently than on carbohydrates. Fat-based energy production is way more efficient. Every single one of our ancestors did keto because their environment forced them into it. Once you achieve metabolic freedom and flexibility, your body can actually manufacture glucose from the fat and from protein.   [18:20] Is Omega-6 Bad For You?   Omega-6 isn’t bad for you; processed omega-6 is bad for you. Omega-6 has the same oxygen-binding capacity as hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is also intimately bound to the cell membrane; so, they work well together. After people take the proper amount of omega-6, they feel better. Plus, they will be able to feel it fast.   [21:10] The Issue With Fish Oil   Fish oil is high in EPA and DHA. They're what we call unsaturated are much more unstable. Not only is fish oil too unstable for us, it's not really needed in very large quantities. As it turns out, the brain only uses about seven and a half milligrams per day of EPA and DHA. People on a high dose of fish oil will have a problem with nose bleeds – it’s an obvious example of fluidity. If you overload yourself with fish oil, the mitochondria is only half as efficient as it should be.   [34:55] Is Eating Fish Bad Too? You can certainly eat fish. When you cook it, you're destroying the fats anyways. It's the deepwater fish that are higher in EPA and DHA. Fish have a lot of good nutrition in it unless it's been contaminated with heavy metals and stuff. In Japan, where they eat mostly raw fish, they do have higher rates of hemorrhagic strokes. Fish that have fewer heavy metals are ones with a fast turnover like sardines. Tuna is a bad one because tuna will eat a lot of other fish and is lower on the food chain.   [39:45] About Pure Form   Pure Form Omega® Natural is an organic, plant-based, fish-free, cold-pressed, source of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. It has been processed in a way that retains all the functions of the fat. It is a proprietary formulation made up of primrose oil, sunflower seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, and organic extra virgin coconut oil. These are all excellent sources of essential omega-6, along with organic flaxseed oil for essential omega-3, to obtain what we consider the ideal omega 3-6 combination.   [45:25] Good vs. Bad Sunflower Oil If you look at the average sunflower oil, even organic sunflower oil that's on the shelf, it's not cold-pressed. Heat and oxygen are bad for fats. When you do cold pressure, you actually lose about 20% of the oil. You can put a processed oil on the shelf for years; it'll look the same.   [51:20] Hangover Prevention   Since the brain is 70% fat, you put all the good fats in the brain, you don't get headaches. Just another reason to love Pure Form Omega®. However, most people will feel a little tired the next day because alcohol disturbs your sleep pattern. Luckily, you won't have the headache and all the other stuff that accompanies those hangovers.   AND MUCH MORE!   Resources from this episode: Check out Pure Life Science: https://purelifescience.com/ (Use code Ben4 for the bottles and Ben3 for the liquids). Email Jeff@PureFormOmega.com: Jeff@PureFormOmega.com Follow Dr. Jeff Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeffmdcare Listen to How Much Fish Oil Is Too Much? Research on Fish Oil With Dr. Jeff Matheson: KKP 75: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-much-fish-oil-is-too-much-research-on-fish-oil/id1470779784?i=1000460552814 Watch Dr. Jeff Matheson, Cell Membrane Structure & Function, How Hormones Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvaYUAdjgiE Pure Form Omega: https://purelifescience.com/products/pure-form-omega-natural (Use code: Ben4) Pure Form Omega Liquid: https://purelifescience.com/products/pure-form-omega-liquid (Use code: Ben3) Mitochondrial Study: Sullivan, E. Madison, et al., “Docosahexaenoic acid lowers cardiac mitochondrial enzyme activity by replacing linoleic acid in thephospholipidome,“ Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2018, 293: 466-2018 Jan 12;293(2):466-483.      

Dietary fat is broken down into fatty acids in our body. Fatty acids are important for many bodily functions including energy production, making cell membranes, and for signaling the inflammatory cascade. Among the several types of fatty acids, omega-3s have special benefits. Many people take supplements containing them in the form of fish oil. But, why? Can we get omega-3s in food? Why do we need them? How are they beneficial? In today’s episode, we introduce the omega-3 fatty acids. We discuss their naming convention, their health benefits, and we single out a few of the main players. Today on The Lab Report: 2:55 What is a fatty acid and where do those names come from?   7:05 The benefits of omega-3s 8:25 Dietary sources 12:05 Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 14:00 Supplementing with fish oil 17:35 Better Know a Biomarker 22:10 Question of the Day How do we decide which fish oil supplement is best? Additional Resources: NutrEval Metabolomix+ Subscribe, Rate, & Review The Lab Report Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of The Lab Report, presented by Genova Diagnostics, with your hosts Michael Chapman and Patti Devers. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and give us a rating or leave a review. Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Email Patti and Michael with your most interesting and pressing questions on functional medicine: podcast@gdx.net. And, be sure to share your favorite Lab Report episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to help others learn more about Genova and all things related to functional medicine and specialty lab testing. Disclaimer: The content and information shared in The Lab Report is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in The Lab Report represent the opinions and views of Michael Chapman and Patti Devers and their guests.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Light Diet Podcast Matt interviews Dr. Chris Shade, Founder and CEO of Quicksilver Scientific. Dr. Shade shares how he became who he is, why he ended up in Colorado and his experience with photobiophysics (the use of mirrors to reflect light and polarize it). Join Matt and Dr. Shade as they dive deep into the supplements which are capable of supercharging and improving our bodies, where to get the right phosphatidylcholine, about DHA and Dr. Shade's go-to protocols to overcome health issues and build overall health! As Matt wonders whether it's possible to overuse NAD during mitochondrial dysfunction he asks Dr. Chris what his take on this subject is. Press play and stay tuned to learn more about metal mitochondrial inhibitors, cell membranes, detoxification and so much more!   “Too much protein does the same thing as sugar [because] all that protein, you turn it into sugar.” - Dr. Chris Shade Episode Highlights: [00:23] Matt's bio of Dr. Chris Shade and what they discuss in this week's episode. [08:54] How Quicksilver Scientific's success took him to Colorado! [13:00] How he became who he is: physical experiences, mind expansion & academics. [17:02] Photobiophysics: the use of mirrors to reflect light and polarize it  [20:05] Dr. Shade and Matt discuss the purpose and mission of their work.    [24:58] What are the go to supplements to improve our bodies?  [30:38] Phosphatidylcholine: Which to take and which to avoid.  [34:48] Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) [36:24] Lifestyle: What Dr. Chris has found to be useful in building overall health. [42:55] Dr. Chris' recommendations when it comes to repairing someone with NAD.    [50:59] Mitochondrial function: how to boost it and the most dangerous inhibitors!  [01:00:50] Dr. Chris' one-size fits all detox protocols.  [01:07:01] Melatonin and the negative feedback loop? [01:12:02] What is his take on the optimal “Light Diet” protocol? --- Connect with Dr. Chris Shade! Instagram | Website | YouTube   Connect with Matt! Instagram | Website | YouTube

Dr. Nichols explains the differences between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and then dives deeper into the different kinds of omega-3’s and how to decide which is best for your horse. The four omega 3 fatty acids addressed in this episode are Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and Eicosatetraenoic Acid (ETA). Listen in for a better understanding of when to apply each to your horse's diet and why marine-sourced omega-3's are a better option for providing anti-inflammatory support. Show Notes: Nutritional products mentioned in this episode: · Fish Oil Factor (EPA & DHA from Fish Oil on a Flax Seed and Rice Bran base) · Rewind(ETA from New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel) If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email info@acbluebonnet.com Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/FeedRoomChemist/message

How well do you understand your body’s signals to make decisions about maintaining your health and preventing disease? Stress has a tremendous effect on our health and memory in a way that there is a downregulation in the signals sent by our brain to the rest of our bodies. There is a rich neurological symphony that comes under threat when we are stressed. Our healthcare system is focused on traditional treatment methods of medication and surgery. But evidence-based research has come up supporting how lifestyle medicine can prevent and even reverse chronic diseases. This is very crucial as the more we know how our bodies react to stress and how deeply it affects the cells, tissues, and organs of our body, the better we can help our bodies heal. Because ultimately, this is the reason our brains are sending these signals. In this show you’ll learn about: Whether we are doing the best approach to improving our health Evidence-based support on ways to heal and reverse chronic diseases Why and how lifestyle medicine works In today’s show, you will learn the mechanism of how stress affects our bodies and what we can do to improve our life. Listen To The Podcast Now.  About Our Guest Dr Tom Guilliams has a doctorate in molecular immunology from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He has spent two decades investigating the mechanisms and actions of lifestyle and nutrient based therapies. He serves as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-School of Pharmacy and is VP of Science for Ortho Molecular Products. He is the founder and president of The Point Institute and has written several teaching manuals functional to the integrative medical community. He is the author of several publications, including The Original Prescription.    Understanding the Human Condition  Why Does Dr Tom Focus On Lifestyle Medicine ? Dr Tom has always been interested in biology and how the world works. Working with a dietary supplement company exposed him to non-traditional ways of asking questions and looking at connections between healing and lifestyle medicine. Access to research literature allowed him to continue investigating the healing properties of the human body. How Lifestyle and Environment Affects Our Bodies Our bodies will prioritize certain mechanisms, behaviors, and cellular performances that are most important when dealing with a stress response. The cumulative effect bad habits have on our bodies. The Signals Of Life We Should Pay Attention To The seven areas we want to look at - diet and nutrition, physical activity, stress response, circadian rhythm, environmental factors, hygiene and health factors, and purpose and community. The seven areas are interdependent and aren’t isolated from each other. Our Concept of Stress People’s perception of stress is tied to the the ability to control the outcomes they want to control. Most of the time stress has to do with time and responsibilities. How the Exposure to Stress Changes our Bodies There are two levels of the stress response - the fight or flight response and the HPA axis. An imbalance happens when a physical response is triggered when there is no physical need for the energy generated. Our body maladapts to the constant disconnect between our stressors and our physiological needs.  Chronic Stress and Our Body Physiological functions in the body are downregulated by chronic stress. We learned to self-medicate through durational use of drugs and caffeine to distract ourselves from being under chronic stress. Our brain protects us from constant stress by downregulating leading to low cortisol levels. How Do We Get People to Take Control of Their Personal Habits and Routines to Reduce Chronic Stress Clinicians and patients need to know the importance of understanding signals and how nutrients affect the body. We have to empower people so they’ll realize that they make the choices on what they put in their body.  We should shift our mindset from evidence-based medicine to medicine-based evidence. Our current system is not geared towards avoiding drugs or surgery.  Answering a perceived stress questionnaire or doing a stress inventory are simple yet effective ways to increase awareness of stress. Think about what you can do about things that are NUTS - things that are New, things that are Uncontrolled, things that Threaten us or give us a Sense of disequilibrium. We need to think outside of the box and not deal exclusively with just cortisol or epinephrine. The Epigenetics of the Stress Response One generation’s stressors are passed down to the next generation. How we responded to stress while we were young affects our ability to deal with stressors later as we get older. Children do not produce Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which acts as a counter balancing beneficial hormone. This makes them more vulnerable to stress. Reducing Your Risk Your genetics or the healthcare system should not dictate whether you’re healthy or not.  Healthcare professionals should believe and empower their patients to do the things they should do.  Stress and the Hippocampus Stress impairs many hippocampus-dependent memory tasks.   The ability to connect and have a robust memory is reduced. The neural behaviour at the heart of learning is under threat by stress.  Stress affects our buffering capacity or our resilience to deal with changes. Resources The Original Prescription by Dr Thomas G. Guilliams with Roni Enten. The Role of Stress and the HPA Axis in Chronic Disease Management: Principles and Protocols for Healthcare Professionals: https://www.pointinstitute.org/shop/ N.U.T.S (Novel, Unpredictable , Threat, Sense of Control): Detailed summary article for GPs and Health Professionals: https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/august/chronic-stress/ The recipe for stress are universal and so are the ingredients. Here’s a short summary of N.U.T.S.: https://humanstress.ca/stress/understand-your-stress/sources-of-stress/ A great article about applying N.U.T.S in education can be found in the Centre for Studies on Human Stress’s monthly publication Mammoth: https://humanstress.ca/Documents/pdf/Mammouth-Magazine/Mammoth_vol5_EN.pdf Perceived Stress Scale: PSS : https://das.nh.gov/wellness/docs/percieved%20stress%20scale.pdf The Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory or Social Readjustment Rating Scale: (Stressful Life Events checklist. You can take the test here: https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory or learn more about the inventory’s development, evidence and application: (https://www.simplypsychology.org/SRRS.html) Stress effects on the hippocampus: a critical review Kim EJ, Pellman B, Kim JJ. Learn Mem. 2015;22(9):411–416. Published 2015 Aug 18. doi:10.1101/lm.037291.114 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4561403/   Stress and your Memory (Hippocampus)   Goleman, D. (2006). Social intelligence: The new science of human relationships. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-13172-000 You can reach out to Tom on his website, where you can also access his whitepapers and ebook. Enjoy The Podcast? If it’s a “Oh Yes I did David!”  Then please, do yourself a huge favour and subscribe to the podcast.  5 Star Review Worthy? If it is we’d love your review. It really does go a long way to help us reach and serve more people.  Do you want to help other people prevent avoidable memory loss? Yes? One simple way is to share what you’ve learned today.  Here’s How:  Take a screenshot of the podcast, post it on social media, make a comment and link to the show, is one, very easy way to help cement your learning and brings you closer to action as well as gifting to others the seeds of better memory health!  FREE Guide To Help Prevent Memory Loss Grab a free copy of the 9 Principles for Memory Health For Life CLICK HERE.  A simple framework to reduce your risk for memory loss. Go on, what have you got to lose?   Of course you can reach me, David Norris, here on the website and connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.   To better memory health,  David P.S. Did you get the free guide?  If not, here’s the link.  Disclaimer: The purpose of Memory Health Made Easy Podcast is to educate and to inform. It is no substitute for professional care by a doctor or qualified professional. This podcast is provided on understanding that it does not constitute medical or personal professional advice or services. Instead, we would encourage you to discuss your options with a health care provider who specializes in your particular needs.

In this interview, Ronald Hoffman, MD, describes the scientific research associated with essential fatty acids, specifically omega-3 fats from fish oil. Hoffman touches on some of the controversial research and then focuses on the practical clinical applications that have been confirmed in the scientific literature.    About the Expert Ronald Hoffman, MD, is a physician in private practice of integrative medicine in New York City. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Since 1984, he has served as Medical Director of the Hoffman Center in Manhattan. Hoffman is past president of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine. Hoffman is the host of Intelligent Medicine, a nationally syndicated radio program, and he produces the daily Intelligent Medicine podcast. He is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and the author of several books, including How to Talk with Your Doctor (About Complementary and Alternative Medicine).  For more information, visit drhoffman.com. About the Sponsor Since 1965, Carlson Labs has produced fresh, pure, award-winning vitamins, minerals, fish oils, and other nutritional supplements. The company began with a single vitamin E product in Founder Susan Carlson’s small Chicago apartment and quickly grew to offer the most complete line of all-natural vitamin E supplements in the world.  In the early 1980s, we helped launch the omega-3 market in North America, importing our high-quality, great-tasting, sustainable fish oils from Norway. In 2009, we released a new marine oil sourced form an abundant species of calamari. Today, the next generation of Carlson leads the company—daughters Carilyn Anderson and Kirsten Carlson—and the innovations continue. Carlson recently announced the opening of Carlson Healthy Oils, our new, state-of-the-art bottling facility in Søvik, Norway. Søvik is located near one of the busiest and most important fishing harbors in the north Atlantic, ensuring that only the finest, freshest fish oils are delivered to Carlson Healthy Oils for refining, distillation and bottling. Transcript Karolyn Gazella: Hello. I'm Karolyn Gazella, the publisher of the Natural Medicine Journal. Thank you for joining me today. Our topic is the utilization of essential fatty acids in clinical practice. And my guest is integrative health expert, Dr. Ronald Hoffman. Before we begin, I'd like to thank our sponsor Carlson Labs. And thank you Dr. Hoffman for joining me today. Ronald Hoffman: Well, thanks for inviting me, Karolyn. Gazella: Well, this is a great topic. And I know that you are consistently a food first clinician. So let's start with something very basic. How much fish does a patient have to eat each week to get the benefit of the omega-3 fats? Hoffman: Well first, let me just say, this is a controversial topic. And especially when it comes to supplementation, but it's generally acknowledged that a fish is healthy. It's beneficial for a variety of reasons in particular for cardiovascular prevention. And usually the suggestion is that people consume 2 to 3 small to moderate portions of oily fish per week to obtain the optimal amount of omega-3s. So, for example, a 6-ounce portion of wild salmon contains about 900 milligrams of the EPA, and about 1,000 milligrams of DHA. And 2 to 3 servings a week of salmon, in particular, in a setting where you have a low intake of omega-6, which competes with omega-3, would be adequate for most people. There's also some information that suggests that the omega-3s in fish are more bioavailable than the omega-3s that you get from a capsules where it's in isolated form. And there may be other compounds within fish, even certain fish peptides or proteins, which may have a beneficial effect. So you're getting kind of an all round benefit when you eat fish. Gazella: That makes a lot of sense. Now I want you to remind us, you mentioned heart health, but can you remind us why these omega-3 fats are so important to human health? Hoffman: Well, there there's so many ways. First of all, fish oil seems to have an anti-inflammatory effect. It works on tamping down pro-inflammatory pathways within the body. These so called eicosanoid pathways. And also, it has a lot to do with membrane fluidity. So fluid membranes help our blood vessels expand and contract, helps the ingress and egress of compounds into our cells, helps nerve transmission. And that may be why fish oils have what are called pleiotropic effects, which means that they work in a multiplicity of ways to help the body. Brain, heart, circulatory system, joints. There may be even an anticancer effect because of its ability to reduce inflammation, which is a trigger for cancer. Gazella: Yeah. And I think sometimes when a substance such as fish oil and these essential fatty acids have multiple effects, and can do so much good on so many levels, there's almost a tendency to be a bit suspicious. But it seems— Hoffman: Right. One of the "too good to be true" phenomenon. It sounds like a panacea. So that tends to induce a little bit of doubt. Gazella: Exactly. So I think that that's when integrative doctors like yourself and our listeners look to the science. So I'd like to talk a little bit about the science as it relates to the practical use in clinical practice. So which conditions in clinical practice will positively and confidently be impacted by essential fatty acid consumption? Hoffman: Well, let's start with the controversy, which is about cardiovascular health. And this really dates back to studies of Greenland Eskimos, which showed a near absence of cardiovascular disease. And so then that sort of triggered the gold rush for fish oil supplementation because they thought, well they consume so much of that stuff, this is going to protect the hearts of normal folks in the West. Lately there's been a lot of blow back against that because, for example, the Cochrane Collaborative has ruled that there is no definitive evidence that fish oil supplementation has heart benefits. But I got to say I critique some of those conclusions because a lot of the studies that show no benefit from fish oil are done with very low doses of fish oil supplements, a capsule or 2 of fish oil of unclear quality. Also, often when we test fish oil for cardiovascular disease, we have people really tanked up on medication. They're on aspirin, they're on statins. Maybe that will blunt the benefit of the fish oil. And also it may be that fish oil is very preventative against cardiovascular disease, and we'll see the benefits if we do a 20- or 30-year study. But if we take very sick people who are near end stage when it comes to cardiovascular outcomes, we're not going to see that taking a fish oil capsule to 2 is going to make a difference. But the really exciting development on the fish oil front, and I got to give credit to the company that did this, Amarin, which is the maker of a pharmaceutical fish oil, has a come up with a study, the REDUCE-IT trial, which suggests that their very concentrated version of fish oil can reduce cardiovascular disease risks by 25%. Now they were very quick to say by no means does this suggest that fish oil pills are equivalent to our medication. But Vascepa is really concentrated EPA. And so it remains to be seen if supplementary fish oil has that robust effect. In many studies, it came up short. Gazella: So let's stick with the cardiovascular effects. When you're talking about that Cochrane Collaborative, was that the study that came out late last year that you're talking about that was a bit controversial, and pretty widely publicized? Hoffman: Right. And with kind of lurid headlines like there was an editorial in, I guess, it was Journal of the American Medical Association, which is "The Last Nail in the Coffin of Fish Oil." It's almost gleefully pouncing on the supplement industry saying that it doesn't work. But by the same token, I'm pretty sure that the self same journals are going to run ads for the Amarin product that's been validated by scientific research. Another problem with some of these studies is when some of these studies compare fish oil to an inert placebo, which is olive oil. Well that may be a mistake. Because olive oil actually has cardiovascular benefits. And interestingly in the Amarin study, the REDUCE-IT trial, their placebo was mineral oil. And because you had to give a lot of of these refined fish oil capsules in the active group, you had to have a lot of mineral oil capsules. A lot of people were consuming a lot of mineral oil, which some people would say could actually be deleterious when it comes to a cardiovascular health and reducing the absorption of other critical nutrients. So this is a very fraught area of discussion because some people say, well, fish oil doesn't make a difference. I would say that it may be different strokes for different folks. Some people who are very deficient in omega-3 would obtain a great deal of benefit. Other people are pretty tanked up on dietary fish consumption. So the benefit is not going to be that great. There may be some genetics involved. Also, it may be that if you're consuming a lot of omega-six fatty acids from seed oils, these are pervasive in our western diet. That may blunt the benefits of omega-3s because we look at the ratio of omega-3 to 6 as being an important determinant of health. Gazella: Yeah, that's a good point. So I'd like to stick on the clinical applications here. There are a lot of doctors that I interview that actually think of fish oil or these essential fatty acids as foundational. And if their patients are not eating enough fish, and they're not getting enough of these in the diet, they automatically supplement even if there's no real clinical application. What's your view in your clinical practice? Do you supplement? When do you supplement? And for what conditions other than cardiovascular may you consider fish oil supplements? Hoffman: I do believe in that, what you just stated. Which is I think that that's part of, if one's going to construct a [inaudible 00:09:43] series of 4 or 5 supplements that people should take, I think fish oil is right up there. I personally take fish oil. I have my family members taking fish oil. I have my patients taking fish oil. And it's kind of an insurance policy against lack of the requisite amount of fish oil that prevents a variety of diseases. We see also benefits in pregnancy. A recent study showed that there was a preventive effect against preeclampsia of omega-3 supplementation. That's a bad pregnancy outcome. Also reduces the instance of premature births. There may be some benefits in terms of a kid's ultimate intellectual development, DHA, which is a constituent of fish oil. Docosahexaenoic acid is naturally present in breast milk. So it was only recently that US manufacturers joined the rest of the world in adding DHA to infant formulas. Long overdue. Also in brain conditions. We look at a lot of neurodegenerative conditions where there's an inflammatory component. These include Alzheimer's, also depression. There are actually some very good studies looking at depression and omega-3 fatty acid administration. Certainly that would be an area of application. Autoimmune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermatological conditions that are inflammatory, on and on it goes. There's so many different applications. Gazella: Yeah. Now you mentioned DHA, and often when we think of omega-3s, we do think specifically of DHA and EPA. Now you mentioned the applications of DHA in terms of pregnancy and childbirth. So from a clinical perspective, is there a time when you look to one of these to be emphasized over the other? Can you expand on that a little bit more? Hoffman: Yeah. And I wish there was a rocket science answer to that. And I've just looked long and hard into the literature over the past few years. And it appears that EPA may be more important as an anti-inflammatory. And many studies suggest it's good for the brain because it reduces inflammation. But also DHA plays a very important role in brain health. It's certainly important in neurodevelopment. Deficiency of DHA is associated with behavioral problems and intellectual problems in kids. And so it really is unclear. And if someone says it's DHA or EPA as a definitive answer, I would say, walk away from that conclusion. They seem to work synergistically to support health. The question is sometimes ratio, sometimes in certain conditions we might go for more DHA, other conditions we might emphasize EPA. But it appears that they both play central roles, and sometimes in the very self same condition. Gazella: Yeah. Now, before I leave the topic of the research, because we talked about the controversial negative research that came out late last year, and sometimes bubbles to the surface every now and then. It seems like, and I know you're in the scientific literature all the time, it seems like the more I look at the scientific literature, gosh, there's not a month that goes by where I don't read a new study on fish oil. So in general, are you pleased with the research that's coming out about these essential fatty acids? Hoffman: Well, the last time I checked, there are at least 20 or 30,000 articles that support the benefits of fish oil for one or another health problem. So when some group like the Cochrane Collaborative comes out and says fish oil is worthless, I think it's a conclusion that ignores the vast amount of evidence that supports the benefits of fish oil. So, it's not binary. I think that we can't overhype or overestimate the universal benefits of fish oil supplementation. And there are appropriate cautions when we look at some of these big studies. But still, I'm generally supportive of especially targeted use of omega-3 for specific conditions. Gazella: So now let's dig into some practical aspects. If a patient can't get the omega-3s that they need from diet alone, what dosage or ratio of these fats are typically recommended as a dietary supplement? Hoffman: Well again, it depends. So for example, for cardiovascular, I'm thinking if people have serious cardiovascular problems, they need higher doses. So that comes to us for the REDUCE-IT study that used 4,000 of EPA, pure EPA to reduce cardiovascular risk. So it kind of depends on what you're dealing with. To lower triglycerides, for example, you need pretty high doses, not just a pill a day, or even 2 pills a day. But for general supplementation, I suggest one of the potent formulations of omega-3 that delivers a high percentage of EPA-DHA per capsule. The 1,000 milligram capsules, not the little teensy tiny capsules, 1 capsule, twice daily for general prevention. Gazella: So that's 1,000 milligrams twice daily for general. And then what's the upper dose for somebody who may be having cardiovascular issues? Did you say 4,000? Hoffman: I would say 4,000 for somebody with cardiovascular issues. Now what we have to be a little careful because some people have bleeding tendencies, or who are on blood thinners. And I notice it's very individual because some people taking high doses of fish oil have no problem whatsoever. Others have more easy bruising, or some signs, nosebleeds, that suggest that that is thinning the blood inordinately. Gazella: Right. And I agree- Hoffman: And that's a good effect. Ultimately, from a cardiovascular disease standpoint, that's actually a good effect. Gazella: Right. And I do agree with you, it's a highly individualized approach that each practitioner uses. What about contraindications and safety? Anything else that needs to be discussed regarding that? Hoffman: There are some studies that suggest that because omega-3 fatty acids sort of tamp down the immune system, as in autoimmune diseases, I love using them in conditions like Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, that very high doses might suppress the immune system to the point where people are more vulnerable to infections. But I've seen a couple of suggestions in studies that that can be a problem. But I haven't seen it as a practical situation. Just as a potential caution. I would look to that possibly. Gastrointestinal symptoms limits its use because some people are prone to diarrhea. It's great for all sorts of ulcerative colitis, but that being a GI condition, it's sometimes hard to administer sufficient amounts to get a good effect. Gazella: Yeah. And the autoimmune conditions kind of caught my attention. So did you say that you use higher doses in cases of autoimmunity? Hoffman: I do. There are some studies that suggest that as much as 9,000 per day can be beneficial in ulcerative colitis, which is an autoimmune condition. But again, that too has been subject to question. Some study suggests that it's not as helpful as was once thought for UC. But I think it's just reducing the inflammatory cascade is very important in these diseases. So you can really sort of turn around. It's like using this powerful immune modulators that really target parts of the immune system and knock them out. Well, they knocked the immune system out to the point, the pharmaceutical drugs, where people are vulnerable to infections. And fish oil may be sort of a more gentle immune modulator that kind of turns down the volume on an autoimmune reaction. Gazella: Yeah. That's good information. So a big issue when it comes to fish oil supplementation is quality. I mean obviously quality is always a big issue. But it seems like it's even more important when it comes to fish oil in particular. Why is that? Hoffman: Well, there're a lot of issues with the quality and storage of fish oil. Fish oil, as a polyunsaturated fat, is subject to rancidity. So freshness is a big issue. I would look to a big reputable brand that's been around for a long time. I would also look at third-party certification. There are various places that do that. One of them is called IFOS, which is the International Fish Oil Standard program. There's also the USP and the NSF, the national standards, which give companies a validation that their product is pure and of good quality. You want to make sure there's no flavorings or colorings to bad artificial ingredients. Another issue is sustainability. There's this issue of overfishing the oceans. And one certification is offered by something called the Marine Stewardship Council. Which awards a certificate to companies that farm fish responsibly rather than devastating the environment. Fish oil should have maybe a faintly fishy smell, but if it has sort of a bigger acrid taste or smell, that's likely that it's rancid. And the other thing is just the potency. You want to look at products that deliver the requisite amount of EPA DHA per capsule. And that has to do with the degree of concentration and molecular distillation that they undergo to deliver active ingredient rather than just fishy extract in a capsule. You want to look at the presence of PCBs, or mercury. And there should be a purity guarantee. And especially when companies undertake a responsible self-testing, where they test batches of their material, and you can actually request their specs. You just email the company, or call a 800 number, and they can actually give you the specs on the product that you're taking, just to verify that you're not getting harmful amounts of mercury, or PCBs. So those are among the concerns. If you go to a place, and you find a bottle of fish oil, it's like $9.99 for 500 capsules, I mean, it's not very plausible that they're doing adequate quality control. Gazella: Right. I think that that's a really good point. Now when you're talking about... I want to touch on some of these. Because you brought up a lot for practitioners to think about when it comes to them choosing a high-quality fish oil supplement. So when you're talking about that third-party certification, is that third party company the one that tests for mercury and purity, and things like that? Or is that something that's done in-house by the manufacturer? Hoffman: I think it's actually responsible companies will test the material on receiving the material. First of all, they receive a big batch of fish oil before they encapsulate it. So they want to make sure that their supply chain is reliable. So they'll undertake pre-testing. They'll also sometimes do an audit. They'll say, "Let's take a bottle of this stuff at random, and let's do random testing and see if what comes out of the assembly line is fresh." I think they might do tests for lipid peroxides, but also free of contaminants. So it's more expensive to do that. There's no question. But responsible companies that want to maintain a good reputation and deliver quality products undertake that. And that's actually a selling point for them because the consumer can feel they're reliable. Gazella: Oh, I would agree. And I think for our listeners, they can get the specs of those random testing batches and the third party certification information, that all helps to know that they can— Hoffman: There's a lot number. There's actually a lot number on the products so that people could say, "Well I have lot number 56328. Can you show me the spec sheet?" And your eyes glaze over when you see these spec sheets. But you can actually see the contamination is like 0.0000000... way below what the EPA, for example, Environmental Protection Agency, would consider a toxic exposure. Gazella: Here's a random question. I was told once that if you have a fishy burp that that means the product is rancid. Hoffman: No. I think that's a kind of a misconception. You can minimize the fishy burp in a couple of ways. One is to take what are called enteric capsules, but there's a trade off. A, they're more expensive, and B, they don't contain as much fish oil. Enteric means that they're coated so that they break down lower in your GI track. The fishy burp can be camouflaged also by lemon flavoring, or orange flavoring, or sometimes cherry flavoring. And also to some extent the fishiness is associated with purity of the capsule. So products that are not highly distilled will have some... it's basically you're smelling the proteins, or the various residues that are not the active ingredient. But you can't really use that as an ironclad way of determining if the product you've taken is fresh or rancid. Gazella: Yeah. That's what I was thinking as well. Hoffman: I would not stand by that. And some people are highly sensitive to the smell or taste of fish oil. Some people have GERD or reflux. And they have an aftertaste of many things that they take in. Gazella: Right. Yeah. Okay. So what's your view on krill oil versus fish oil? Do you have a preference one over the other? And if you do, why? Hoffman: Well, okay. There's a lot of promotion of krill oil. And it's based on a couple of basic ideas. One is that while krill oil, the actual capsules may contain less fish oil, and some of the capsules are smaller. Those are usually easier to swallow, that's a selling point. That it's more bioavailable. I've looked at the studies that purport to show that and they're very few and far between. They're based on a small number of individuals. They don't really meet the threshold for demonstrating that the claims are really true, that you're going to get more into your system. The other benefit is said to be that they contain astaxanthin, which is a good thing supposedly. It's an antioxidant. It's got benefits. If you want to take astaxanthin, take it in a separate pill, or just eat farmed salmon. Because farmed salmon is loaded with astaxanthin. It's what they use to make the flesh look red. So I'm not the biggest fan of krill oil. Plus there's also a sustainability issue. It's very aggressively farmed. It's a form of crustacean that supports the whale population. And it's a little worrisome that there a scooping up all the krill to feed a very, very hungry marketplace in Europe and the United States. Gazella: Yeah, I would agree. I think that sustainability issue is really an important one. I also agree. I don't read nearly as many studies on krill oil as I do on fish oil. The issue of astaxanthin, is there even enough in krill oil to have a therapeutic effect? Hoffman: Yeah. First of all, astaxanthin is one of those things that has purported benefits, and I think it's on my radar screen amongst beneficial supplements. But it doesn't have as much robust information to support it as some of the more tried and true things like curcumin, and omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D, and coenzyme Q10. I think those are real stayer players. And astaxanthin is a little bit in an intermediate stage of credibility. Gazella: So what do you recommend for your vegetarian and vegan patients when it comes to essential fatty acid supplementation? Hoffman: Well, they can, I mean there's a couple of ways to go. One is to take flaxseed oil, or to eat a lot of nuts like walnuts and flaxseeds that are rich in omega-3 precursors. But the problem is the human body, and it's variable in its genetic capability. Some people convert very readily, and other people don't convert very well at all. So the solution then is to get vegan capsules. They're made from algae, and virtually every company that markets fish oils markets products for vegan users. The concentration of EPA and DHA is going to be a little less these. Most of these products skew more towards DHA than EPA because DHA predominates in algae as opposed to fish that you usually deliver more EPA than DHA. But you can go that that route. I think it's particularly important for vegans to supplement. if you're going to go vegan, you got watch for B12, you got to watch for zinc, you have to watch for your omega-3s, and certainly iron. And then you can frequently be a vegan. Gazella: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Now, we covered a lot today, but I want to make sure that we have covered everything associated with the utilization of essential fatty acids in clinical practice. What further advice can you give our listeners who are either using fish oil in their clinical practice, or want to use it differently, or want to use fish oil more in their clinical practice? What your bottom line advice to them? Hoffman: Well, I got to say keep your eye on the specific studies that clearly demonstrate the benefits of fish oil. Look at the therapeutic uses of fish oil. I think kind of ignore some of the bold headlines like "The Final Nail in the Coffin of Fish Oil." That's a little overdramatic. That was a JAMA headline last year that gleefully pounced on a study that showed that fish oil didn't make much difference. And also look to specific conditions. So for example, we're looking at concussions now. A very high dose fish oil in a protocol for concussions has been shown to be efficacious. So, there's 2 aspects. One is the general use. Yeah. Everybody should get some omega-3s. We should certainly eat fish, and perhaps supplement with some omega-3. But also look at the targeted application of fish oil as a therapeutic agent, not just as a dietary constituent for prevention. But as a molecularly targeted therapeutic agent that deserves a place alongside with our commonly used drugs, medications. It's no coincidence that a companies are now making concentrated fish oil, and selling them as prescription drugs on the pharmaceutical marketplace. Gazella: Yeah, I think that's great advice. Taking a look at this from a therapeutic targeted perspective in clinical practice I think is really important. I have to say following the research on fish oil, and EPA, and DHA is pretty exciting. Hoffman: It's a little bit like a watching Djokovic play in the finals at Wimbledon, going back and forth. Gazella: Exactly. I watched that match. It was incredible. Hoffman: It's like, well, let's see. Who's on top? Yeah. Gazella: Yeah. Well, as per usual Dr. Hoffman, this has been great. You've provided us with a lot of information that our listeners can use in their clinical practice. So I want to thank you for joining me. And I also want to, once again, thank our sponsor who is Carlson Labs. So thanks for joining me, Dr. Hoffman. Hoffman: Thank you very much, Karolyn. Really enjoyed talking to you. Gazella: Great. Have a wonderful day. Hoffman: You take care.

Recorded by Pr Moises Guerrero

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. DHA is also required for maintenance of normal brain function in adults. The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet improves learning ability, whereas deficiencies of DHA are associated with deficits in learning. DHA is taken up by the brain in preference to other fatty acids. The turnover of DHA in the brain is very fast, more so than is generally realized. Please read disclaimer at BGangel.com

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. DHA is also required for maintenance of normal brain function in adults. The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet improves learning ability, whereas deficiencies of DHA are associated with deficits in learning. DHA is taken up by the brain in preference to other fatty acids. The turnover of DHA in the brain is very fast, more so than is generally realized. Please read disclaimer at BGangel.com

Red blood cell (RBC) n-3 fatty acid status is related to various health outcomes. Accepted biological markers for the fatty acid status determination are RBC phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidyletholamine. The analysis of these lipid fractions is demanding and time consuming and total phospholipid n-3 fatty acid levels might be affected by changes of sphingomyelin contents in the RBC membrane during n-3 supplementation. We developed a method for the specific analysis of RBC glycerophospholipids. The application of the new method in a DHA supplementation trial and the comparison to established markers will determine the relevance of RBC GPL as a valid fatty acid status marker in humans. Methyl esters of glycerophospholipid fatty acids are selectively generated by a two step procedure involving methanolic protein precipitation and base-catalysed methyl ester synthesis. RBC GPL solubilisation is facilitated by ultrasound treatment. Fatty acid status in RBC glycerophospholipids and other established markers were evaluated in thirteen subjects participating in a 30 days supplementation trial (510 mg DHA/d). The intra-assay CV for GPL fatty acids ranged from 1.0 to 10.5% and the inter-assay CV from 1.3 to 10.9%. Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation significantly increased the docosahexaenoic acid contents in all analysed lipid fractions. High correlations were observed for most of the mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and for the omega-3 index (r = 0.924) between RBC phospholipids and glycerophospholipids. The analysis of RBC glycerophospholipid fatty acids yields faster, easier and less costly results equivalent to the conventional analysis of RBC total phospholipids.

Background: trans unsaturated fatty acids are thought to interfere with essential fatty acid metabolism. To extend our knowledge of this phenomenon, we investigated the relationship between trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in mothers during pregnancy and in their infants at birth. Methods: Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was determined in Spanish (n = 120), German (n = 78) and Hungarian (n = 43) women at the 20th and 30th week of gestation, at delivery and in their newborns. Results: At the 20th week of gestation, the sum of trans fatty acids in PE was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in Hungarian {[}0.73 (0.51), % wt/wt, median (IQR)] than in Spanish {[}1.42 (1.36)] and German {[}1.30 (1.21)] women. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) values in PE were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in Hungarian {[}5.65 (2.09)] than in Spanish {[}4.37 (2.60)] or German {[}4.39 (3.3.2)] women. The sum of trans fatty acids significantly inversely correlated to DHA in PCs in Spanish (r = -0.37, p < 0.001), German (n = -0.77, p < 0.001) and Hungarian (r = -0.35, p < 0.05) women, and in PEs in Spanish (r = -0.67, p < 0.001) and German (r = -0.71, p < 0.001), but not in Hungarian (r = -0.02) women. Significant inverse correlations were seen between trans fatty acids and DHA in PEs at the 30th week of gestation (n = 241, r = -0.52, p < 0.001), at delivery (n = 241, r = -0.40, p < 0.001) and in cord lipids (n = 218, r = -0.28, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Because humans cannot synthesize trans isomeric fatty acids, the data obtained in the present study support the concept that high maternal trans isomeric fatty acid intake may interfere with the availability of LCPUFA both for the mother and the fetus. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 12:00:00 +0100 https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/17769/1/jpm.2008.048.pdf Koletzko, Berthold ddc:610, Medizin

Background: Folic acid plays a fundamental role in cell division and differentiation. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with infantile neurological and cognitive development. Thus, optimal intrauterine development and growth requires adequate supply of these nutrients during pregnancy. Methods: Healthy pregnant women, aged 18-41 years, were recruited in Granada (Spain; n = 62), Munich (Germany; n = 97) and Pecs (Hungary; n = 152). We estimated dietary DHA and folate intake in weeks 20 (w20) and 30 of gestation (w30) using a food frequency questionnaire with specific focus on the dietary sources of folate and DHA. Results: Both w20 and w30 Spanish participants had significantly higher daily DHA intakes (155 +/- 13 and 161 +/- 9 mg/1,000 kcal) than the German (119 +/- 9 and 124 +/- 12 mg/1,000 kcal; p = 0.002) and Hungarian participants (122 +/- 8 and 125 +/- 10 mg/1,000 kcal; p = 0.005). Hungarian women had higher folate intakes in w20 and w30 (149 +/- 5 and 147 +/- 6 mu g/1,000 kcal) than Spanish (112 +/- 2 and 110 +/- 2 mu g/1,000 kcal; p < 0.001) and German participants (126 +/- 4 and 120 +/- 6 mu g/1,000 kcal; p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Dietary DHA and folate intake of pregnant women differs significantly across the three European cohorts. Only 7% of the participants reached the recommended folate intake during pregnancy, whereas nearly 90% reached the DHA recommended intake of 200 mg per day. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 12:00:00 +0100 https://edoc.ub.uni-muenchen.de/3034/ https://edoc.ub.uni-muenchen.de/3034/1/Klingler_Mario.pdf Klingler, Mario

Background: We studied the oxidation of an oil rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; DHASCO(R)) in lactating mothers receiving a dietary DHA supplement or a placebo. The results were compared with the oxidation of linoleic acid. Methods: Breast-feeding mothers received a dietary supplement (DHASCO; 200 mg DHA/day, n = 5) or a placebo (n = 5) for 14 days. Six weeks post partum all 10 mothers received a single dose of 2 mg/kg body weight uniformly C-13-labeled DHASCO. In a previously reported study 6 mothers received 1 mg/kg body weight uniformly C-13-labeled linoleic acid. Breath samples were collected over 48 h after tracer application. The total CO2 production was measured by indirect calorimetry and the C-13 isotopic enrichment of labeled CO2 by isotopic ratio mass spectrometry. Results: The oxidation of C-13-labeled DHASCO in the supplemented and placebo groups was similar. Maximal C-13 enrichment was reached earlier in the group receiving C-13-DHASCO (median 1.0 vs. 3.0 h in the linoleic acid group). The cumulative C-13 recovery in breath was higher in the DHASCO versus the linoleic acid group until 10 h after tracer application and comparable thereafter. Conclusions: The difference in oxidation of DHASCO versus linoleic acid after tracer ingestion might be partly due to a faster absorption and oxidation of shorter chain saturated fatty acids contained in DHASCO. The cumulative oxidation of DHASCO and linoleic acid 24 and 48 h after tracer ingestion is similar. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.