15 replies to this topic

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to an article from rednova.com entitled, "Scientists Discover How Fish Oil Protects the Brain""Louisiana State University scientists say they have discovered how the fatty acids found in fish oil help protect the human brain from the type of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Their study shows that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in coldwater fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon, reduces levels of a protein known to cause damaging plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

What's more, the researchers discovered that a derivative of DHA, which they dubbed 'neuroprotectin D1' (NPD1), is made in the human brain. That natural substance plays a key role, too, in protecting the brain from cell death, the study showed."

The article explains, "'Now what does this tell us from the point of view of the disease? I believe that, obviously, diet is a major issue here,' said Dr. Nicolas G. Bazan, director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans."

The article indicates, "'DHA is an essential building block for the structure of brain cells,' he noted. 'And now we are finding that this building block also makes a 'golden brick' (NPD1) that helps the life of the neurons to continue.'"

The article concludes, "'We are concluding that neuroprotectin D1 induces a gene expression program that is neuroprotective, meaning that it promotes survival of brain cells,' Bazan said. And that discovery, he added, could one day lead to the development of a new treatment to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease."

The article adds, "For now, though, people should pursue a nutritional approach to warding off Alzheimer's and diminishing the effects of the disease.

Since DHA sources are safe, cheap, available and clinically proven to fight heart disease, the nation's number one killer, Cole said he would advise families of Alzheimer's patients to make sure their loved ones get the minimum recommended DHA from their diet or supplements. Experts recommend 200 to 300 milligrams per day, a far greater amount than the 60 to 80 milligrams daily that Americans typically get in their diet, he noted."

Enjoy and have a nice day.

Bob-C

[snorkels4]

sadly, the govmedpharmaeconoindustrial complex will never fully embrace anything so simple for a great number of reasons, so, neither will the populace popping a capsule or changing the diet is out of the realm of reality for most americans, which are mostly uninformed anyway---- J6P and the unwashed masses if cigarettes, beer, sodas, doughnut and bottled water could secretly contain nutrients, we'd have a winner, maybe.

Edited by snorkels4, 11 September 2005 - 12:48 PM.

[Sentient Being]

Thanks Bob, looks like something worth adding to my daily pill routine. I'm going to look for some in the suppliment section this afternoon. My wife hates the smell of fish in the house so there has been precious little in my diet. Now, what was it that I was going to do?

Edited by Sentient Being, 11 September 2005 - 12:59 PM.

[calmcookie]

I know little about TA, but do know a great deal about this subject (essential fatty acids / health ... wrote a book about it). I cannot begin to tell you how much evidence there is for supplementing the diet with DHA and EPA. But I would recommend liquid form, not capsules. A hundred years ago this sort of supplementation may not have been AS important ... the difficulty with the typical American diet these days is the IMBALANCE of essential fatty acids and the often low percentage of omega 3 vs omega 6 fats. Our processed foods are also loaded with partially hydrogenated fats (look at labels) which I could write another book about (HUMANS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO CONSUME PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED FATS ... PERIOD). Many many disorders can be significantly improved or entirely healed via essential fatty acid supplementation (hey, that's why they're called ESSENTIAL). Depression is a major issue for those with EFA imbalance. Too bad most people turn to prozac or zoloft ... mere bandaid solutions ... NOT the answer.

But, enough.

Good health to all, C.C.

Edited by calmcookie, 11 September 2005 - 01:42 PM.

[calmcookie]

Last thing ... the topic of "health" is as complex and multi-faceted as
the stock market. There is, of course, no ONE magic pill
or supplement that's a panacea. If forced to give a one word "panacea"
for well-being ... it would be BALANCE.

Not too much and not too little.


C.C. (a shame that most people spend more time on their houses, cars
or finances than in understanding the greatest gift of all ... vibrant health)

Edited by calmcookie, 11 September 2005 - 02:06 PM.

[gorydog]

The spice Turmeric may also prevent Alzheimers. I take that also. GD

[outsider]

The problems with nutritional supplements have been widely publicized. To summarize, there is no standardization! No way to prove how much of an active ingredient you are getting, how many impurities are present, what is the appropriate dosage, when the active ingredients expire, etc.... This area is an extremely lucrative business subject to extreme hype based many times on mere hints of research being done in an area. Supplement companies vigorously compete to get the first punch in and make a fortune, then many times disappear before the law can catch up with them. Some have caused severe damage or death like ephedra, tryptophan, etc... So be careful. Increasing diet containing a particular substance may be a more prudent way to go. That said, omega 3 does seem at this point to have beneficial effects. My daughter works in the research lab of a nationally prominent nutrition researcher and the results with RATS are very promising at this point. What we need is an overseeing agency to help with standardization. Worked real well with vioxx, huh? ---Out

[calmcookie]

Sorry Outsider, But you don't know what you're talking about. With respect to EFA's there are independant labs that verify quality and composition. Also ... DHA and EPA have been studied for decades, in humans. The "rat" comment is irrelevant. C.C.

Edited by calmcookie, 11 September 2005 - 04:47 PM.

[gorydog]

...... Some have caused severe damage or death like ephedra, tryptophan, etc...  So be careful. Increasing diet containing a particular substance may be a more prudent way to go.....
---Out

Ephedra & tryptophan were drugs from the start. There are a large number of items sold in "health food stores" that also are possibly dangerous drugs. EFA's and turmeric, on the other hand, are true foods.

GD

[arbman]

I grew up eating fish every day for lunch until the middle school or so since I had to have lunch at the school afterwards. If you like eating fish regularly, prefer smaller and wild caught fish (red snapper etc) to the bigger kind of fishes (swordfish, tuna etc). The smaller fishes will live shorter and accumulate less amount of mercury.

So, my popular lunch diet when I was a kid was a fish called Hamsi (only found in the Black Sea along the costs of northern Turkey), it is similar to anchovy, very rich in phosphorous content --a very needed nutrient for the growing brain and nervous system, along with the proteins and other fats. My mom would serve it boiled only with some lemon like below...



Oh I miss them so much now in US!!!



But my favorite is orata, also called sea bream, similar to the Thai Snapper (or red snapper);



I think it is usually found in the Egean Sea or north of the Mediterranean Sea in between Turkey and Greece, nice!



I found a seller in US to import these fresh (wild caught) from there once a month now, yummy!

The bigger is not really the better when it comes down to the fish for me...

- kisa