Category Archives: All Articles

What is the takeaway from this research? There is growing evidence that very long chain omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for maintaining cognitive health, and many Americans do not have an adequate intake of these nutrients. “While more research is needed to determine whether intake of fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and trout can help prevent against cognitive decline, our preliminary data support previous research showing that intake of these types of fish have health benefits,” Dr. Scott said. –

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Though previous studies have shown that concussions can hinder cognitive function, recent research shows that they can also increase suicidal tendencies in teens.

Lead study author Dr. Gabriela Ilie, a post-doctoral fellow at St. Michael’s Hospital, said he discovered that teens who suffered a traumatic brain injury, including a concussion, were at “significantly greater odds” of attempting suicide. They were also at an increased risk of being bully or engaging in different high-risk behaviors.

The study results showed that teens who had suffered from a concussion were more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including drug use, drinking and driving and potentially using a deadly weapon.

“These results show that preventable brain injuries and mental health and behavioral problems among teens continue to remain a blind spot in our culture,” Ilie said, via a press release. “These kids are falling through the cracks.”

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Damage to specific brain regions may be linked to the prognosis of concussion patients with vestibulopathy, according to a study published online April 14 in Radiology.

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With an aging population looking to live longer and function better in their later years, people are desperate for anything that might help them combat this mysterious enemy responsible for aching knees, degenerating joints, and even more serious conditions such as cancer and heart disease.

This isn’t just a concern for seniors; inflammation needs to be taken seriously no matter what your age or physical condition. In fact, though hypertension has traditionally been known as the “silent killer,” chronic inflammation deserves that reputation as well.

Unfortunately, whether by design or not, the pharmaceutical and supplement industries have made understanding inflammation incredibly confusing for the average consumer. Far too often this leads people to either get “locked on” to a minor part of the puzzle, thinking they’re taking care of inflammation while ignoring the big picture; or simply give up on preventing inflammation and reach for their NSAIDs instead.

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What is possibly the most fascinating thing about this study is that it was conducted by two brothers in Montana – a high school junior and freshman. (comment – mdl)

While most high school kids are deficient in DHA, supplements derived from salmon could address the deficiency, the Noricks hypothesized.

The brothers set up an experiment to test their theory. First, each subject student agreed to provide a pin-prick’s worth of a blood, gathered by the high school nurse. The samples were then sent to a lab at Montana State University for DHA analysis. The samples showed that the students, were, in fact, low in DHA.

At the same time, the subject students took standardized cognitive tests that measured working memory and reaction times. Then for the next two months, one-third took a standard DHA supplement, another third took double the standard dose, and the rest took a placebo.

DHA levels were measured again, and subject students re-took the standardized cognitive tests. Those given the regular supplement showed marked improvement on the tests, and those given the placebo did not.

But what really interested the brothers was the group given double the supplements. While they showed improvement, they didn’t do any better than those on a regular dosage.

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People who suffer a brain injury – for example through  trauma, stroke or infection – are at an increased risk of developing  epilepsy, and this is often difficult to treat. The precise mechanisms involved are still not fully understood and research is ongoing. In a recent study, scientists in Boston investigated changes in GABA- and glutamate-signalling following traumatic brain injury, to see whether these contribute to the development of epilepsy.

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It was big news… and positive: A new meta-analysis of 70 randomized clinical trials – the gold standard – showed that omega-3s from supplements and fortified foods could significantly improve blood pressure. So why is the mainstream media silent over findings that could have significant public health implications?

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Markets/Something-smells-fishy-Why-the-media-silence-over-the-blood-pressure-benefits-of-omega-3s

Consuming omega-3 supplements or omega-3-rich food may be as effective as reducing sodium or alcohol, or increasing exercise for reducing blood pressure, says a new meta-analysis of 70 randomized controlled trials. A study published online today shows that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA – commonly found in fatty fish and fish oil supplements – are as effective, if not more effective, in lowering blood pressure as some of the commonly recommended lifestyle changes like increasing physical activity and restricting alcohol and sodium intake. The findings, released by the American Journal of Hypertension, are good news, especially for those with elevated blood pressure– estimated to be approximately 60 percent of the U.S. adult population.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Significant-clinical-impact-Meta-analysis-finds-omega-3s-equal-lifestyle-changes-for-blood-pressure-benefits

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HIGHER OMEGA-3 DHA IN CHILDREN MAY PROVIDE BETTER SLEEP: A research team has found that higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acid called DHA and the omega-6 fatty acid called AA are associated with improved sleep. In this placebo-controlled study, all children studied were 7-9 years old. Half of the 362 children studied were given placebos and the rest took 600 mg of DHA from algae daily for 16 weeks and sleep patterns were assessed before and after the study. Also, 43 of the children were also fitted with wrist sensors to monitor their movements in bed over five nights. Results indicated that supplemented children got 58 minutes more sleep per night and had seven fewer waking episodes nightly. Blood levels of DHA were also tested and the findings indicated that higher blood levels of DHA were significantly associated with better sleep and less bedtime resistance, and total sleep disturbance. The study also found that higher ratios of DHA in relation to the long-chain omega-6 fatty acid AA (arachidonic acid) were also associated with fewer sleep problems. The study will be published in a future issue of the Journal of Sleep Research but has not yet been released to the public.

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The Institute of Medicine released a comprehensive report last week on the long-term risks of blast exposure for service members.

The majority of these blasts are caused by improvised explosive devices (IED). More than 33,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have been wounded by an IED, but according to the IOM report, that figure likely underestimates the prevalence of blast-related injuries. Soldiers who don’t sustain noticeable or catastrophic wounds might not realize that the body absorbs a blast shock wave, sometimes causing nervous system or tissue damage that’s not apparent in the aftermath.

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A new study has some disturbing information about football helmets.

The research, which was released Monday, reveals that the helmets currently used on the field may do little to protect against hits to the side of the head, which can cause brain injuries and encephalopathy.

Researchers say they modified the standard drop test system approved by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, which tests impacts and helmet safety. A crash test dummy head and neck were used to simulate impact, and sensors were placed on the dummy’s head to measure linear and rotation responses to repeated 12 mph impacts.

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Head and neck injuries may triple the odds that a young adult or child suffers the leading form of stroke, new research suggests.

While strokes remain relatively rare in younger people, they do occur, one expert said.

“Two thirds of strokes occur in people over the age of 65, but one third of strokes occur in those under the age of 65,” said Dr. Richard Libman, chief of the division of vascular neurology at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, N.Y.

In the study, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed the medical records of 1.3 million people younger than 50 who were treated for head and neck injuries in emergency trauma departments.

They found that 145 (or 11 of every 100,000) patients suffered an ischemic stroke within four weeks of the injury. According to the American Stroke Association, 87 percent of strokes are ischemic strokes, which are caused by blocked blood flow in the brain.

“These findings are important because strokes after trauma might be preventable,” lead author Dr. Christine Fox, assistant professor of neurology at UCSF, said in an ASA news release.

Dr. Robert Glatter is director of sports medicine and traumatic brain injury at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He believes that “the key take-home point from this study is that strokes that occur after trauma to the head and neck may be preventable, essentially by developing a greater awareness of this injury, along with prompt attention to diagnosis and treatment.”

“Although the absolute numbers of patients affected by a potential stroke seem small on a national level, the emotional, physical and financial costs are devastating, as the average age of patients suffering a stroke in this study was 37 years of age,” Glatter said. “Prompt treatment … may be lifesaving and reduce disability in the long run.”

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Postpartum depression is a relatively common disorder that can lead to unhealthy early mother-infant interaction and potentially poor early childhood development. It is estimated that the disorder may affect as many as 10-15% of women in the first three months after birth. Several previous studies have looked at the possible connection between seafood intake and the incidence of postpartum depression.

In a study published online in Plos One, researchers sought to determine whether a low maternal omega-3 index in late pregnancy was associated with higher levels of postpartum depressive symptoms. The omega-3 index is a measurement of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA in red blood cells, expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids.

The study group included 72 Norwegian women who were pregnant between November 2009 and June 2011. At 28 weeks of pregnancy, blood samples were taken from the mothers to determine the fatty acids status. At the well baby check-up 3 months postpartum, a regional version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to determine the level of depressive symptoms in the mothers.

The women with a lower omega-3 index had a higher level of depressive symptoms three months after pregnancy. When analyzing %DHA alone, the association was even more significant. In addition to the omega-3 index and DHA content, other measures such as the omega-3/omega-6 ratio were also inversely correlated to higher depressive symptoms. The reported dietary and supplemental intake of fish was highly correlated to the measured omega-3 index.

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For the first time, neuroscientists have systematically identified the white matter “scaffold” of the human brain, the critical communications network that supports brain function.

Their work, published Feb. 11 in the open-source journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, has major implications for understanding brain injury and disease. By detailing the connections that have the greatest influence over all other connections, the researchers offer not only a landmark first map of core white matter pathways, but also show which connections may be most vulnerable to damage.

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WASHINGTON — Adults older than 55 years with heart disease would realize individual healthcare savings if they supplemented with omega-3 dietary supplements, according to a report released Tuesday titled “Smart Prevention-Health Care Cost Savings Resulting from the Targeted Use of Dietary Supplements.”

According to the report, nearly $4 billion in cumulative net CHD-attributed cost savings from 2013 to 2020 is potentially realizable if the entire targeted population (U.S. adults older than 55 years diagnosed with CHD) were to use omega-3 dietary supplements at preventive intake levels. This is the equivalent of more than one million hospital events avoided in the next seven years, the report stated. Additionally, the report identified that only 28% of the targeted population currently takes omega-3 supplements.

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Early rehabilitation interventions seem to be essential for how well a patient recovers after a severe brain injury. It might even increase the chances for long-term survival, according to researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

In a series of studies, Trandur Ulfarsson, doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, has explored the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries caused for example by accidents or violence.

The studies, where 280 Swedish and Icelandic participants were followed up 1-11 years after the injury, show a clear association between how quickly patients get access to rehabilitation and how well they recover.

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