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Brain Health Benefits
When you realize that 60% of your brain is made up of structural fat, a large part of which is the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), it makes sense that eating foods rich in Omega-3 EPA and DHA can affect so many different aspects of brain health. However, you don’t want to consume DHA to the exclusion of EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), because EPA is the key anti-inflammatory omega-3 — and brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, as well as mental illnesses such as depression, have now been linked with inflammation.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the Omega-3 EPA/DHA brain health connection. It’s well-established that Omega-3 EPA/DHA is required for:
- Cell structure & cell maintenance throughout life
- The development of a healthy nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and network of nerves, during the early years of life
Additionally, research suggests that EPA/DHA may:
- Improve symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) & other behavioral and learning disorders (in children)
- Benefit learning ability, reading, & writing (in children)
- Enhance cognition & IQ (in babies and children)
- Reduce the risk or improve the symptoms of mental health conditions, including aggression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, & schizophrenia
- Slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, & other conditions of mental deterioration
- Improve cognition & speech in the elderly
Cell Structure & Cell Maintenance
DHA is essential to your brain because it’s used to build and maintain brain cells, particularly cell membranes. Why are cell membranes important? Because your brain functions through a series of electrical and chemical signals that are exchanged from brain cell to brain cell through their cell membranes. Studies show that DHA may help keep these membranes soft and flexible, enabling efficient communication.
Nervous System Development (Brain, Spinal Cord, & Nerves)
It’s particularly important that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat plenty of foods rich in DHA, because studies show DHA is required for proper development of the brain and eyes. Since the formation of these organs is complete by the age of three or four, it’s critical that growing children get plenty of DHA during fetal development and throughout the early years of life. However, it’s not just DHA that’s needed. Research shows EPA is important for pregnant women because it may help reduce the risk of post-partum depression.
Behavioral and Learning Disorders (ADHD, DCD)
Behavior problems are really brain problems. It’s not surprising, then, that a number of studies in children have found that Omega-3 EPA/DHA have significant potential in the treatment of ADHD symptoms. In fact, Omega-3 deficiencies in children are linked with reading and spelling difficulties, as well as problems with recall. Research shows supplementation with EPA/DHA may improve inattention, hyperactivity, defiant behavior, and conduct disorder in kids with ADHD. Similarly, these essential nutrients may improve reading, spelling, and behavior in children with development coordination disorder.
Cognition & IQ
Pregnant and breastfeeding women may be able to affect their developing children’s IQs by ensuring adequate intake of EPA and DHA. One study found that young children whose mothers consumed Omega-3 EPA/DHA rich cod liver oil during late pregnancy and early breastfeeding scored higher on IQ tests than children whose mothers consumed corn oil. Another study found that eating 12 ounces or more of seafood per week (about 3-4 servings) during pregnancy resulted in children with higher verbal IQ scores.
Mental Health Conditions
It is now known that most mental illnesses are the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Since food choices can profoundly influence body chemistry, it makes sense that studies have suggested eating a healthy diet rich in Omega-3 EPA and DHA can help reduce the risk of, or symptoms associated with, mental illness, including aggression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, & schizophrenia. Interestingly, while DHA is typically thought of as “the brain Omega-3” and EPA is generally considered “the heart Omega-3,” many of the studies yielding positive results on mental health were done with EPA only.
Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, & Cognitive Aging
Several studies have found a link between Omega-3 intake from fish and cognitive ability. The landmark Zutphen Elderly Study, which tracked over 200 elderly men for five years, demonstrated that those who regularly ate fish (providing 200 mg of EPA/DHA daily) had a slower decline in cognitive ability than those who did not. Additionally, the study indicated that Omega-3 EPA/DHA may slow the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Improved Cognition & Speech
Consuming foods rich in EPA and DHA may have beneficial effects on cognition and speech as you age. Studies among seniors have shown that higher intake of Omega-3 EPA and DHA may help you preserve your ability to recall words, maintain your psychomotor speed (or reaction time), retain your verbal fluency, and keep, or even improve, your cognitive abilities.
MEG-3® as Your Source of Omega-3 EPA and DHA
As you can see, consuming adequate amounts of Omega-3 EPA and DHA is critical to the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system at all stages of life. MEG-3® can supply you with the EPA and DHA your body needs in a convenient and worry-free way. Available as a dietary supplement, and as a healthy food ingredient, MEG-3® provides you with Omega-3 EPA and DHA that conform to worldwide quality and purity standards. Along with a well-balanced diet, supplements or foods that contain MEG-3® help you and your family to get adequate amounts of these two essential nutrients.
Cell Structure & Cell Maintenance
Haag M. “Essential fatty acids and the brain.” Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie 48, no., 3 (April 2003): 195-203.
Lauritzen, et al. The essentiality of long chain n-3 fatty acids in relation to development and function of the brain and retina. Progress in Lipid Research. 2001; 40:1±94.
Singh. Essential fatty acids, DHA and the human brain. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2005; 72(3):239-42.
Kidd, et al. Omega-3 DHA and EPA for cognition, behavior, and mood: clinical findings and structural-functional synergies with cell membrane phospholipids. Alternative Medicine Review. 2007; 12(3):207-227.
Nervous System Development (Brain, Spinal Cord, & Nerves)
Uauy R, Hoffman DR, Peirano P, Birch DG, Birch EE. “Essential fatty acids in visual and brain development.” Lipids 36, no., 9 (September 2001): 885-95.
Calder, Philip. Slide presentation. 2006.
Lauritzen, et al. The essentiality of long chain n-3 fatty acids in relation to development and function of the brain and retina. Progress in Lipid Research. 2001; 40:1±94.
ADHD & Other Behavioral Problems
Richardson, et al. The Oxford-Durham study: a randomized controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty acids in children with developmental coordination disorder. Pediatrics 2005; 115(5):1360-1366
Richardson, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in ADHS and related neurodevelopmental disorders. International Review of Psychology. 2006; 18(2):155-172.
Sorgi, et al. Effects of an open-label pilot study with high-dose EPA/DHA concentrates on plasma phospholipids and behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Nutrition Journal. 2007; 6(16).
Sinn, et al. Effect of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients on learning and behavior problems associated with child ADHD. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 2007; 28(2):82-91.
Stordy, Jackie. Slide presentation: Nutrition, behaviour and cognitive skills, can dietary supplements help. October 2005.
Cognition & IQ
Helland, et al. Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments child-ren’s IQ at 4 years of age. Pediatrics. 2003 Jan;111(1):e39-44.
Hibbeln, et al. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. The Lancet. 2007; 369:578-85.
Mental Health Conditions
Locke CA, Stoll AL. “Omega-3 fatty acids in major depression.” World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics 89 (2001): 173-85.
Logan AC. “Neurobehavioral aspects of omega-3 fatty acids: possible mechanisms and therapeutic value in major depression.” Alternative Medicine Review 8, no., 4 (November 2003): 410-25.
Peet, et al. Two double-blind placebo-controlled pilot studies of eicosapentaenoic acid in the treatment of schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2001; 49(3):243–251
Peet, Horrobin, et al. A dose-ranging study of the effects of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate in patients with ongoing depression despite apparently adequate treatment with standard drugs. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2002; 59:913-919
Peet, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Drugs. 2005; 65(8):1051-9.
Nemets, et al. Addition of omega-3 fatty acid to maintenance medication treatment for recurrent unipolar depressive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2002; 159(3):477-
Su, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in major depressive disorder. A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2003; 13(4):267-71.
Stoll et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder: a preliminary controlled trial. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1999; 56 (5) 507-12.
Frangou, et al. Efficacy of ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid in bipolar depression: randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2006; 188:46-50
Zanarini, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment of Women With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2003; 160:167–16
Silvers, et al. Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of fish oil in the treatment of depression. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2005; 72(3):211-8.
Lin, et al. A meta-analytic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2007; 68:1056-61.
Song, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid. A new treatment for psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases: a review of clinical investigations. Expert Opinion: Investigative Drugs. 2007; 16(10):1627-38.
Peet, et al. Eicosapentaenoic acid in the treatment of schizophrenia and depression: rationale and preliminary double-blind clinical trial results. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2003; 69(6):477-85.
Osher. Omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid in bipolar depression: report of a small open-label study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;66(6):726-9.
Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia
Morris M, Evans D, Tangney C, Bienias J, Wilson R. “Fish consumption and cognitive decline with age in a large community study.” Archives of Neurology 62, no., 12 (December 2005): 1849-53.
Whalley LJ, Fox HC, Wahle KW, Starr JM, Deary IJ. “Cognitive aging, childhood intelligence, and the use of food supplements: possible involvement of n-3 fatty acids.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80, no., 6 (December 2004): 1650-7.
Solfrizzi V et al. “Dietary fatty acids intake: possible role in cognitive decline and dementia.” Experimental Gerontology 40, no., 4 (April 2005): 257-70.
Gelder, et al. Fish consumption, n-3 fatty acids, and subsequent 5-y cognitive decline in elderly men: the Zutphen Elderly Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007; 85:1142-7.
Improved Cognition & Speech
Katmijin S, van Boxtel MP, Ocke M, Verschuren W, Kromhout D, Launer LJ. “Dietary intake of fatty acids and fish in relation to cognitive performance at middle age.” Neurology 62, no., 2 (January 2004): 275-80.
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