Omega-3 oils helps kids and adults perform better

Article by Arnie Gitomer

Better Brains: Omega-3 oils helps kids and adults perform better

Omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in the developing brain, and in physical and mental health. In this study, doctors measured fatty acid levels in red blood cell membranes in 493 healthy public schoolchildren aged seven to nine with below average reading performance.
Average concentrations of omega-3s were 2.46 percent, far below the optimal range of eight to 12 percent, and raising chances for circulatory diseases in adulthood, doctors said.
Children with higher levels of omega-3s, particularly DHA, had better reading and working memory, and fewer symptoms of ADHD, regardless of other factors such as gender, family income, or education. Kids with lower DHA levels tended to have more oppositional behavior and emotional trouble reported by their parents. About nine in 10 kids ate fish less than twice per week, and one in 10 ate none at all.
Low levels of omega-3s, and DHA in particular, predict behavior and learning problems, and omega-3s may benefit ADHD and related conditions in a wider population, doctors said.
Reference: Public Library of Science One; 2013, Vol. 8, No. 6, e66697

Small declines in memory and thinking can be a sign of dementia, which is linked to oxidative stress. In this study, doctors estimated omega-3s in the diets of 67 older adults with mild cognitive impairment and in 134 healthy elders.
Those with cognitive impairment had much higher levels of lipid hydroperoxides, a sign of oxidative stress, than did healthy participants. Within the group with cognitive impairment, signs of oxidative stress  decreased as levels of the omega-3s EPA and DHA increased.
Reference: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; 2013, Vol. 24, No. 5, 803-8

Reference: Public Library of Science One; 2013, Vol. 8, No. 6, e66697