Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Slow Biological Aging

Breaking research from Ohio State University suggests that the process for slowing aging may be as easy as 1-2-Omega-3!

The study suggests that supplementing your diet with enough Omega-3 could slow down a key biological process linked to aging. To understand how, we need to have a basic working definition of ‘telomeres’.

So what the heck is a telomere?

Telomeres are DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes. They can be likened to the ends of shoelaces, without which the lace (DNA) would unravel. As cells replicate and age, telomeres shorten (like a fuse), until they are completely consumed, at which point the cell dies.

So what’s fish oil got to do with it?

The new study found that taking enough Omega-3 supplements to change the ratio of Omega-6:Omega-3’s in the body preserved, and even lengthened the telomeres of the participants’ immune system cells. Participants took either 2.5g or 1.25g of active Omega-3 fatty acids in a ratio of 7:1 (EPA to DHA).

There’s More …

Not only did the scientists observe longer telomeres in the experimental group by the end of the study, but those individuals who were placed on the Omega-3 supplement also decreased their inflammatory markers by 10-12%. To put this into perspective, the control group (no fish oil) saw an increase in their inflammatory markers by 36% by the end of the four month study. 

And More ……

Measures of oxidative stress levels were also found to be 15% less in the two supplemental groups compared with the placebo group.

All-In-All:

The researchers found that a decreased ratio of Omega-6:Omega-3 was associated with longer telomeres which suggests that lowering this ratio impacts cell aging. While this is certainly not the Fountain of Youth Ponce de Leon was searching for when he set sail in the 16th Century, it’s good enough for me. I say, watch the space on telomere research as it is truly the next frontier in the battle against the aging process.

Reference:

Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Belury, M. A., Andridge, R., Malarkey, W. B., Hwang, B. S., & Glaser, R. (2012). Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation in healthy middle-aged and older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 26 (6). DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.05.011