Dietary fish oils, rich in (n-3) PUFA, including eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, have been shown to have antiinflammatory properties. Although the antiinflammatory properties of fish oil may be beneficial during a chronic inflammatory illness, the same antiinflammatory properties can suppress the inflammatory responses necessary to combat acute viral infection. Given that (n-3) fatty acid-rich fish oil supplementation is on the rise and with the increasing threat of an influenza pandemic, we tested the effect of fish oil feeding for 2 wk on the immune response to influenza virus infection. Male C57BL/6 mice fed either a menhaden fish oil/corn oil diet (4 g fish oil:1 g corn oil, wt:wt at 5 g/100 g diet) or a control corn oil diet were infected with influenza A/PuertoRico/8/34 and analyzed for lung pathology and immune function. Although fish oil-fed mice had lower lung inflammation compared with controls, fish oil feeding also resulted in a 40% higher mortality rate, a 70% higher lung viral load at d 7 post infection, and a prolonged recovery period following infection.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic data suggest that omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish oil reduce cardiovascular disease. The clinical benefit of dietary fish oil supplementation in preventing cardiovascular events in both high and low risk patients is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether dietary supplements of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) decrease cardiovascular events across a spectrum of patients. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and citation review of relevant primary and review articles.

STUDY SELECTION: Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials that evaluated clinical cardiovascular end points (cardiovascular death, sudden death, and nonfatal cardiovascular events) and all-cause mortality in patients randomized to EPA/DHA or placebo. We only included studies that used dietary supplements of EPA/DHA which were administered for at least 1 year. DATA

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy and tolerability of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate (EPA-E) monotherapy for major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD: Fifty-seven adults with DSM-IV MDD were randomly assigned from January 2003 until June 2006 to receive 1 g/d of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or placebo for 8 weeks in a double-blind, randomized, controlled pilot study. Response criteria were on the basis of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17). Subjects' plasma lipid profiles were examined by gas chromatography. RESULTS: Thirty-five subjects (63% female; mean +/- SD age = 45 +/- 13 years) were eligible for the intent to treat (ITT) analysis. In the ITT sample, mean +/- SD HDRS-17 scores decreased from 21.6 +/- 2.7 to 13.9 +/- 8.9 for the EPA group (n = 16) and from 20.5 +/- 3.6 to 17.5 +/- 7.5 for the placebo group (n = 19) (P = .123); the effect size for EPA was 0.55. ITT response rates were 38% (6/16) for EPA, and 21% (4/19) for placebo (P = .45). Among the 24 study completers, mean +/- SD HDRS-17 scores decreased from 21.3 +/- 3.0 to 11.1 +/- 8.1 for the EPA group and from 20.5 +/- 3.8 to 16.3 +/- 6.9 for the placebo group (P = .087); the effect size for EPA was 0.73.

We systematically reviewed the published literature on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on measures of cognitive function in normal aging, incidence and treatment of dementia. Computerized databases were searched for published literature to identify potentially relevant studies with the intent to conduct a meta-analysis. We screened 5,865 titles, reviewed 497 studies of which 49 underwent a detailed review, and found 5 studies that pertained to our objectives. We included controlled clinical trials and observational studies, including prospective cohort, case-control, and case series designs; we excluded case reports. We had no language restrictions. We abstracted data on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids and on study design, relevant outcomes, study population, source, type, amount, and duration of omega-3 fatty acid consumption, and parameters of methodological quality. A single cohort study has assessed the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cognitive function with normal aging and found no association for fish or total omega-3 consumption.

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids could have neuroprotective properties against dementia, which is becoming a major global public health issue. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to establish the association between eating fish (a source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids) or taking long-chain omega-3 fatty acid supplements and the risk of cognitive decline or Alzheimer disease (AD). We identified eleven observational studies and four clinical trials. All three observational studies that used cognitive decline as an outcome reported significant benefits, whereas only four of eight observational studies that used incidence of AD or dementia as an outcome reported positive findings. None of four small clinical trials provided convincing evidence for the use of this approach in the prevention or treatment of any form of dementia. In summary, the existing data favor a role for long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in slowing cognitive decline in elderly individuals without dementia, but not for the prevention or treatment of dementia (including AD).

The article below is part of the paper written by Vincent E. Giuliano.We thank Vincent for giving us the permission to use parts of his paper on out site.It gives an overview of existing aging theories and integrates these theories in a synergistic way resulting in, what Vincent calls, protective "Firewalls". Many thanks go out to Vincent for sharing his paper with the rest of the world. Vincent already noted that the firewalls described here cannot be guaranteed to prevent or cure any disease, i want to repeat this here again.

I.        INTRODUCTION 

Omega-3 fatty acids are well known to provide a wealth of health benefits. One of these fatty acids, EPA, has begun to shine in its role of mood regulation. In particular, studies with EPA have found that it has benefits in depression and mental disorders. In 2000, depressive disorders ranked as the fourth highest among all diseases and the second highest in people from 15-44 years of age.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, March 7 - Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, are associated with increased grey matter volume in areas of the brain commonly linked to mood and behavior according to a University of Pittsburgh study.

Findings will be presented today by Sarah M. Conklin, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar at the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Program in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, at the American Psychosomatic Society's Annual Meeting, held in Budapest, Hungary.

Quebec City, April 9, 2008-A study supervised by Université Laval researchers Gina Muckle and Éric Dewailly reveals that omega-3 intake during the last months of pregnancy boosts an infant's sensory, cognitive, and motor development. The details of this finding are published in a recent edition of the Journal of Pediatrics.

An international study led by Dr. Brian Feagan of Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada has found that omega-3 fatty acids are ineffective for managing Crohn's disease. The research is published in the April 9 Journal of the American Medical Association.

New recommendations published by international experts in the Journal of Perinatal Medicine state that infant formula should include DHA omega-3 and AA omega-6 to guarantee a correct eye and brain development.

These recommendations fro DHA and AA intake have been developed by a panel of child health experts from 11 countries with endorsement from organizations such as The World Association of Perinatal Medicine, Child Health Foundation and the Early Nutrition Foundation.

Background

Most studies of Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have focused on either young children or older adults. The current study compared 11 ADHD adolescents with 12 age-matched controls. The purpose was to examine differences in dietary intake, particularly of essential fatty acids, and determine whether this could explain the typical abnormalities in red blood cell fatty acids observed in previous studies of young children.

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the severity of eczema symptoms reported one newspaper (28 March 2008). The newspaper report generally accurately summarised the findings of a well-conducted randomised controlled trial. The small size of the trial means that further research is needed to confirm the findings.

A diet rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can help eczema sufferers reduce the severity of their symptoms, reported the Daily Telegraph (1) on 28 March 2008.