Fish Tale: Omega-3 Fatty Acid and Macular Degeneration
Few nutritional supplements carry the sex appeal of Omega-3 fatty acid (O3FA). It pops up everywhere and food marketers are harnessing its popularity to sell everything from butter substitutes to frozen seafood.
O3FA is a powerful antioxidant. It protects cells from free radical damage caused by aging, sunlight, and other environmental exposures.
Humans cannot synthesize O3FA so it must be consumed in our foods and supplements. For that reason O3FA is considered an essential fatty acid.
For many years eye doctors have encouraged their patients to consume lots of O3FA to protect themselves from Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) - the leading cause of severe vision loss in the elderly. In theory it made sense, but was there any scientific proof?
A new report published in Archives of Ophthalmology searched for proof. They analyzed over 2754 published articles on the subject and selected papers that met the authors' specific criteria:
Out of 2754 papers a grand total of 9 qualified!
Statisticians were able to combine the data from these 9 studies into one big database, a valid method called meta-analysis.
Long story short: According to the meta-analysis, ingestion of foods rich in O3FA lowered an individual's risk for developing advanced ARMD by 38%! Oily fish like tuna, sardines, salmon and trout are the most readily available natural dietary sources for O3FA. It can also be consumed as a daily oral supplement, whether added to foods (butter substitutes) or in capsule form.
Weekend meal plans? How about a fresh trout fish fry along with french fries deep-fried in a O3FA oil? Pass the ketchup, please!
REFERENCE: Archives of Ophthalmology, June 2008, pages 826-833
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: omega-3, vision loss, ARMD, healthy eating, diet, nutrition
O3FA is a powerful antioxidant. It protects cells from free radical damage caused by aging, sunlight, and other environmental exposures.
Humans cannot synthesize O3FA so it must be consumed in our foods and supplements. For that reason O3FA is considered an essential fatty acid.
For many years eye doctors have encouraged their patients to consume lots of O3FA to protect themselves from Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) - the leading cause of severe vision loss in the elderly. In theory it made sense, but was there any scientific proof?
A new report published in Archives of Ophthalmology searched for proof. They analyzed over 2754 published articles on the subject and selected papers that met the authors' specific criteria:
- clear definition of exposure (dietary or supplemental O3FA and fish intake),
- clear definition of AMD,
- appropriate statistical techniques adjusting for key confounders (eg, age and cigarette smoking), and
- estimates of odds ratios (ORs), relative risks, or the primary data to calculate these ratios.
Out of 2754 papers a grand total of 9 qualified!
Statisticians were able to combine the data from these 9 studies into one big database, a valid method called meta-analysis.
Long story short: According to the meta-analysis, ingestion of foods rich in O3FA lowered an individual's risk for developing advanced ARMD by 38%! Oily fish like tuna, sardines, salmon and trout are the most readily available natural dietary sources for O3FA. It can also be consumed as a daily oral supplement, whether added to foods (butter substitutes) or in capsule form.
Weekend meal plans? How about a fresh trout fish fry along with french fries deep-fried in a O3FA oil? Pass the ketchup, please!
REFERENCE: Archives of Ophthalmology, June 2008, pages 826-833
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: omega-3, vision loss, ARMD, healthy eating, diet, nutrition