Omega-3 fish oil may delay biological aging in people with coronary heart disease
Added 07.04.2010
Telomere shortening determines biological aging
It is not just wrinkles that give away your age; the rate at which telomeres shorten is the real aging marker. DNA strands make up chromosomes at the end of which are telomeres - areas of repeat DNA sequences that protect our chromosomes from damage. In essence, telomeres prevent chromosomes and their DNA from duplicating all the way to their ends during cell division, which would otherwise lead to the loss of the ends of chromosomes and the information contained in it.Why is this important?
Well, throughout our lives our cells are continuously dividing and new ones are created. In order to keep the same genetic information (this never changes in our lifetime), our chromosomes along with their DNA get duplicated in each cell. With every cell division, telomeres get progressively shorter, which determines biological aging. Inevitably, our telomeres will shorten as we age, but it is the rate at which they shorten that is linked to how fast we age. In other words, the slower the shortening of telomeres, the slower we age.Omega-3 fish oil lowers telomere shortening rate
A new study has found that people suffering from coronary heart disease that have a high intake of omega-3 fish oil have significantly longer telomeres after a 5 year period compared with people that have a lower intake of omega-3 fish oil. Lower levels of omega-3 fish oil cut more off your telomeres, or to put it differently, shorten your life span. In other words even though you suffer from coronary heart disease you can prolong your life significantly (you can slow down your aging speed), either by eating a lot of fish or by taking daily supplements with omega-3 fish oil.Omega-3 fish oil has been scientifically documented to help prevent cardiovascular disease and now to protect against biological and cellular aging. Doctor's Natural omega-3 fish oil (EPA and DHA) is 100% pure and natural and free of mercury and other toxins.
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Dr. Bo Nielsen's comments:
Several studies have proven an increase in survival rates in individuals with a high dietary intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids and established cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms behind the increased survival rate have only been partly understood. This study may explain one of the mechanisms. The length of telomeres is a marker of aging and risk of dying. In this particular study, 608 outpatients with stable coronary artery disease participated. The researchers measured leukocyte telomere length at the beginning of the study and again after 5 years of follow-up.
The researchers found over a 5 year period that individuals with the lowest intake of omega-3 fatty acids experienced the most rapid rate of telomere shortening (=aging faster), but those with the highest intake had a significantly slower rate of telomere shortening (slower aging). The researchers conclude that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids either from fish or fish oil may slow down the aging process in people with existing coronary heart disease, in other words increase their longevity.
