Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D may control brain serotonin, affecting behavior and psychiatric disorders.

In a previous paper published last year, authors Patrick and Ames discussed the implications of their finding that vitamin D regulates the conversion of the essential amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, and how this may influence the development of autism, particularly in developing children with poor vitamin D status.

Here they discuss the relevance of these micronutrients for neuropsychiatric illness. Serotonin affects a wide-range of cognitive functions and behaviors including mood, decision-making, social behavior, impulsive behavior, and even plays a role in social decision-making by keeping in check aggressive social responses or impulsive behavior.

Many clinical disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression share as a unifying attribute low brain serotonin. "In this paper we explain how serotonin is a critical modulator of executive function, impulse control, sensory gating, and pro-social behavior," says Dr. Patrick. "We link serotonin production and function to vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, suggesting one way these important micronutrients help the brain function and affect the way we behave."

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) increases serotonin release from presynaptic neurons by reducing inflammatory signaling molecules in the brain known as E2 series prostaglandins, which inhibit serotonin release and suggests how inflammation may negatively impact serotonin in the brain. EPA, however, is not the only omega-3 that plays a role in the serotonin pathway. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) also influences the action of various serotonin receptors by making them more accessible to serotonin by increasing cell membrane fluidity in postsynaptic neurons.

Their paper illuminates the mechanistic links that explain why low vitamin D, which is mostly produced by the skin when exposed to sun, and marine omega-3 deficiencies interacts with genetic pathways, such as the serotonin pathway, that are important for brain development, social cognition, and decision-making, and how these gene-

micronutrient interactions may influence neuropsychiatric outcomes. "Vitamin D, which is converted to a steroid hormone that controls about 1,000 genes, many in the brain, is a major deficiency in the US and omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies are very common because people don't eat enough fish," said Dr. Ames.

This publication suggests that optimizing intakes of vitamin D, EPA, and DHA would optimize brain serotonin concentrations and function, possibly preventing and ameliorating some of the symptoms associated with these disorders without side effects.
Rhonda P. Patrick And Bruce N. Ames. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior. FASEB Journal, February 2015

Get your Greek on!

Eating a Mediterranean diet -- rich in produce, olive oil and fish -- improves brain functioning and lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new review of the available research.

The review, which you can see here, was published in the journal Epidemiology. It includes 12 studies, nine of which showed an association between eating a Mediterranean diet and having lower Alzheimer's risk, improved cognitive functioning and lower rate of cognitive decline.

Missing however, were any links between the diet and development of mild cognitive impairment.

Mediterranean food is both delicious and nutritious, and the systematic review shows it may help to protect the aging brain and reduce the risk of dementia.

Other recent research has connected eating a Mediterranean-style diet with a lower risk of diabetes, longer life, and a reduced risk of heart disease.

Fish oils and prostate cancer. Are supplements dangerous?

I have been asked to explain the reported “findings” of the SELECT study. This is the study generating new headlines claiming that fish oil supplements are linked to an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer. 

For starters, the men in the SELECT study were not given fish oil supplements. What the results were reporting were levels of EPA, DPA and DHA omega-3s in blood, and cancer risk. And it is very important to note that the difference of omega-3 levels when comparing the healthy (control) group and the combined cancers group was nearly insignificant.

That difference is 4.66% in the combined cancer group versus 4.48% in the control group. It is a minute variance. Eating one additional serving of fish compared to the control group could result in that difference. Again no fish oil supplements were given in the study, so to blame omega-3 supplements for the reported findings is totally irresponsible.

Another point to consider is this. The reported omega-3 levels in any of the SELECT participants are not high levels. They are only slightly higher than the levels in those who consume a western diet typically average. Therefore any country that consumes a diet based on fish would have incredibly high levels of aggressive prostate cancer, and that is not the case.

What does the science really say about fish consumption or omega-3 levels and risk of prostate cancer?

The studies almost uniformly show that eating fish or having higher plasma levels of omega-3 is protective.  Several large scale epidemiological studies, including those looking at native Japanese men, Inuit men and people that live in South America, have shown that a high intake of fish and a high omega-3 status is linked to a lower incidence of many cancers including prostate cancer.

In a 2010 meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by Szymanski et al, the authors pooled data from four studies on fish consumption and death from prostate cancer and found a 63% decrease in risk for high fish consumption.

One must be very careful with making decisions based on the latest headlines. People do have a tendency to make decisions based on the last study or news advertised, rather than the sum of evidence of many studies published on a specific topic. But we must not do this. We must take into consideration the totality of evidence that we have on a topic, not just the latest headline on CNN.

In addition, studies should be read critically – there are inherent flaws in most of them.

The findings from this most recently reported study: Brasky et al. 2013 ( SELECT) are from an observational study (looking back in time) and observational studies do not prove cause and effect.

Scientific studies that are prospective in design are considered more important in weighing total evidence and give us more useful guidance in our choices on diet or supplements that might improve our health.

Are there more useful, prospective studies that demonstrate protective benefits of omega 3 fatty acids against prostate cancer?

Yes there are quite a few. Lets consider some of those.

Researchers investigated the effect of dietary fish intake amongst 6272 Swedish men who were followed-up for 30 years. That study reported that men who ate no fish had a two to three-fold increase in the risk of developing prostate cancer compared with those who consumed large amounts of fish in their diet.

TerryP, Lichtenstein P, Feychting M, Ahlbom A, Wolk A. Fatty fish consumption andrisk of prostate cancer. Lancet 2001; 357: 1764–6

Another prospective cohort study based on the Physician’s Health Study found that fish consumption (≥5 times per week) was not related to prostate cancer risk but was protective of prostate cancer–specific death.

ChavarroJE et al. A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostatecancer incidence and mortality. Am J ClinNutr 2008; 88: 1297–303.

Other studies have suggested lower prostate cancer risk with Omega 3 fatty acids from fish in Swedish men.

NorrishAE, Skeaff CM, Arribas GLB, et al. Prostate cancer risk and consumption of fishoils: A dietary biomarker-based case-control study. Br J Cancer. 1999;81:1238–42.

And this study showed lower prostate cancer risk with Omega 3 fatty acids from fish in Japanese and Brazilian men..

KobayashiM, et al, Serum n-3 fatty acids, fishconsumption and cancer mortality in six Japanese populations in Japan andBrazil Japan J Cancer Res.1999 Sep;90(9):914-21.

A large prospective cohort established in 1986 looked at 51,529 American men, 40 – 75 years of age, completed a mailed questionnaire about demographic and medical information found that a high intake of fish was associated with a lower risk of metastatic prostate cancer. A similar association was also found for dietary marine fatty acids from food.

Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, et al, Dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and the risk of prostatecancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jul;80(1):204-16.

An important clinical study published by a group at the Harvard School of Public Health examined the link between dietary fish consumption and the risk of metastatic prostate cancer. This paper reported results from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study that involved 47,882 men over twelve years. During the twelve years, 2,483 cases of prostate cancer were identified. Of these, 617 were advanced and 278 were metastatic. Eating fish more than three times a week reduced the risk of prostate cancer but had an even greater impact on the risk of metastatic prostate cancer. For each additional 500 mg of marine omega-3 consumed, the risk of metastatic disease decreased by 24%!

Augustsson,K., et al., A prospective study of intake of fish and marine fatty acids andprostate cancer. Cancer EpidemiolBiomarkers Prev, 12(1): p. 64-7, 2003.

And again, in the 2010 meta-analysis (an analysis of multiple studies) Szymanski and his team found that a significant 63% reduction in prostate cancer-specific mortality in those that consumed fish but no link between eating lots of fish and men’s risk of developing prostate cancer.

SzymanskiKM, Wheeler DC, Mucci LA. Fish consumption and prostate cancer risk: a reviewand meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr.2010 Nov;92(5):1223-33.

When one considers the larger picture, the headlines claiming that men who consume omega-3 supplements are at increased risk of prostate cancer, based on one study where no one used omega-3 supplements, and where levels of omega-3s were only 0.02% in variance among cancer cases and healthy cases, seem preposterous.

Balance of fats may influence colon health.

Women who eat about three servings of fish per week have a somewhat lower chance of having polyps found during a routine colonoscopy than women who eat just one serving every two weeks, according to a new study.

The research doesn't prove that seafood protects against polyps, but it "does increase our confidence that something real is going on," said Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who was not involved in this study.

A polyp, also called an adenoma, is a mushroom-shaped tag of tissue that grows in the colon and can develop into colorectal cancer.

The idea researchers have been pursuing is that the omega-3 fats in fish might have an anti-inflammatory effect, similar to aspirin, that could prevent the development of polyps.

Giovannucci said that earlier experiments in animals have showed that omega-3 fats can reduce the risk of this cancer, but that studies of humans have had mixed results.

In the latest study, the researchers surveyed more than 5,300 people about their eating habits. All of the participants had come in to the researchers' practices for a colonoscopy.

The team then compared more than 1,400 women without polyps to 456 who had adenomas detected during the procedure.

Among women with adenomas, 23 percent were in the bottom fifth among fish eaters, while 15 percent were in the top fifth. That means people who eat lots of seafood are somehow protected against polyps, because otherwise the percentages should have been the same.

After accounting for differences like age, smoking and aspirin use, women who ate the most fish -- three servings a week -- were 33 percent less likely to have a polyp detected than those who ate the least -- less than a serving a week.

Adenomas are generally believed to be the precursor" to cancer.

A 33 percent lower risk is not enormous,it is important because colorectal cancer is a common cancer.

About 140,000 new cases of colon and rectal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States, and more than 50,000 people will die from the cancer. The lifetime risk of developing the disease is about 20 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

Men in the study who ate a lot of fish did not see the same reductions in polyp risk as women, however.

It is possible men are less sensitive to the omega-3s in fish and need to eat more to get any benefit. It could also be that men might eat more omega-6 fats, counteracting the effects of the omega-3s.

Omega-6 fatty acids are related to the production of a hormone called prostaglandin E2, which is associated with inflammation.

Eating omega-3 fatty acids tamps down the body's levels of omega-6 fatty acids. In turn, the body then has reduced levels of prostaglandin E2.

The women in the study who ate more fish -- and presumably, more omega-3s -- had lower levels of prostaglandin E2.

People who have higher levels of this (hormone) are more likely to develop colorectal cancer. So in essence, by eating more omega-3 fatty acids, it's almost like taking an anti-inflammatory medication.

Fish may protect the brain as we age, providing significant reduction in risk of Alzheimers

People who eat baked or broiled fish at least once a week may be protecting their brains from Alzheimer’s disease and other brain problems, researchers reported Wednesday.

Cyrus Raji of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and colleagues conducted brain scans on 260 healthy adults and examined whether there was a relationship between the amount of gray matter, which is crucial to maintaining a healthy brain, and their risk of developing Alzheimer’s or a condition known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) over the next five years.

After taking into consideration factors such as age, gender, education, race, physical activity and obesity, the researchers found that those who regularly consumed baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis were more likely, a decade later, to have more gray matter in several key parts of the brain, including the hippocampus, the posterior cingulate and the orbital frontal cortex, the researchers reported at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago. In addition, those who were regular fish eaters were almost five times less likely to develop MCI or Alzheimer’s, the researchers found. The fish eaters also scored higher on tests measuring thinking abilities, such as working memory, they said.

“Consuming baked or broiled fish promotes stronger neurons in the brain’s gray matter by making them larger and healthier,” Raji said in a news release. “This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain’s resistance to Alzheimer’s disease and lowers risk for the disorder.”

Sorry Mrs Paul, no such protective effect was found for those who ate fried fish.

Choline-rich diet tied to sharper memory.

People who get plenty of choline in their diets may perform better on memory tests, and be less likely to show brain changes associated with dementia, a new study suggests.

The study can only point to a correlation between memory and dietary choline -- a nutrient found in foods like saltwater fish, eggs, liver, chicken, milk and certain legumes, including soy and kidney beans.

The findings suggest that people with lower choline intakes were more likely to be on a "pathway" toward mental decline than their counterparts with higher intakes.

The findings, researchers say, do not mean that choline is the answer to staving off Alzheimer's disease -- the memory-robbing disease that affects 26 million people globally. But there's also reason to believe that choline matters. The nutrient is a precursor to the brain chemical acetylcholine, which plays a key role in memory and other cognitive functions; low acetylcholine levels are associated with Alzheimer's.

The study adds to evidence that your lifetime diet may make a difference in how your brain ages.

A number of studies, though not all, have found links between diet and Alzheimer's risk. Some suggest that Mediterranean-style eating, for instance, might be protective; that typically means a diet high in fish, vegetables and fruit, whole grains and unsaturated fats like those in olive oil.

The message is that eating a healthy, balanced diet in mid-life is important.

The relation of dietary choline to cognitive performance and white-matter hyperintensity in the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Am J Clin Nutr December 2011 vol. 94 no. 6 1584-159

UCSF: Paleo Diet Brought Dramatic Health Benefits!

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Researchers from UCSF say that their research has shown people on a diet of high protein and plenty of vegetables show dramatic health improvements, including weight loss without exercising profusely and lower blood pressure. In short it's the diet of our caveman ancestors thousands of years ago who were what is termed "Hunter Gathers".

Contrast to our diet today?

We eat whatever and whenever we want, and generally speaking the food is heavily processed and high in sugar and salt.

The team selected people who were unhealthy in one way or another. They were given a specific diet of lean meat, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables. The diet includes only healthy fats, such as those in the fish and in nuts and seeds.

What happened? Everyone's blood pressure went down. In two weeks the entire group’s cholesterol and triglycerides got better.  The average drop was 30 points ... That's the kind of cholesterol result you get by taking Statins for six months.

People on the diet have experienced a regression of their diabetes as a result, to the point they are effectively cured.

Rupert Shepherd B.Sc. "Eat Like A Caveman To Lose Weight." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 13 Nov. 2011

Eat Fish to Protect Your Hearing!

Two recent studies in populations in the Netherlands and Australia examining the link between fish or seafood omega-3 fatty acid consumption and hearing loss in older adults observed significantly less hearing loss in older adults with high intakes of fish. In one study, those with hearing loss who ate fish once to twice a week experienced about half the rate of deterioration in their hearing over five years compared with those who ate fish less than once a week.

In the Dutch study, researchers measured the participants’ hearing at low and high frequencies and estimated their fish consumption from a dietary questionnaire. Three years later, they measured the hearing status of the participants to see whether any changes were related to their omega-3 intakes. They found that hearing losses were greatest in those with the lowest consumption of seafood omega-3s although the difference between those the highest and lowest omega-3 groups was small. Hearing loss occurred mainly in the low frequency range and was greater in older (age 60 to 70) than younger (age 50 to 60) participants.

In the Australian study, participants had their hearing evaluated at the beginning of the study and after five years. Their fish and seafood omega-3 intakes were assessed at enrollment in the study. In contrast to the Dutch study, participants with the highest baseline omega-3 consumption from all sources, including seafood and plants, were about 10 percent less likely to have hearing loss compared with those in the lowest intake category. This relationship was not seen for seafood omega-3s alone.

After five years neither omega-3 nor omega-6 was related to the likelihood of developing hearing loss. However, eating fish frequently was associated with a 42-percent lower chance of developing hearing loss over the study period.

The researchers also observed progressive hearing loss was about half as much in those who ate fish once to twice a week compared with those who ate fish less than once a week. Eating fish twice a week or more had no additional effect on the rate of progression.


Source: Fats of Life Newsletter