Look and Feel Younger with Omega 3 Fish Oils – ABC News

People who take in who take in more fish oil tend to live longer and look younger, too. Now, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association might have a clue as to how why omega 3 fish oils slow down aging. The researchers show that heart disease patients who take omega 3 fatty acids protects them from death and illness because they slow biological aging.

The study headed by Dr. Ramin Farzaneh-Far observed 600 men who have heart disease. Those who took omega-3 looked “biologically younger.” Now you wonder why this is. The answer is in the chromosomes. The ends of their chromosomes called telomeres are longer and healthier. According to Dr. Farzaneh-Far, those who eat more omega-3 fish oils showed slower decrease of telomere length while those who consume fewer omega-3 fish oils age show faster telomere shortening. This means that those with high fish oil levels age slower than the others who have lower levels of fish oils.

According to Dr. Stephen Kopecky of the Mayo Clinic in an interview with ABC News, telomeres help the body repair damage. So the longer the telomeres, the more damage repair they can do. Dr. Michael Roizen agrees in that the length of telomeres can potentially extend lifespan and reduce disability. Dr. Roizen is the chief wellness officer of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Though this research is still preliminary, its potential is great. Some researchers are skeptical about the connection between omega 3 fish oils and telomere length.  It may be that there are other health factors that Dr. Farzaneh-Far and his team haven’t considered.

According to a Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, it may be that people who eat more fish oils have other healthy habits that may have contributed to their telomere lengths. However, the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids to those who have heart disease are conclusive. People with coronary  artery disease have been prescribed to take more omega 3 fatty acids to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress shortens telomeres and hastens aging. Omega-3 also reacts with lipids that cause damage to the heart. This shows that people with heart disease need to consume one gram of fish oil daily.

Another way fatty acids combat heart disease is they lower triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol. They also stabilize the cell membranes which lower the risk of people from having fatal heart attacks or coronary heart disease.

While Dr. Farzaneh-Far’s study still needs to be replicated to have stronger evidence, it opens several possibilities on how omega 3 fatty acids help us slow the aging process. The findings in Dr. Farzeneh-Far’s research may encourage more research on omega 3’s benefits to humans. Meanwhile, let’s not forget to take in omega 3 fish oils through our food or take in fish oil supplements to make sure our omega 3 levels are always replenished and stable.