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Thursday, August 4, 2011

This Fat Helps Reduce Anxiety and Inflammation

This Fat Helps Reduce Anxiety and Inflammation.  This is one of the more essential research findings that has hit mainstream medicine in the past 5 years or so.  One that I had ignored until age and the attendant problems began to manifest and cause physical discomfort and misery.  I am encouraged to see that younger people are also benefiting by the addition of this essential nutrient to their diets.  Especially the effects that Omega 3 fats have on neural function and brain health.


"Animal-based omega-3 fats are one of the most important essential nutrients out there. Part of the benefit comes from its potent anti-inflammatory effects, which this new study, as well as plentiful past research, supports. However, one of the unique aspects to omega-3 fat is that it impacts your health on multiple levels. Studies show that omega-3 deficiency can cause or contribute to serious health problems, both mental and physical, and may be a significant underlying factor in up to 96,000 premature deaths each year.


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/04/this-fat-helps-reduces-anxiety-and-inflammation.aspx?e_cid=20110804_DNL_art_2
Omega-3 May Decrease Anxiety, Improve Mood

The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA also play a role in your emotional well-being. The Brain Behavior and Immunity study showed a dramatic 20 percent reduction in anxiety among med students taking omega-3, while past research has shown omega-3 fats such as those found in krill oil work just as well as antidepressants in preventing the signs of depression, but without any of the side effects. Low plasma concentrations of DHA is associated with low concentrations of brain serotonin, which may be associated with depression and suicide.
In fact, inadequate intake of omega-3 fats is known to change the levels and functioning of both serotonin and dopamine (which plays a role in feelings of pleasure), as well as compromise the blood-brain barrier, which normally protects your brain from unwanted matter gaining access. Omega-3 deficiency can also decrease normal blood flow to your brain, an interesting finding given that studies show people with depression have compromised blood flow to a number of brain regions.
Finally, omega-3 deficiency also causes a 35 percent reduction in brain phosphatidylserine (PS) levels, which is relevant considering that PS has documented antidepressant activity in humans. Interestingly, omega-3 fats have even been known to help reduce violent behavior and aggression, and even improve the ability to concentrate in people with ADHD, so the impact on your brain health is quite significant.

What Type of Omega-3 is Best?

There are two types of omega-3 fat – plant-based and animal-based. Plant-based omega-3 sources like flax, hemp and chia are high in ALA and are important sources of nutrients, as we all need ALA. However, ALA has to be converted by your body into the far more essential EPA and DHA by an enzyme in which the vast majority of us have impaired by high insulin levels.
So, I believe it is essential to get some of your omega-3 fats from animal sources, and research suggests that animal-based omega-3 fats are also those that will give you the best anti-inflammatory effects. According to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition:
"Among the fatty acids, it is the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which possess the most potent immunomodulatory activities, and among the omega-3 PUFA, those from fish oil -- eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) -- are more biologically potent than alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)."
When it comes to choosing between the animal-based omega-3 options, the primary sources are fish, fish oil, or krill oil. As I'll explain, I believe krill oil is the far superior choice on this list."

This Fat Helps Reduce Anxiety and Inflammation,  it has worked for me by reducing inflammation    that causes anxiety and stress.  What I have come to understand that an inflammatory response in the body causes anxiety and feelings of discomfort along with a host of symptoms.  For me, it brought about pain that is almost unendurable. Once I added Omega 3s to my supplemental regimen, the symptoms of internal heat and discomfort began to fade.    

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