Really Omega-3 Good for Brain Health?

Roseous.com - Really Omega-3 Good for Brain Health? Omega 3 is a substance that contains EPA and DHA as a prevention of the formation of plaque in the blood vessels (atherosclerosis) and beneficial to maintain brain health. Therefore, omega-3 is quite effective in preventing heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's (dementia).

According to dr. Astrid Wulan Kusumoastuti, until now there is no agreement on the daily dose of omega-3. Some health organizations recommend 250 to 500mg EPA and DHA for adults.

"The AHA (American Heart Association) recommends 1000mg of EPA and DHA for those with coronary heart disease, and 2000-3000mg for those with high triglyceride levels," he said.

Reporting from TIME, omega-3 is the most popular supplement in America. Based on data released by the National Institutes of Health, 8 percent of adults or about 19 million people consume some kind of omega-3 fatty acid supplement.

There is a reason why fish oil capsules and other omega-3 supplements are very popular. Simon Dyall, researchers from Bournemouth University in the UK mentioned that omega-3 fatty acids provide significant benefits for the brain.

Benefits of omega-3s for the brain

Dyall says that omega-3s are involved in many fundamental brain-building processes. The content is able to affect gene expression, oxidative stress, blood flow, neurotransmitter levels, and other brain related processes such as the production of new neurons.

"DHA is an important building block of brain cell membranes. So at the molecular level, the brain without omega-3 fatty acids is like a solid foundation house, "Dyall said.

Meanwhile, Aron Barbey, a researcher from Illinois University, said that omega-3s may have beneficial effects on the brain, despite evidence of its presence in food intake and supplements despite further review.

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Barbey's research has linked high blood omega-3 levels with improved cognitive function and also increased volume in certain brain structures. But Barbey says the findings are highly correlational, in the sense that they are still looking for supplements and what foods really affect them.

"We have not done any kind of randomized controlled trial that proves that omega-3 diets are capable of causing positive changes in the way a person's brain operates for centuries back," he said.

More research on omega-3

A study even showed that daily supplement consumption containing 500 mg DHA and 200 mg of EPA did not significantly alter cognitive function compared with placebo.

There are also other studies showing that middle-aged adults with low omega-3 levels did not have a significant increase after supplementation for about 18 weeks.

"Our limitations occur because the study is only done for four months.It may be omega-3 takes longer than four weeks to get into brain cells, or it could be more than a lifetime effect, where intake of omega-3 fatty acids during the age of 20 affect brain health in the 30s or 40s, "said Matthew Muldoon, a researcher from the University of Pittsburgh.

Then what is the natural source of omega-3? Based on the recommendations dr. Anita Amalia Sari, you can try the following list of foods:

• Seafood
• Nuts
• Grains
• Vegetables
• Dairy products and eggs
• Oil

"One that needs attention is food processing. The reason, free radicals, especially when exposed to hot temperatures, can damage the nutritional content in food, "said dr. Anita.

Omega-3 content in fact can provide significant benefits for brain health, although its presence on food sources and supplements are being studied further. As a workaround, you can try the recommended dr. Anita above.