Focuses on omega-3 fatty acids namely linoleic acid,
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Sources of
omega-3 fatty acids; Accounts on the use and effect of omega-3 on its
user.
By
Peter Doskoch, published on March 01, 1997
Nutrition
If any nutrient could use an image makeover, it's fat. Often
forgotten in our anti-fat frenzy is the fact that some fats are crucial
for proper brain function. Among the good guys: the omega-3 fatty acids,
which include linoleic acid--found in soybeans, canola oil, and nuts--as
well as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both
plentiful in fish. Researchers have long known that infant brains require
omega-3s, but now they say it appears these fats influence our behavior
long after we've shed our diapers:
In a study of Japanese teens, those who had been taking
omega-3-rich fish oil supplements for three months were less aggressive
during a stressful exam period.
Purdue University's John Burgess, Ph.D., reports that kids with
attention deficit disorder (ADD) may be more likely than their peers to
have low blood levels of omega-3s. He's now testing whether fish oil can
boost ADD kids' mental skills and attention.
DHA reduces menstrual discomfort in teenage girls, say researchers
at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati.
Unfortunately, experts don't yet agree on the amount of omega-3s
people need "With all the fads that occur with food," notes DHA expert
Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., "we have to proceed very carefully before making
recommendations."
Edited by Peter Doskoch
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