Fish With Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Risk of Blindness
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 65. Impaired vision precedes blindness. A recent study linked consumption of omega-3 fatty acids with 30% lower risk of developing macular degeneration. Believe me, it’s a lot better to prevent it than try to treat it once present.
[I have a couple older relatives with macular degeneration, so I pay close attention to the scientific literature.]
What’s the best source of omega-3 fatty acids? Our friend, the fish. Especially cold-water fatty fish such as tuna, trout, sardines, herring, mackerel, halibut, and sea bass. A few plants are also decent sources, but our bodies don’t utilize those omega-3 fatty acids as well as they do from fish.
Note that both the Advanced Mediterranean Diet and Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet feature fish.
Reference: SanGiovanni, J.P., et al. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and 12-y incidence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and central geographic atrophy: AREDS report 30, a prospective cohort study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90 (2009): 1,601-1,607. First published October 7, 2009. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27594
January 5th, 2010 at 10:35 am
I have to laugh every time I remember that photo on your site of a fish with the caption, “I gave my life so that others might live”
January 5th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Omega 3s are one of the few times where the supplement (or prescription) seems to work as well as the whole food (fish) for disease.
And plant omega 3s are definitely not the same thing as fish oil. While alpha linolenic acid (ALA) from plants may have biological effects in its own right, for all intents and purposes humans do not convert it to EPA or DHA (the kinds in fish) in appreciable amounts. Other animals do which is why we can get eggs with 500+ mg of EPA and DHA when they are fed flaxseed. Give flaxseed to a human and we just don’t convert it. Go figure.
January 11th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Don’t forget that ALA (from plant sources) is said to have it’s own important functions, aside from EPA & DHA (fish). I find the easiest way to get the recommended 2g is to have an ounce of walnuts daily.
Steve
Australia