It's really not even surprising anymore, but chalk up another one for fish oil; the benefits just keep coming.
Just this week, there are two more studies out suggesting that fish oil may help prevent eye disease, as well as improve behavior in children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
First, the results of the ADHD study, published in the Nutrition Journal:
The eight-week study demonstrated that children who consumed between 8 and 16 grams per day of EPA and DHA (the long chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) showed significant improvements in their behavior rated by both their parents and the psychiatrist working with them.
And second, the results of the eye disease study, published in the Nature Medicine journal:
…dietary intake of omega-3 DHA and EPA (both found in fish oil supplements) increases the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. This ratio is significant because increased omega-6 consumption is linked with an increased risk of retinopathy, a sight-threatening disease that affects 4 million premature infants and diabetics in the United States.
With study after study revealing a seemingly endless list of health benefits, there is absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be taking a daily fish oil supplement — especially considering the fact that Americans have the lowest intake of omega-3 of any developed country.
What are you waiting for? Fish oil should be right up there with multivitamins on your list of necessary nutritional supplements.
Do you take a fish oil supplement? If so, do you prefer the liquid or capsule form?
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A study of primary school children in the UK has shown that fish oil/omega 3 also dramatically improves reading skills.
Thanks for the info Margaret!
Again, to those who haven't caught on yet: Why would you NOT take a fish oil supplement?!
To get more omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, try to eat seafood rich in omega-3's at least two to four times a week. Soom good sources include: anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, Chinook or pink salmon, herring, lake trout, Norway sardines, and whitefish.
Great list of natural sources Bill.
University of Maryland researchers suggest that carotenoids, particularly lycopene may protect the eye against oxidative damage and play a critical role in visual function. The identification of lycopene and a diverse range of dietary carotenoids in ocular tissues suggest that these carotenoids, as well as other nutrients found in tomato-based foods, may work in concert with lutein and zeaxanthin to provide protection against age related macular degeneration and other visual disorders.