Omega 3 Fatty Acids Linked to Longevity

Even the medical community, which has a notoriously difficult time reaching a consensus on new research and science, has, at this time, acknowledged that omega 3 fatty acids, essential nutrients found in fish oil, play an integral role in protecting the body from heart disease and helping patients with heart disease heal. However, new research conducted by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, suggests that patients who are taking omega 3 supplements may also have a better chance at longevity not just because they are receiving heart health benefits, but because the omega 3s have actually increased their genetic advantage.

One of the common indications that any given individual is likely to live longer than any other given individual is the length of the subject’s telomeres. Telomeres are stretches of repetitive DNA at the end of chromosomes. They have long been thought to be “nonsense” DNA that was largely intended simply to “cap” the chromosome and keep the DNA molecules from tangling together. However, the length of your telomeres appears to be directly related to your genetic inclination to live a long time, and heart patients in the study who took omega 3 fatty acid supplements had markedly longer telomeres than those that did not.

Now, at this point in time this research is not conclusive. The study only included 608 patients; so far more research is necessary to make a defining statement about whether fish oil – the best source for omega 3 fatty acids – could actually be the key ingredient in the water of the fountain of youth. However, given the other proven cardiovascular benefits of taking omega 3 fish oil for fatty acids, it seems relatively safe to say that a daily fish oil supplement could go a long way toward extending your life, your quality of life and your health.

To date, the best source of omega 3 fatty acids is fish oil – salmon oil specifically, although they can also be derived from tuna, mackerel and swordfish. While the American Heart Association limits itself to simply recommending that people eat 2 servings of fatty fish a week, most scientists in the field believe that the body can benefit from a more regular, daily dose of this essential nutrient.

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