Fish oil may halt the decline by aging - Terra Argentina

Researchers undertake a new study to confirm the relationship between omega 3 and muscle mass.
Photo: Thinkstock

Moderate exercise and regular consumption of fish oil acids keep the immobility of the elderly at Bay, according to a study.

A recent medical test results show that women over the age of 65 years who consumed omega 3 fatty acids acquired almost twice the muscle mass after exercise than those who took olive oil.

A more comprehensive test is expected to confirm these results and to determine why it improves muscle condition.

The data were presented at the British Science Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Some studies linked diets high in omega-3, commonly found in fish oil such as mackerel and sardines, with potential health benefits, such as one lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

During the natural process of aging, muscle mass is reduced between 0.5% and 2% per year.

This degeneration, which is known as sarcopenia, can lead to weakness and immobility in the elderly.

There is not much data on the prevalence of sarcopenia in United Kingdom but United States data reflect 25% of people aged 50 to 70 years to have sarcopenia and this figure increases to more than 50% in those who have more than 80 years.

According to Dr. Stuart Gray, of the University of Aberdeen, the cost of the sarcopenia is immense, for costs generated in care and health care and hospital admissions that occur due to falls.

"Nearly 1.5% of the total health budget in United States is spent on issues related to the sarcopenia", he said.

Tales from the farm

The loss of muscle mass index is determined to some extent by the style of life: it is known that a low protein diet and sedentary lifestyle exacerbate muscle loss.

Previous studies found that cattle fed with diets rich in omega-3 increased muscle volume.

This led to Stuart Gray to investigate if these fatty acids could help reverse the sarcopenia in adults.

In their initial investigations showed by magnetic resonance imaging that middle-aged rats who took fish oil supplements had one minor loss of lean mass than other rodents that ate a normal diet.

"Fish oil seems you took anabolic (muscle building) protective effects in rats, but rats are not human, so the next step was to test it in humans", said.

Gray recruited 14 women over the age of 65, and divided them into two groups and asked to undergo a program of physical exercise for 12 weeks consisting of two sessions of 30 minutes of standard exercises for the muscles of the legs.

Half of the women ingested EPA and DHA, which are omega 3 fatty acids, while the other group received a placebo of olive oil.

At the beginning and at the end of the test, the strength of the legs of the women was measured.

The results were convincing. Women who took the olive oil experienced an 11% increase in muscle mass, while those receiving EPA and DHA had increased by 20%, a statistically significant improvement.

But as Gray rushed to restrict, not all fish oil supplements contain beneficial amounts of these fatty acids.

"One of the problems with many of these supplements is that the amount of EPA varies."

"A capsule containing a gram of fish oil may only contain 100 milligrams of EPA and some others may contain 400," he said.

Her advice to anyone who wants to improve your consumption of EPA and DHA in the diet is that you take a supplement with the highest levels of these two acids.

As an alternative, the half of a middle portion of oily fish contains equal amounts of EPA and DHA such as those used in the trial.

Difference by sex

The researchers received funding to carry out a broader trial involving 60 people older than 65 years to confirm the beneficial effects of fatty acids.

The new test recruit a similar number of men and women.

Previous research showed that men and women differ in their ability to synthesize new proteins and also in your response to physical exercise.

"Older women have levels of synthesis of proteins similar to younger women, but older men have lower levels compared with young people," said Gray.

"Older men adapt to the exercise and increase the rate of synthesis of proteins." "Older women don't do this in a meaningful way, although their basic levels of synthesis are higher", he added.

Assess whether men and women respond differently to physical exercise and supplements of fatty acids is one of the issues that will be the new clinical trial.

He is expected to test to start the month coming, with participants from the Aberdeen area.