Omega-3 and Healthy Ageing: New Research Finds Something Remarkable

What if something as simple as Omega-3 could actually influence how quickly our bodies age?

That's the fascinating question raised by research published in Nature Aging.

And unlike many nutritional headlines, this wasn't simply researchers asking people what they ate and comparing their health years later.

It came from a randomized clinical trial.

They looked at ageing inside the cells

Researchers studied 777 adults aged 70 and over who were part of the large European DO-HEALTH clinical trial.

Participants had been randomly assigned different combinations of:

• Omega-3

• Vitamin D

• Exercise

• Placebo/control treatments

The Omega-3 dose was 1 gram per day of marine Omega-3.

And they continued for three years.

But here's where it gets particularly interesting.

Rather than simply looking at cholesterol or blood pressure, researchers analysed changes to the participants' DNA using what are known as epigenetic clocks.

These are sophisticated biological measurements designed to estimate how quickly our bodies appear to be ageing at a molecular level.

Omega-3 slowed several measures of biological ageing

Researchers tested four different biological-ageing measures.

Omega-3 supplementation significantly slowed three of them.

Across the three-year study, the difference represented approximately 2.9 to 3.8 months less biological ageing, depending on the particular measurement used.

That isn't the fountain of youth.

But think about what the researchers actually found.

A simple nutritional intervention produced a measurable change in biological ageing inside the body.

The researchers described the effect as small but potentially meaningful if it can be sustained over time.

And there was another interesting finding.

People who began the study with lower blood levels of EPA and DHA tended to show a stronger response to Omega-3 supplementation.

Read the study in Nature Aging

Omega-3 wasn't acting alone

The study also produced a result we particularly like.

Healthy ageing doesn't come from a single magic pill.

When researchers combined Omega-3 + Vitamin D + exercise, they found additional benefits on one of the biological-ageing measures.

In other words, nutrition and movement appeared to work together.

That's a much more sensible picture of health than searching for one miracle ingredient.

But why would Omega-3 affect ageing?

EPA and DHA aren't simply substances floating around in our bloodstream.

They become incorporated into our cell membranes and participate in numerous biological processes.

Researchers have therefore been investigating their effects on cardiovascular health, inflammatory signalling, the brain and ageing for decades.

And recent research continues to add to that picture.

Healthier blood vessels

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis combined 20 randomized controlled trials involving 1,208 people and looked specifically at Omega-3 and blood-vessel function.

The researchers found evidence that Omega-3 supplementation improved measures associated with endothelial function and arterial wave reflection.

The endothelium is the incredibly thin layer of cells lining the inside of our blood vessels.

Keeping it functioning normally matters because your blood vessels aren't simply pipes. They actively expand, contract and respond to the needs of your body.

Interestingly, the analysis found EPA and DHA performed better than the plant Omega-3 ALA for one important measure of endothelial function.

Read the vascular-health meta-analysis on PubMed

Better triglycerides

Another recent meta-analysis combined 24 randomized studies involving more than 2,000 people.

Omega-3 supplementation significantly reduced triglycerides.

Across the included trials, triglycerides fell by an average of approximately 17 mg/dL, while HDL — sometimes called the "good" cholesterol — increased modestly.

The researchers concluded that Omega-3 fatty acids improved several cardiovascular-related metabolic markers.

Read the cardiovascular meta-analysis on PubMed

EPA and DHA matter

There's another detail worth understanding when buying Omega-3.

Not all Omega-3 is the same.

ALA is the plant form found in foods such as flaxseed.

EPA and DHA are the long-chain marine Omega-3 fatty acids found predominantly in oily fish and fish oil.

Your body can convert some ALA into EPA and DHA, but the conversion is limited.

That's why we pay particular attention to the actual amount of EPA + DHA in an Omega-3 supplement rather than simply the number of milligrams of "fish oil" printed on the front.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis covering 96 clinical trials found that EPA+DHA supplementation significantly increased blood EPA and DHA levels.

The analysis also found reductions in several inflammatory markers, particularly among people with underlying health conditions.

Read the EPA/DHA meta-analysis on PubMed

And what about the brain?

DHA is particularly concentrated in the brain, which is why Omega-3 and cognitive ageing continue to attract considerable research interest.

A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis combined 24 randomized controlled trials involving 9,660 middle-aged and older adults without dementia.

The researchers found evidence suggesting Omega-3 supplementation may benefit executive function — the mental abilities we use for things such as planning, attention and decision-making.

The findings don't mean Omega-3 prevents dementia.

They do give researchers another reason to continue investigating the relationship between long-chain Omega-3 intake and the ageing brain.

Read the cognition meta-analysis on PubMed

One nutrient. Many parts of us.

This is perhaps the most interesting thing about Omega-3.

We used to think about nutrients in boxes.

Omega-3? Heart.

Vitamin D? Bones.

Vitamin C? Immunity.

Human biology isn't organised like that.

EPA and DHA form part of the structure of our cells and participate in processes throughout the body.

So researchers are now looking at Omega-3 through a much wider lens:

Heart. Blood vessels. Brain. Inflammatory balance. And now even the biological processes associated with ageing itself.

No supplement stops ageing.

But the possibility that good nutrition can influence how well we age is something quite different.

And that's a field of research worth watching.

The research

Omega-3 and biological ageing — Nature Aging

Omega-3 and vascular health — systematic review and meta-analysis

Omega-3 and cardiovascular metabolic markers — meta-analysis of randomized trials

EPA:DHA supplementation and inflammatory markers — systematic review of 96 trials

Omega-3 and cognitive function — systematic review and meta-analysis

This article is for general educational purposes and isn't medical advice. If you take prescription medication or have a medical condition, discuss supplementation with your healthcare professional.