Omega-3 fatty acids are known for a range of health benefits, from promoting brain and heart health to reducing inflammation and preventing many chronic diseases.
In a new study, researchers found that omega-3 acids, especially those found in foods such as flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds, canola oil, and soybean oil, can slow ALS (ALS) progress.
it’s a debilitating nervous system A disease that gets progressively worse over time and can be fatal. This condition causes loss of muscle control and affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it.
Initial symptoms of the disease include muscle weakness, difficulty walking, and difficulty with hand movements. Symptoms slowly develop into difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, and breathing.
The exact cause of ALS is unknown. However, about 10% of people get the infection from a risk gene inherited from a family member. It is estimated that more than 32,000 people in the United States have the disease.
in the latest study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Massachusetts evaluated 449 ALS patients in a clinical trial. The team assessed the severity of their symptoms, disease progression, and blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids over 18 months.
The study suggests that alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 found in plants, is particularly beneficial in slowing the progression of ALS. Compared with participants with the lowest ALA levels, participants with the highest ALA levels had a 50 percent lower risk of dying during the study period.
The researchers also found that participants who consumed eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish and fish oils, and linoleic acid, found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, had a reduced risk of death.
A previous study by the same team showed that a diet high in ALA and higher levels of the nutrient in the blood can reduce the risk of the disease.
“In this study, we found that in ALS patients, higher blood levels of ALA were also associated with slower disease progression and a lower risk of death during the study period. These findings, along with our previous research, suggest that this fatty acid may have neurological protective effect, which could benefit ALS patients,” explain Kjetil Bjornevik, lead author of the study.
Published by Medicaldaily.com