Bill Sears' presentation for Expo West 2015

2. Fish Oil Omega-3 Health Benefits
Neurologist
Ophthalmologist
Cardiologist
Dermatologist
Rheumatologist
Immunologist
Gastroenterologist
Hematologist
Perinatologist

3. My Omega-3 Professor, Dr. Dyerberg

4. Omega-3s in the Womb

6. Mama, you’re
growing a little
fathead!

7. A gram a day,
I say!

8. Eat enough
omega-3s for
both of us.

9. Omega-3 EPA/DHA Happy Mothers
• Depressed mothers have
lower O-3 levels.
• Increased O-3 in 3rd trimester:
less PPD
• Theory of PPD: O-3 deficiency
• Baby drains mother.
• Psychoneuroendrocrinology
Lin, J Clin Psychiatry 2007, 68:1056

10. Omega-3 EPA/DHA During Pregnancy - Babies
• Improved cognitive abilities,
age 4 years
• Improved visual acuity
• Less allergies, eczema
• Slightly increased birth size
and weight
Helland, Pediatrics 2003;111
Pediatric Research 2005;57

11. Brain Most Affected by Nutrition
• Brain grows most during
pregnancy and first year.
• Brain 60% Fat
• 20% DHA
• Omega-3 is to brain like
calcium is to bone.
• Brain cell membrane
fluidity
• Myelin development
• “Fathead”

12. Myelin and Oligodendrocytes

13. Omega-3’s Feed the Brain

15. DHA Dietary Deficiency Impairs Synapse Development
DHA 6.6 ± 0.7% 0.5 ± 0.1%
DPAn-6 0.4 ± 0.1% 4.7 ± 0.1%
Hippocampal
Fatty Acids
Cao et al. J. Neurochem. 2009
Adequate Deficient
30 µm
Mother mice fed adequate or deficient diets, embryo neurons harvested day 18
Synapes in
Hippocampal
Neurons

16. Omega-3 EPA/DHA: The Membrane Molecule
• Omega-3 EPA/DHA –
a “cell conditioner”,
like hair conditioner
makes hair soft and
flexible.
• Optimal cell signaling

17. Seafood is “See Food”

18. Seafood is “See Food”

24. Epidemic of Ds: Seafood is School Food
• ADD, ADHD, OCD, BPD, ASD
• 78% of children 4-8 years old are omega-3 deficient
• Improved attention and learning with O-3 supplementation
• Dosage: 1000 mg of EPA/DHA/day
• D’s = deficiency of neurohormones: serotonin, dopamine
• ADHD children: lower blood levels of DHA
• Children with highest blood omega-3, better attention, learning
• Dyslexia improvement
• Less aggressive behavior
• Improvement with omega-3 more effective, safer than Rx
The Omega-3 Effect, Sears

25. How Omega-3s EPA/DHA Help School Children
Before supplements
Richardson, AP and P. Montgomery Pediatrics, 2005. 115(5): p. 1360-6.
Oxford-Durham Study
1 month after EPA 558mg/DHA174mg
Improved: Reading, Spelling, Writing
8-year-old Joe: “My head feels clear.”

26. Omega-3’s are Grow Food for Teen Brains
Salmon says: Omega-3s are smart to take!

27. Teens: What Science Says
• Lower risk of metabolic syndrome
• Lower BMI’s (seafood, not only
supplements), high satiety factor
• Less mood disorders
• PDAY study: 20% of 15-19 y/o have fatty
streaks in aorta
• Omega-3s lower BP in overweight teens

28. Daisy Study: Omega-3s Lessen Diabetic Risk
• Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young
• 1700 children at risk for diabetes
• Highest RBC omega-3 level, least type I
diabetes
• CDC: 1:3 children destined to diabetes

29. High-Energy Muscles

30. How Much Omega-3 EPA/DHA?
• Pregnancy and lactation: 1000 mg/day EPA/DHA
• Infants and toddlers: 300 mg/day EPA/DHA
• Children and Teens: 500-1000 mg/day EPA/DHA
• Omega-3s from seafood better than from flax
• 6oz wild Salmon twice a week: 600 mg/day
• Neurological disorders: 2-5 grams
• Cardiovascular disease: 1-4 grams
• “itis” illnesses: 3-4 grams, 3 months

31. Dosage for Pregnant Mother: 1000 mg/day
• Average: only 150 mg/day
• Recommended: 500 mg EPA/DHA minimum
• Baby’s growing brain: 70-200 mg DHA/day
• Mother’s blood volume increases 40%: 100mg
• Extra maternal tissue growth and healing:
200mg
• No safety issues with 1000mg.

32. Dosage for Infants: 300 mg/day
• 6 m/o baby: 760 mL (27 oz) breastmilk
yields 300 mg DHA/day

33. A Gram a Day, I Say!
A gram a
day!

34. Reading Omega-3 Labels

35. Supplements: EPA + DHA or DHA Only?
• Science supports both EPA and DHA
• Trust Nature:
– Breast milk contains both EPA and DHA,
approximately 1:2 depending on mother’s diet
– Salmon 1:1.4 EPA/DHA
• DHA and EPA complementary
• DHA for cell structure; EPA for cell maintenance

36. Measuring Omega-3s in Medical Practice
RBC Omega-3 Index vs
Daily Omega-3 Intake
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
RBC Omega-3 Index (%)
DailyOmega-3Intake.
(mg/day)

37. Measuring Omega-3s in Medical Practice
After 1000 mg DHA daily for 2 months
Before

40. Don’t Be an i-Bod; Change Your Oil
• Inflammatory
balance
• More oils:
fish, flax, olive,
coconut
• Less oils:
hydrogenated,
saturated, meat

41. I’m here to help put
out your “itis” fires.

42. I help balance
your inflammation.

43. Science Says: Go Fish!
Inflammation-balancing effects of omega-3s
• Brain: Improves learning and behavior in kids,
mellows moods, prevents Alzheimer’s, improves
thinking, helps heal neurodegenerative diseases,
lessens stroke
• Eyes: Improves vision, moistens dry eyes, delays
age-related macular degeneration
• Ears: Delays age-related hearing loss
• Gums: Helps gingivitis
• Gut: Lessens colitis and irritable bowel syndrome
• Immune System: Lessens auto-immune disease

44. Science Says: Go Fish!
Inflammation-balancing effects of omega-3s
• Heart: Steadies irregular heartbeat, lessens clots in
vessels, balances high blood pressure, softens
atherosclerosis
• Lungs: Alleviates asthma, bronchitis
• Skin: Heals dermatitis
• Joints: Alleviates arthritis
• Penis: Enhances blood vessel health for erectile
function

46. The Healing Power of Omega-3s
Nutritional Armor for the Warfighter. 2009.
http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?File=15352