SCHAUMBURG, Ill.—Wine might be the sexiest part of the Mediterranean diet, but it’s the omega-3s that make it so healthy, said Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., FACN, at the Natural Health Research Institute’s (NHRI) 6th Annual Scientific Symposium on Oct. 28, 2011. She said in the traditional Crete diet, omega-3 essential fatty acids are found throughout the food chain—in the meat, vegetables, eggs, milk, etc. This is the reason those in Greece have fewer health problems and incidents of cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity and diabetes.
In contrast, she said the typical western diet has changed dramatically in the past 150 years to include more omega-6 fatty acids, which cause inflammation and shorten telomeres. Simopoulous, president, The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, said in Western diets, omega-6 fatty acids constitute the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), which is metabolically distinct and has opposing physiological properties and functions than the healthier omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). The omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) competes with the omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA) for enzymatic metabolism inducing the production of fewer inflammatory derivatives than those of AA.
Animal experiments and clinical intervention studies indicate that omega-3 PUFAs have anti-inflammatory properties, and therefore might be useful in the management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Considering that inflammation is at the basis of many chronic diseases, clinical studies have included coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cancer, major depression, arthritis and aging; all of which are characterized by high levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Similarly, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and lupus erythematosus are autoimmune diseases characterized by a high level of IL-1 and the pro-inflammatory leukotriene B4 (LTB4) derived from the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) AA.
Many of the placebo-controlled trials with omega-3 PUFAs for CVD and other chronic inflammatory diseases reveal significant benefits, including decreased disease activity, decrease risk for myocardial infarction and sudden death, less chance of heart failure, fewer hospital days following surgery for cancer patients and lowered use of anti-inflammatory drugs, thus providing financial savings and improved quality of life.
The increased omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in Western diets due to agribusiness and modern agriculture has led to excessive amounts of omega-6 PUFAs and an decrease of omega-3 PUFAs. She said the time has come to return the omega-3 PUFAs into the food supply and decrease omega-6 PUFAs intake to balance the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in order to improve health, prevent chronic diseases and decreased hospital stays and expenditures.
NHRI is an independent organization that supports research on natural health and wellness. Its objectives are to promote research on science-supported approaches to optimal health and wellness; bring respected scientists and world-renowned thought leaders together at scientific conferences to share their research with other scientists and the public; study and promote the public health benefits and cost-of-care savings that can be achieved by widespread, responsible use of science-based dietary ingredients and related natural approaches to health and wellness; and encourage young scientists to engage in university-directed research on natural health remedies and the public-health benefits that can be achieved to help developed and developing countries reduce chronic disease and its associated cost-of-care burdens.
