Omega-3 Fat intake linked to bone health in young men

Many of us have heard that increasing intake of omega-3 fats helps with health; decreases inflammation, decreases risk of heart disease, can help with arthritis, etc, but did you also know it can help your bones?

The results of looking at this question were published in the March 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. There have been previous studies looking at the effects of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which concluded that those who ate a higher ratio of omega-3 fats had more dense bones, but this appears to be the first to directly look at the question, does an increase in omega-3 fat intake improve bone health?

This specific study investigated 78 healthy men who were 16 years old at the beginning of the study. Bone mineral density was measured for the total body, the hip and the spine at the beginning of the study and then again at 22 years old and 24 years old. Fatty acid concentrations were also measured for comparisons.

They found that there was a positive correlation between concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and changes in the bone mineral density. The conclusion was that omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, are positively associated with increased bone mineral density in young men.

What does this all mean? There is plenty of research that supports increasing our intake of omega-3 fats. Here is another one. But how can you do that? First of all, this is why health professionals are encouraging people to eat more fish, especially the fatty fish, which are fish that live in colder climates, such as salmon. Other sources of omega-3 fats include flaxseeds and nuts, particularly walnuts.

I often recommend to my clients to decrease the fat intake from animals, increase fish intake to 3 servings per week, and, in some cases, consider a supplement. Look at your diet, and see where you can start making changes to the type of fats you eat.

To read more about omega-3 fats and fish, click here: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632
For an NIH report on omega-3 fatty acids and health, click here:
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/FactSheets/Omega3FattyAcidsandHealth.asp
To read the abstract for this study, click here: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/3/803

Glycemic Index. Could the GI of your Dinner affect your sleep?

In the February, 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers were curious about the impact of a low glycemic index (GI) intake vs a high GI intake on sleep patterns.

The glycemic index of foods is a measure of how quickly the food will raise insulin and glucose levels. When the insulin levels rise quickly, the food is a ‘high GI’ food. If it is slow to raise insulin levels, it is considered a ‘low GI’ food. Only foods that provide carbohydrate are even tested, as fats and proteins will not affect the glycemic index.

Researchers fed twelve healthy men between the ages of 18 and 35 diets that were similar in all aspects except the type of carbohydrate they ate. They either received Mahatma rice, which has a GI of 50 (considered low) or they received Jasmine rice, which has a GI of 109. They either were fed these meals 4 hours before bed or 1 hour before bed, with multiple testings.

What they discovered is that the men who ate the high GI meal had a harder time falling asleep than the men who ate the low GI meal.

So what does this mean? First of all, there is a lot of research into the glycemic index and how we can use it to accomplish various goals. For people who want to lose weight, following a low GI diet can help keep them feeling satisfied longer, thus it is easier for them to cut calories and lose weight. Athletes, on the other hand, can take advantage of eating or drinking a food high in GI to improve performance or replenish glycogen stores right after a workout or event. This research indicates that if you suffer from problems falling asleep at night, you may benefit from paying closer attention to the GI of your dinner.

To learn more about the glycemic index, click here; http://www.glycemicindex.com/

To read the abstract of this study, click here: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/2/426