Aging and Omega 3 Fatty Acids

High levels of omega-3 fatty acids may be linked to lower rate of biological aging.
The Los Angeles Times (1/19, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to findings appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, "people with heart disease who had high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had a lower rate of shortening of telomere length -- a marker for aging -- compared with similar heart patients who had the lowest levels of omega-3 fatty acids."
The Wall Street Journal (1/20, Burton) reports that the study of 608 heart patients targeted marine omega-3, which is found in fish, rather than omega-3 fatty acids typically in certain vegetable sources. But, researchers did not differentiate between patients who ate meals with fatty fish and those who took fish-oil supplements.
The study showed that "as blood levels of omega-3 went up, the rate at which telomeres shortened decreased," HealthDay (1/19, Gardner) reported. Furthermore, "to the extent that" the rate of shortening of telomeres "is a marker of biological aging, the rate of biological aging went down."
WebMD (1/19, Doheny) reported, however, that the researchers remained uncertain over whether the "effect of omega-3 fatty acids on telomere length is present in those without coronary heart disease," suggesting that telomere shortening may occur in everyone.