Report suggests Parkinson's prevention linked to omega-3 fatty acid intake

DENVER A report released Wednesday links long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with the prevention of Parkinson’s disease, according to the December 2007 Fats of Life and PUFA Newsletter electronic publications.

“Papers with the potential to redirect our thinking about diseases are rare, but this study from Laval University in Quebec City, Canada, might do it for Parkinson’s disease,” stated Fats of Life editor Joyce Nettleton. “The researchers showed that the consumption of marine omega-3s-mainly docosahexaenoic acid protected Parkinson’s animals from losing their dopamine-producing neurons. Animals without these omega-3s lost 30 percent of these essential cells, a hallmark of the disease. The implication is that sufficient brain DHA might be able to prevent the onset of Parkinson’s disease.”