A new omega-3 fishy study

Sam,

While I see something to the study, I wonder if there are other factors involved in mothers who eat diets high in omega-3 but also know which fish are more conducive to mercury than others. That is, smarter people may well act in a more desireable way, but this does not necessarily mean that the action of eating fish is what made the kids smarter, but rather the genes of thp eeople who were eating the fish. Additionally, such mothers who are paying more attention to the news may be the types of mothers who "try new things" with the their children, as opposed to less "plugged in" mothers who don't care about mercury, omega 3, or the latest teaching methods.

Omega-3s Play Role in Sago Mine Survivor's Recovery

Coal miner Randal McCloy likely never anticipated being the sole survivor of one of the worst mining disasters in West Virginia history. Or that something as simple as fish oil may play a major role in saving his life. On January 2, 2006 an explosion at the Sago Mine in Upshur County left McCloy and 12 others trapped underground as teams of rescuers struggled to free them.

After nearly two days, McCloy was carried out of the mine with multiple injuries and obvious signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. He had suffered heart failure, kidney failure and liver failure, and the damage to his brain was so severe that he had almost no brain activity whatsoever.

In an unprecedented decision, neurosurgeon Dr. Julian Bailes of West Virginia University followed the advice of Dr. Barry Sears and began administering high doses of the Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) through a feeding tube. Sears, author of the best-selling Zone diet, is a leading authority on the use of Omega-3 oils to reduce inflammation in the body, and it was the hope of both doctors that the combination of EPA and DHA would help reduce the inflammation in McCloy’s organs (the result of oxygen deficiency) and rebuild his damaged brain matter.

Indeed, recent studies have shown that in addition to their anti-inflammatory properties, Omega-3 oils help nourish the active tissues in the body, including those in the brain, heart, eyes and kidneys. Such oils—found predominantly in cold-water fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon—have been shown also to support healthy immune, circulatory and nervous system function, as well as a healthy metabolism and hormone balance. Yet, despite a growing database of evidence confirming their countless benefits, conventional medicine is still quick to dismiss the use of Omega-3s as a reliable treatment. Fortunately for McCloy, Dr. Bailes thought differently.

With a mega-dose of 15,000 milligrams a day of the EPA/DHA combination, the recovering miner soon began to show signs of improvement. In March 2006 he returned home for the first time since the accident, and in less than six months the damage to his heart, kidneys and liver had been reversed. His brain showed signs of neural growth, and his memory had improved. He gradually regained his speech and vision, as well as his ability to walk, and doctors began calling his recovery a “miracle”. Now two years later, McCloy is home with his family, including his youngest son Isaac Martin, born in 2007.

While access to superior medical staff no doubt contributed to McCloy’s amazing recovery, it was the quick thinking of his neurosurgeon that resulted in him receiving the beneficial Omega-3 oils that may have made all the difference. Said Dr. Bailes in a recent interview, “In terms of what we did medically, I think it had a great impact.”



[url=http://www.brendawatson.com/In-the-News/What's-Hot/OmegaMiners/ http://www.brendawatson.com/In-the-News/What's-Hot/OmegaMiners/]http://www.brendawatson.com/In-the-News/What's-Hot/OmegaMiners/ http://www.brendawatson.com/In-the-News/What's-Hot/OmegaMiners/[/url]

I'm not surprised that omega-3 proved to be that useful, although I don't suppose we have the financial ability to the amounts of it that they used for McCloy's excellent and alternative therapy.

I also try to get it where I can. I still wonder, however, whether some of what is attributed to Omega-3, even with the "art" (it's not a science) of regression analysis, is better attributed to other factors in the people who consume it.

SheikBen wrote:Sam,

While I see something to the study, I wonder if there are other factors involved in mothers who eat diets high in omega-3 but also know which fish are more conducive to mercury than others. That is, smarter people may well act in a more desireable way, but this does not necessarily mean that the action of eating fish is what made the kids smarter, but rather the genes of thp eeople who were eating the fish. Additionally, such mothers who are paying more attention to the news may be the types of mothers who "try new things" with the their children, as opposed to less "plugged in" mothers who don't care about mercury, omega 3, or the latest teaching methods.

Mike, as you know, ..... it is a "Catch 22".

The child has to be lucky enough to inherit the genes that make it possible for the ingesting of omega-3 to cause a measurable difference.

And you are right, a child's development is "a work inprocess" ........ so the parent's "attention" is what drives the increased "omega-3 aided development".

Mike, if you don't "pay attention" to your children's daily development I'm not sure if it would matter how much omega-3 you feed them.

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