A new pilot study has found that omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) supplementation can reduce shortening of telomeres, a phenomenon that occurs as cells age and is related to degeneration and death1.

Background: Telomeres are strands of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that prevent them from fusing with each other or rearranging during cell division which can lead to cancer formation. Each time that a cell divides the telomeres shorten and once the telomeres are totally gone, the cells can longer divide and eventually die. This mechanism is part of the normal aging and lifespan of cells within our bodies.  However, oxidative stress may damage telomeres and may lead to genome instability leading to accelerated aging, cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease. Therefore, diet may be an important factor affecting the rate of telomere shortening.

Previous studies have found shortened telomeres associated with decreased cognitive ability in people with mild cognitive impairment compared to those without2. In addition higher blood levels of omega-3 LC-PUFAs were associated with decreased telomere shortening over five years in a group of people with stable coronary artery disease3 while dietary omega-3 LC-PUFAs were able to prevent telomere shortening4.

Objective: To investigate the effects of omega-3 LC-PUFA supplementation on telomere shortening in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment.

Subjects:  Thirty-three adults greater than 65 years of age with mild cognitive impairment

Methods: Subjects were randomized to receive either a fish oil derived supplement providing mostly EPA (1.67 g EPA + 0.16 g DHA/day) or mostly DHA (1.55g DHA+0.40 g EPA/day or a safflower oil placebo (containing 2.2 g linoleic acid/day) for 6 months. The fatty acid status and telomere length was determined before and after treatment.

Results: Telomere length shortened during the six month treatment in all groups, but the shortening was the greatest in the placebo group. Those individuals who had the greatest increase in red blood cell DHA also had the smallest decline in telomere length over the 6 months.

 

Conclusion: Although this study included a relatively small number of study subjects, it showed that omega-3 LC-PUFA supplementation may slow the rate of telomere shortening.  This warrants further investigation since reducing telomere degradation may prevent a variety of degenerative diseases associated with aging and hypothetically may even extend life.

 

References

1.          Callaghan NO, Parletta N, Milte CM, Benassi-Evans B, Fenech M, Howe PRC. Telomere shortening in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment may be attenuated with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation: A randomized controlled pilot study. Published online ahead of print: doi 10.1016/j.nut.2013.09.013.

2.          Devore EE, Prescott J, De Vivo I, Grodstein F. Relative telomere length and cognitive decline in the Nurses’ Health Study. Neuroscience letters 2011;492(1):15-8.

3.          Farzaneh-Far R, Lin J, Epel ES, Harris WS Blackburn EH, Whooley MA. Association of marine omega-3 fatty acid levels with telomereic aging in patients with coronary heart disease. Jama, 2011;303(3):250-7.

4.          Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Epel ES, Belury MA, Andridge R, Lin J, Glaser R et al. Omega-3 fatty acids, oxidative stress, and leukocyte telomere length: A randomized controlled trial.  Brain, behavior and immunity. 2012 Feb;28:16-24.