Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Aggression and Omega 3 supplements

A very recent article in the journal of Aggressive Behaviour (Volume 36, Issue 2, Pages 117-126), yes there is such a journal, found that supplements which included omega-3s, vitamins and minerals were associated with a 34 per cent reduction in violent incidents, while the placebo group (received no supplements) had a 14 per cent increase in the number of reported incidents. This is following on from a study of young violent offenders reported in the British Journal of Psychiatry, in 2002 which found a 39% reduction in violent offences when they supplemented with a similar mix of nutrients. This is understandable if you look into a bit of the brain chemistry and the role of fatty acids and nutrients involved in healthy brain function.

Imagine we could reduce the violent behaviour out there in the community by getting people to eat well and supplement. Next time someone gets angry at you go tell them to take some supplements. The only real difference is that these people in the study are in prison. I know many kids who probably eat a lot worse than those in prison.

6 comments:

  1. I found with my hyperactive son cutting out artifical colourings, flavourings and natural salicylates made a hugh difference. If he had food and drink that contained these things his behaviour and co ordination left alot to be desired

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  2. does this apply to adults as well in regards to taking the omega 3 and vitamins?

    who else is going to support all these organisations if it isn't the drug companies. the government doesn't have the money to go to all these groups and it is always well known that research is biased towards the supporting drug company.

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  3. Yes these suggested supplements work well with all age groups

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  4. They did studies in Prisons years ago where they cut out meat consumption and found that aggressive incidents dropped by huge percentages. May have something to do with the way meat is farmed and the fact that it is no longer a source of Omega-3 only Omega-6, thereby exacerbating the imbalance

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  5. Dr D, I am a little concerned about the cost to marine life if we all start taking fish oil tablets. I use flaxseed oil as an alternative and I have been told recently hemp oil has a very high omega 3 content. I've also had it suggested that fish oil capsules go rancid quickly. Your thoughts?

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  6. • You are correct; Fish oil can go rancid so I suggest purchasing one that contains a small amount of vitamin E as an antioxidant. I agree Julie there are some concerns about the effect on marine life with the increase in the sales of fish oil products. Especially as farmed products are generally a poor quality. It is up to the consumer to use the voice of their money and purchase products ethically sourced. The problem with flax and linseed is the omega 3 content is a different type than the one sourced from fish. Plant omega 3 is Alpha-Linolenic Acid and fish omega 3 is Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). Your body has to convert alpha linolenic into EPA and DHA. While this is achieved, it is not as effective, sorry to disappoint. Flax/Linseed are still great sources for good oils but we still need to consume fish for the omega 3. Hemp seed oil is a good source of Alpha-Linolenic Acid but please make sure it is organic as Hemp crops can be heavily sprayed and remember to consume you flax/linseed oils cold, they are not appropriate to cook with.

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