Omega-3, Food for Your Brain, Especially A Developing Brain

The old adage ‘you are what you eat’ is especially true when it comes to the kind of fats you consume; 60 percent of the dry weight of the human brain is fat. Omega-3 fats support a sharp mind, a bright mood, youthful vision, and a healthy heart.*

When you eat fish or fish oil, the omega-3 fats are sopped up by the membranes that envelop every one of the 100 billion neurons that make the human brain. DHA is the specific omega-3 fat that is the most powerful for recharging the brain.

You might be surprised to learn that the single richest source of DHA in nature is not fish or algae, but human breast milk. Mother Nature, in her wisdom, knows that when building a human brain, the most amazing structure in the known universe, a diet rich in DHA is critically important. This is true during the prenatal months when the fetus is developing as well as during infancy years for the baby. Increased fetal brain growth occurs during the second half of pregnancy and remains high for the next several years. During this time, it is especially crucial to provide adequate omega-3 to optimize the health of the fetus and pregnancy outcomes.*

Research involving participants in the famous Framingham Study found that fish truly is brain food. This study, published in the journal Neurology, evaluated how levels of omega-3 affected both the size and func­tion of the brain. People with higher levels of DHA, did not show as much age-related brain shrink­age as those who had lower DHA levels.* Even more importantly, low DHA levels were linked with poor memory and reduced ability for ab­stract thinking and complex reason­ing. In other words, low DHA levels accelerated brain aging and brain shrinkage resulting in deterioration of thinking skills. Keep your brain plump, youthful and razor-sharp by feeding it generous amounts of DHA from fish and/or fish oil, especially at an early age.*

Searching the World Over for the Best Omega-3

Over a century ago my great-grandfather, as a newborn baby, emigrated with his family from the fjord region of Norway to northern Minnesota. One of my life’s ambitions had been to get over to that part of Norway to do some sea kayaking in the fjords. Many years ago, I, along with my two sons Jimmy and Evan, my good friend Corey, and my brother Kevin, landed in a small airport in northern Norway. After traveling by car along winding narrow roads through thickly-forested, glacier-covered mountains, we arrived at Hotel Union on Geiranger fjord late one night. At the breakfast buffet the next morning I was curious to find a tray full of small plastic cups, each filled with a shot of fish oil + vitamin D.

For centuries, the hardy people living in Norway have consumed fish and/or fish oil as part of their daily routine. According to their cultural wisdom, handed down from generation to generation, it was essential to take cod liver oil daily during all months that contained an “R” in their name. For reasons unbeknownst to them, cod liver oil seemed to grant benefits to one’s well-being including a sharp mind and happy mood, robust cardiovascular health, and a strong immune system.* Especially in the long, cold, overcast, winter with very little sunlight, a daily intake of cod liver oil was considered vital for good health. Modern science is just now confirming the ingenuity of that folk medicine tradition.

My scientific motive behind this trip was to meet Leif Gjendemsjo in Alesund, Norway, to discuss the new science and technology he was pioneering to produce higher purity, better-tasting omega-3 from fish oil. Leif grew up in a family of commercial fisherman. By the time he was 17 years old, he had begun to explore how to get more value and benefit out of the fish beyond just selling it locally for food. In the 30 years since then, Leif, with a team of very bright scientists and engineers, has been pushing the frontiers in the field of omega-3 production and purification. I have regularly visited him and his omega-3 production facility situated on an island of stunning natural beauty surrounded by the pristine waters in the North Sea.

We have collaborated with Leif and his colleagues to create omega-3 softgels and liquid supplements for Cardiotabs. These highly refined omega-3 supplements contain a clean, light and pleasant tasting omega-3 that is free of mercury and other contaminants and is very high in DHA.

Studies show that DHA appears to be the most important of the omega-3 fatty acids for heart, brain, and eye health.* Nearly all fish oils contain less DHA than EPA, and are less purified and concentrated than Cardiotabs Omega-3 products. By taking two Cardiotabs Omega-3 Extra-Strength capsules daily you can keep your DHA level in the optimal range that supports vigorous health and longevity and also receive 600 IU of vitamin D₃.*

In Good Health,

James O’Keefe, MD, FACC
CardioTabs Founder