Scientists probe omega-3 DHA as anti-obesity agent

The omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), suppressed the development of fat cells in vitro, and could lead to reductions in body fat, US researchers have reported.

Fish oil, and other omega-3-rich sources have previously been shown to decrease body fat in rodents, but the mechanism behind such observations and whether doses smaller than those usually found in humans could also exert an effect of the development of fat cells, and therefore play a potential role in weight management. The new research, published in the new issue of the Journal of Nutrition (Vol. 136, pp. 2965-2969), looked at the effects of DHA on cell growth, differentiation, cell death (apoptosis), and fat breakdown in cultured fat (3T3-L1) cells. The researchers report that when added to a culture of preadipocytes (cells that can be stimulated to develop into fully-fledged fat cells, adipocytes) all the concentrations studied (25, 50, and 200 umol/L) resulted in a reduction in the number of viable cells. This was due, said the researchers, to an effect of DHA on adoptosis (programmed cell death). They also report that DHA significantly decreased the accumulation of fat in the preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner and the development (differentiation) of mature adipocytes in culture.

Steve - omega-3 has literally become a super-nutrient. It is being studied for anything and everything. While we should not get ahead of ourselves with regard to the aforementioned study, it is encouraging.