Omega-3s Promote Thirst During Aging
Aging: thanks to Omega 3 that increase thirst, the body is healthier
The loss of thirst control mechanisms that can occur during aging can be balanced by the intake of Omega 3. This was demonstrated by researchers from Deakin University in Burwood (Australia) in a study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging. The data collected by the authors of the research allowed the identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect, which is controlled by a gene expressed in the hypothalamus, the area of the brain where the nerve centers for thirst control are located.
The link between aging and thirst
During aging, the mechanisms controlling thirst may become less efficient. This means that despite the presence of thirst-inducing stimuli, the individual does not feel a need to drink proportional to the body's requirement for water intake. This phenomenon, well documented in both humans and rodents, is one of the biological reasons behind health problems in elderly people caused by dehydration due to intense heat.
The role of Omega-3
Aging can also lead to a decrease in Omega-3 levels present in the body. The deficiency of these nutrients causes changes in fluid presence and sodium balance. For this reason, Australian researchers decided to evaluate whether dietary supplementation with Omega-3 had any effect on the thirst response.
Fatty acids to increase thirst
The study, conducted on rats, showed that the intake of Omega-3 balances the lack of mechanisms that induce drinking in case of dehydration. The analysis of the molecular bases of this effect showed that, although angiotensin II hormone is one of the mechanisms regulating thirst sensation, its ability to stimulate thirst does not change with aging. Conversely, the activity of other hormones that allow the balance of water quantity in the body, such as the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and vasopressin (AVP), is altered with aging. Omega-3 intake does not affect the action of these molecules in any way. Researchers discovered, however, that in Omega-3 deficient aged animals, the expression of some hypothalamic genes is higher compared to rats administered these fatty acids. In particular, these animals had higher levels of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and the enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), a molecule involved in the control of water balance. In accordance with these data, scientists also observed that aged animals given a low dose of Omega-3 had higher hypothalamic PGE(2) levels compared to all other rats. Furthermore, the more water consumed following dehydration, the lower the PGE(2) levels in the hypothalamus.
Omega-3 promote thirst through prostaglandins
Based on these results, researchers concluded that Omega-3 can be useful in restoring the correct thirst perception mechanisms that may be lost during aging. Moreover, the data allowed the hypothesis that the mechanisms underlying the reduction in thirst sensation may be based on the activity of PGE(2).
Source
1. Begg DP, Sinclair AJ, Weisinger RS, “Thirst deficits in aged rats are reversed by dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation”, Neurobiol Aging. 2012 Jan 5. [Epub ahead of print]
