Omega-3 in Kids: EPA and DHA Protect DNA in Children and Adolescents
Blood omega-3 levels appear to reduce the risk of DNA damage, according to research conducted among Brazilian children aged 9 to 13. A high concentration of EPA and DHA is associated with more intact and therefore more stable genetic material. Omega-3 fatty acids could represent a protective factor against DNA damage, a phenomenon underlying aging and the development of some diseases such as cancer, confirming the importance of a healthy diet from childhood.
The data from this study, conducted by researchers from the University of São Paulo (Brazil), were recently published in the scientific journal Food & Function.
Nutrients influence DNA damage and aging
DNA in the chromosomes of each of our cells accumulates thousands of lesions every day. This happens because cells are continuously attacked by harmful environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, ionizing radiation, and numerous chemicals or products of cellular metabolism, which can cause DNA damage.
The degradation of genetic material is one of the mechanisms underlying cellular aging. When damage accumulates in DNA strands, errors occur during DNA replication, and the tissues they form begin to lose proper function. DNA damage can interfere with essential cellular processes and compromise cell vitality. Specific DNA lesions can also induce mutations that cause cancer or other diseases, such as neurological disorders.
According to some studies conducted in recent years, some nutrients can promote increases in DNA breaks and aging, while others seem to have a protective effect due to their ability to counteract free radicals, the main agents of lesions. Among the molecules capable of this function are some antioxidant vitamins like Vitamin C, phytocompounds such as polyphenols, and omega-3 fatty acids. According to a study carried out in 2013, a diet characterized by a low omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is associated with greater telomere stability, the terminal regions of chromosomes whose erosion is linked to aging and the onset of some pathological conditions including cancer.
High plasma concentrations of omega-3 are protective for the DNA of young people
By studying blood concentrations of vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and DNA damage levels in healthy Brazilian children and adolescents, researchers discovered that higher blood levels of EPA and DHA are associated with a lower risk of genetic material damage. Similar results have been previously obtained in in vitro studies conducted on vascular tissue cells and endothelial cells in diabetic subjects.
However, the Brazilian study is the first in vivo work investigating the relationship with omega-3s in healthy adolescents. The data suggest that implementing public food education policies to improve nutritional status can help prevent the development of diseases related to significant DNA damage, as stated by the study’s authors. In Brazil, as in other developed countries, dietary patterns in recent decades have shifted towards processed products low in micronutrients and high in saturated fats, sugar, and salt. According to omega-3 expert William S. Harris from the Sanford School of Medicine (University of South Dakota), and inventor of the HS-Omega-3 Index®, the study offers a convincing mechanism of action explaining some of the epidemiological effects of omega-3 observed over the years.
According to Harris, what is known so far — that people with higher omega-3 levels live longer — can be related to the results of this research. High omega-3 levels are associated with a protective mechanism that keeps DNA intact and functioning, contributing to healthy aging and slowing the rate of chromosomal damage, promoting health.
Some study details
Researchers recruited 151 boys and girls aged 9 to 13 in the city of Ribeirão Preto. Of these, 141 were deemed eligible for inclusion in the study. All participants had access to city water, sanitation services, electricity, and Internet, living in an area with a Municipal Human Development Index (MHDP) of 0.8.
The MHDP parameter is an index calculated by the United Nations that estimates development levels in various regions and includes factors such as life expectancy and years of schooling. This would classify the areas of origin of the children involved in the study as among the wealthiest in Brazil. Researchers statistically analyzed whether EPA and DHA omega-3 levels, vitamin A, beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor), and riboflavin (or vitamin B2) correlated with the rate of DNA “breaks.”
DNA damage was evaluated in the laboratory using single-cell gel electrophoresis, known as the comet assay. While these tests showed an inverse relationship between EPA and DHA blood levels and DNA damage, no such link was found for vitamin A, beta-carotene, or vitamin B2.
Children and diet: blood omega-3s may protect chromosomes
This study found an association between DNA damage and blood levels of DHA and EPA, showing that omega-3s are inversely associated with DNA damage in Brazilian children and adolescents and may be a protective factor against the development of future diseases. Increased consumption of EPA and DHA could therefore represent a protective element against chromosomal aging and related disease development.
This highlights the importance of a healthy diet from childhood, also thanks to increased public food education policies to improve nutritional status.
Source: Tamiris Trevisan de Barros et. al. “DNA damage is inversely associated to blood levels of DHA and EPA fatty acids in Brazilian children and adolescents”, Food and Function Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Epel ES, Belury MA, Andridge R, Lin J, Glaser R, Malarkey WB, Hwang BS, Blackburn E.“Omega-3 fatty acids, oxidative stress, and leukocyte telomere length: A randomized controlled trial”. Brain Behav Immun
