Omega -3 fatty acids are in the news a lot lately. This recent posting indicates brain atrophy with aging is linked to low measured omega-3 fatty acid levels in the body. Recently I was made aware of a small study showing that krill oil appears to have superior absorption for the omega-3 fatty acids based upon using the omega-3 index measurement.
In my practice I use various tests to assess nutritional status of my patients. For the past year in select patients I have customized a deep cardiovascular risk assessment lab profile from a company called Health Diagnostics Labs in Virginia. This reference lab panel includes measuring the omega-3 index which measures your body’s levels of essential fatty acids. The above mentioned article indicates that knowing and improving this in our bodies translates to a more preserved brain mass with aging. Whether this translates to improved memory is unknown at this time.
If readers are interested in having a nutritional assessment and to consider dietary and/or supplementation considerations to optimize their nutrition, I encourage you to make a service request with my office. Remember I have a registered dietitian on staff to assist in nutritional and weight loss counseling as well.