Fish body oils may delay aging

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish body oils, may protect against cellular aging in people with heart disease, U.S. researchers suggest.

Dr. Ramin Farzaneh-Far of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether omega-3 fatty acid blood levels were associated with changes in leukocyte -- a type of blood cell telomere length -- in a study of 608 outpatients with stable coronary artery disease.

Telomeres are a structure at the end of a chromosome involved in the replication and stability of the chromosome. Genetic factors and environmental stressors can shorten the length of the telomere and shorter telomeres cold shorten life.

The researchers measured leukocyte telomere length at the beginning of the study and again after five years of follow-up as well as levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that individuals in the lowest quartile of omega-3 experienced the most rapid rate of telomere shortening, whereas those in the highest quartile experienced the slowest rate of telomere shortening.

"Levels of omega-3 fatty acids were associated with less telomere shortening before and after sequential adjustment for established risk factors and potential confounders."