However, new research shows too much of a good thing may not be so good, after all. A study from Michigan State University shows “high doses” of fish oil can lead to scary symptoms in mice, including colitis and colon cancer.

The findings were surprising, specifically because DHA has been shown to have some anti-inflammatory properties, according to Fenton: “We hypothesized that feeding fish oil enriched with DHA to mice would decrease the cancer risk; we actually found the opposite. These mice were less equipped to mount a successful immune response to bacteria that increased colon tumors.”

Fenton cautions people may not need to avoid fish oil; what the research shows is needed are guidelines on dosing. With any nutrient, there is a “bell curve” effect. On the left of the curve are those deficient in a nutrient; on the right are those in excess.

She said people already receiving enough omega-3 fatty acids through their normal diet and foods have no need for added supplementation.

While these findings may be alarming for those of us who supplement with fish oil, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, without purchasing the study I can’t comment on what qualifies as a “high dose” given to the mice. In many animal studies, the amount of a substance administered to an animal is far, far beyond levels that are realistically consumed by humans. (If anyone has read the study and would care to enlighten me, I would appreciate it!)

Second, evidence indicates humans evolved to have a roughly 1:1 to 2:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in our diets. Current “Western diets” contain about 15 times the level of omega-6 than we should be consuming. This overabundance of omega-6 can lead to a number of diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases. Taking a regular dose of high quality fish oil, in addition to reducing your consumption of foods high in omega-6, can correct this ratio and may help protect against these diseases.

Third, physicians already do not recommend high doses of fish oil due to potentially unpleasant side effects, including increased risk of bleeding and reduced immune system activity, particularly among those with impaired immune systems to begin with. Therefore, it’s not surprising that this study found high doses of fish oil had a negative effect on immune system function. That said, human studies have administered up to 12 grams per day and beyond, and some health experts advise higher doses than that, at least temporarily.

Ultimately, those of us who regularly supplement with fish oil, even in doses beyond that recommended by the NIH, should have nothing to fear from this study.*

*Note. I’m no doctor. If you’re nervous about any supplement, including fish oil, talk to a qualified professional.

Add another potential benefit to omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil: they may preserve telomere length, thus protecting against cellular aging.

A study in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed patients who had the highest levels of EHA+DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid found in cold weather fish) had the slowest rates of telomere shortening over 5 years. On the contrary, those patients with the lowest levels of EHA+DHA experienced the fastest rate of shortening.

Leukocyte telomere length is an emerging marker of biological age that independently predicts morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular diseases.28In this longitudinal study, we observed that baseline levels of ma- rine omega-3 fatty acids were associated with decelerated telomere attrition over 5 years. The association was linear and persisted after adjustment for potential confounders. These findings raise the possibility that omega-3 fatty acids may protect against cellular aging in patients with coronary heart disease.

The study authors pose two potential mechanisms for how omega-3 fish oil may protect telomeres. In the first, omega-3 fatty acids may protect against oxidative stress. In the second, omega-3s may increase the activity of the enzyme telomerase, which can preserve telomeres.

The full study is available on Scribd for the time being, so be sure to check it out. It’s fascinating and another reminder that I should be more vigilant about taking my regular spoonfuls of fish oil every day.

Vat-grown meat could be a boon for humanity, providing high-quality protein to a growing population while addressing the environmental and animal welfare issues that  accompany conventional meat production.

Today, word came out of the Netherlands that researchers have grown artificial meat for the first time. The technology has made great strides, but has a long way to go unless you like the texture of “soggy pork.” Since meat is muscle (or, rather, muscle interspersed with fat) it naturally has a fairly firm texture. People pay a good deal of money for the best cuts of meat, which are relatively tender, compared with cheaper cuts that tend to be tough and chewy. It sounds like the vat-grown meat is essentially atrophied muscle, which isn’t all that appealing.

Mark Post, professor of physiology at Eindhoven University, told The Sunday Times: “What we have at the moment is rather like wasted muscle tissue. We need to find ways of improving it by training it and stretching it, but we will get there.

“This product will be good for the environment and will reduce animal suffering. If it feels and tastes like meat, people will buy it.

“You could take the meat from one animal and create the volume of meat previously provided by a million animals.”

The scientists extracted cells from the muscle of a live pig and then put them in a broth of other animal products. The cells then multiplied and created muscle tissue. They believe that it can be turned into something like steak if they can find a way to artificially “exercise” the muscle.

Earlier this month, h+ Magazine had an in-depth article on how in-vitro meat will “change our lives.”