Summary: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid, may help slow disease progression in ALS patients.
The researchers found that higher blood levels of ALA correlated with slower disease progression and a reduced risk of death among ALS sufferers. Researchers studied 449 ALS patients, grouping them according to the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood, and monitored disease progression and survival rates over 18 months.
The results showed that those with higher ALA levels had a 50% reduced risk of death during the study compared to those with lower ALA levels.
Key facts:
- Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is commonly found in foods such as flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds, and canola and soybean oils.
- The study’s lead author, Kjetil Bjornevik, pointed out that their previous research also showed that a diet high in ALA could reduce the risk of developing ALS.
- The research team is now pushing for a randomized trial to definitively determine the potential benefits of ALA in people with ALS. Despite the challenges of ALA not being a patent-eligible drug, they are striving to secure funding for this critical research.
source: Harvard
Consuming omega-3 fatty acids — especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a nutrient found in foods including flaxseed, walnuts, and chia, canola, and soybean oils — may help slow disease progression in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study led by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
The study was published on June 21, 2023 in Neurology.
“Previous findings from our research group suggest that a diet high in ALA and increased blood levels of this fatty acid may reduce the risk of developing ALS.
They found that ALA showed the most benefits of all the omega-3 fatty acids, as it was most strongly associated with slower decline and reduced risk of death. Credit: Neuroscience News“In this study, we found that among people living with ALS, higher blood levels of ALA were also associated with slower disease progression and a lower risk of death within the study period,” said lead author Kjetil Bjornevik, assistant professor of epidemiology and nutrition.
“These findings, along with our previous research, suggest that this fatty acid may have neuroprotective effects that may benefit people with ALS.”
Researchers surveyed 449 people living with ALS who participated in a clinical trial. As part of this trial, the severity of their symptoms and the progression of their disease were tested and then scored from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating less severe disease symptoms.
The researchers measured the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the participants and divided them into four groups, from the highest to the lowest levels of omega-3 fatty acids. They then followed up 18 months later to track the groups’ physical functionality and survival according to the clinical trial.
They found that ALA showed the most benefits of all the omega-3 fatty acids, as it was most strongly associated with slower decline and reduced risk of death.
Of the 126 participants who died within 18 months of the start of the study, 33% belonged to the group with the lowest ALA levels, while 19% belonged to the group with the highest ALA levels.
Adjusting for factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, duration of symptoms and family history of ALS, the researchers estimated that participants with the highest levels of ALA had a 50% lower risk of death during the study period compared to participants with the lowest ALA levels.
Two additional fatty acids were also associated with a reduced risk of death during the study period: eicosapentaenoic acid, another omega-3 fatty acid found in oily fish and fish oil, and linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
“The relationship found by our study between diet and ALS is intriguing,” said senior author Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition.
“We are now reaching out to clinical investigators to encourage a randomized trial to determine whether ALA is beneficial in people with ALS. Obtaining funding will be a challenge as ALA is not a patentable drug, but we hope to do so.”
About this ALS research news
Author: Ketil Bjornevik
source: Harvard
Contact: Ketil Bjornevik – Harvard
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: The findings will appear in Neurology