Omega-3 — research review 2

...and this is where Omega-3s become really interesting for longevity, particularly the marine-derived EPA and DHA. We know they're potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.

Exactly. The idea is that by resolving inflammation, they can counter inflammaging – that chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with aging. There's some compelling human evidence, like the JAMA 2010 study showing that a one standard deviation increase in DHA+EPA was linked to a 32% reduction in the odds of telomere shortening.

Telomere shortening being a key marker of biological aging. And it's not just telomeres. Omega-3s produce specialized pro-resolving mediators, or SPMs, like resolvins. These are crucial for actively resolving inflammation, as detailed in Essays Biochem 2020.

And the biological plausibility extends to telomerase activity, too. Research in Nutr Res Rev 2025 points to omega-3s potentially influencing TERT expression, which is the enzyme that maintains telomeres.

What’s still unclear, though, is how much of this translates directly to a dramatically extended human lifespan in otherwise healthy individuals. We have strong associations, like high fish intake being tied to about a 50% lower sudden cardiac death risk, from research in Pharmacol Res 1999.

Right, and plant-based ALA, from sources like walnuts and flaxseed, is also linked to lower cardiovascular and fatal coronary risk, as Adv Nutr 2022 highlighted. But the direct cause-and-effect for longevity in healthy populations, beyond heart health, is still an area of active investigation. We're seeing strong correlations and plausible mechanisms, but less definitive long-term intervention data for overall human longevity.