DHA restores blood vessel function

Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, restores normal blood vessel function in children with inherited high cholesterol, according to results of a new study published in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. The study concludes that restoration of normal blood vessel function has the "potential for preventing the progress of early coronary heart disease in high-risk children." The study used Martek DHA, which is produced from microalgae.

"Our findings are the first to suggest that supplementation with DHA may improve vascular health in hyperlipidemic children at high risk for early heart disease," said Marguerite Engler, the study's lead investigator and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, USA.

The study, funded by the US National Institutes of Health, involved 20 children (agesd nine-19) with inherited high cholesterol. The children received Martek DHA supplements over a six-week period and a placebo over another six-week term. After the period in which they received the DHA, blood vessel function improved significantly, demonstrating that DHA restores blood vessel function.