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Every weekday, we help you make sense of the complex world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and providing quick tips designed to help you stay healthier in under 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Can your diet help protect against depression?
The problem with fish oil supplements
The surprising reason you might be hungry
Coffee and your heart: risks and realities
On Our Radar
This Essential Nutrient Increased A Brain-Health Marker By 68% (Here’s Why It Matters)
When it comes to mental health, medication is often essential, but it’s rarely the whole story. Scientists are now investigating whether specific nutrients can strengthen the brain in ways drugs alone might not.
A recent study suggests that omega-3 fatty acids might help in the fight against depression.
The researchers studied participants fighting bipolar depression. Half took 2 grams of omega-3 daily for 8 weeks alongside their regular medications, while half received a placebo.
The omega-3 group saw their BDNF levels — a protein that supports brain health and resilience — increase by 68 percent, while depression scores dropped by 44 percent.
BDNF supports neuron growth and plays a role in mood regulation. Low levels are associated with depression.
The broader research on omega-3 for mood disorders is mixed: some meta-analyses show benefits, while other findings aren’t as consistent.
However, if you struggle with depression, have a family history, a shift in nutrition could help cause chemical changes in your brain that support improved mood. The typical dose used in research is around 2 grams of combined EPA and DHA daily. This wouldn't replace your current treatment but might complement it.
Together With Momentous
Fish Oil Can Be Healthy, But Only If You Get The Right Type
The best way to get fish oil? Getting it directly from food.
The second best? Through supplementation. But when it comes to buying fish oil, quality control can be a legitimate issue.
Researchers found that many of the fish oil supplements they tested do not contain the amount of EPA and DHA listed on their labels.
Scientists analyzed 47 commercially available omega-3 supplements sold in the U.S., including fish oil, krill oil, and algal oil products. They measured the actual amounts of EPA and DHA — the two omega-3 fats linked to most health benefits — and compared them to what was claimed on the label.
They found that the actual EPA and DHA content ranged from 66% to 184% of what labels claimed.
Unfortunately, only 21% of products met or exceeded their labeled EPA amount, 25% met or exceeded their labeled DHA amount, and more than 70% of supplements failed to deliver what they promised on the label.
In other words, most products were either underdosed, inconsistently formulated, or poorly controlled.
Omega-3 oils are fragile. They oxidize easily, degrade with heat and time, and require careful sourcing and manufacturing. The researchers concluded that inadequate monitoring and testing explained most of the discrepancies.
If you choose to take omega-3s, favor brands that invest in third-party testing (like NSF, Informed Sport, or USP) and publish or are willing to share certificates of analysis.
The testing is very expensive, so most brands don’t include it. But it is your best line of defense for quality and purity.
That’s why we only recommend Momentous Omega-3. They guarantee accurate labels, no banned substances or contaminants, and no dangerous amounts of toxins or metals. Without those guarantees, you’re taking a risk buying fish oil (and any supplement).
As an APC reader, you get 30% off any Momentous subscription (or 14% off individual purchases). Use the code “PumpClub” at checkout for your exclusive discount.
Instant Health Boost
How Screens Influence Your Diet
Controlling hunger is the most common struggle for people trying to lose weight (and keep it off). And there might be a reason it seems to affect everyone.
Researchers found that watching entertainment while eating creates a domino effect on your overall hunger.
Researchers analyzed multiple studies with participants of different ages, weights, and backgrounds to understand the relationship between distracted eating and caloric intake. When people ate while watching TV, they consistently ate more calories and larger portions.
On average, screen time during mealtime resulted in people eating up to 25 percent more calories than those who ate without distractions.
Researchers believe that TV creates a dual distraction. First, it pulls attention away from the physical act of eating, making you less aware of portion sizes and fullness cues.
Second, engaging content (such as a thrilling show or sports) can lead to mindless eating, in which people consume food automatically rather than in response to hunger.
It also reduces memory and awareness, which influences appetite. Studies show that people who focus on their meals and remember what they ate earlier in the day tend to eat less at later meals.
Screens disrupt this process, which can lead to "eating amnesia," where you forget how much you’ve consumed and continue to eat more.
If you’re trying to manage your weight, eating without distractions, slowing down your meals, and paying attention to what you eat can help you regain control over your hunger.
Health
Why Coffee Is Not As Dangerous For Your Heart As You Think
For years, it was suggested that coffee could cause heart issues. But newer studies might have found that the advice is not just outdated but also inaccurate.
New research suggests that most people probably don’t need to worry about coffee causing health problems, and that even those with atrial fibrillation can safely enjoy coffee and may even sleep better and move more, too.
Scientists examined participants with atrial fibrillation who alternated between four-day periods of drinking caffeinated coffee and abstaining from it, while continuously monitoring their hearts. Researchers found no increase in atrial fibrillation episodes among coffee drinkers compared with those who went cold turkey.
The researchers also found that those drinking coffee took an average of 1,058 more steps per day and slept 36 minutes longer each night.
The researchers believe the body’s individual variability in processing caffeine explains why some people may be more sensitive than others. Genetic differences in caffeine metabolism — and how the nervous system responds to stimulation — likely drive this variation. Still, the consistent finding across the group was that moderate coffee intake did not worsen heart rhythm irregularities.
If you have atrial fibrillation or heart palpitations, we still recommend discussing the best approach with your doctor. But the research suggests you don’t automatically need to give up your morning cup. And if you don’t have any heart issues, it’s less likely to create issues, unless you are genetically predisposed to caffeine sensitivity.
Better Today
Take any of these tips from today’s email and put them into action:
1. This Brain Protein Increased 68% With Omega-3s (And Depression Scores Dropped 44%)
Participants taking 2 grams of omega-3 (EPA + DHA) daily for 8 weeks saw BDNF levels — a protein linked to neuron growth and mood regulation — increase by 68 percent, while depression scores dropped 44 percent. If you're managing depression or have a family history, adding omega-3s won't replace treatment but could complement it.
2. 70% of Fish Oil Supplements Failed To Match Their Labels (Here's How To Find One That Doesn't)
When scientists tested 47 omega-3 supplements, the actual EPA and DHA content ranged from 66% to 184% of label claims, with more than 70% failing to deliver what they promised. If you supplement, look for brands with third-party testing (NSF, Informed Sport, or USP) that publish certificates of analysis. Momentous is the fish oil supplement we recommend for its quality standards and rigorous third-party testing.
3. The 'Eating Amnesia' Effect: Why Screens Make You Hungry For More
A meta-analysis found that eating while watching TV led people to consume up to 25 percent more calories — a phenomenon researchers call "eating amnesia," in which distraction disrupts fullness cues and memory of what they've eaten. Eating without screens and slowing down your meals can help you regain control over hunger.
4. Why Coffee Probably Won't Hurt Your Heart
In a study of participants with atrial fibrillation, drinking caffeinated coffee did not increase heart rhythm irregularities compared with abstaining. And coffee drinkers averaged 1,058 more steps per day and 36 more minutes of sleep. If you have AFib, talk to your doctor, but the research suggests you may not need to quit your morning cup.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
