DANA POINT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scientific evidence of the health benefits of omega-3's are now so firmly established that omega-3 expert Carol A. Locke, MD, with a team of world-renowned doctors, has spearheaded the first ever International Omega-3 Awareness Day on March 3^rd, 2010. Learn more at www.Omega3Day.com.

William S. Harris, PhD, Professor of Basic Bio-Medical Science and co-founder of the omega-3 index, joined the Omega-3 Awareness Day team, stating, “Americans eat too much bad fat (saturated and trans fat) and too little good fat (omega-3’s from fish oil). Correcting our omega-3 deficiency could be the single most important dietary change we can make.”

International Omega-3 Awareness Day is needed to help educate both the healthcare profession and the general public about the proven health benefits of this essential nutrient. John Ratey, MD, neuroscience expert at Harvard and another founding member of this respected team, quotes, “I tell every patient when I first meet them that they should be doing two things to help them whatever their problems are and that is: exercise daily and take omega-3's. The scientific evidence for both is without question.”

Besides being essential for normal neurodevelopment, omega-3’s have been shown to increase reading and cognitive scores in certain populations of children and potentially provide help in autism. Over the entire life cycle, omega-3’s offer a wide range of health benefits, including improving brain health and immune function; helping prevent dementia, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and heart disease; aiding in muscle repair after athletic injuries; and helping with depression, ADD, bipolar disorder, and overall mood improvement.

William E. Butler, MD, of Harvard Medical School, one of the world’s top pediatric neurosurgeons and another founding member of the Omega-3 Awareness Day team, adds, “There is substantial evidence to suggest that our levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids may be the most potent cardioprotective factors in the human diet. Optimal omega-3 intakes will have a profound effect in safely reducing the risk of cardiac disease and promoting health.” The positive effects of this essential nutrient are clear for men, women, and children of all ages.

The Omega-3 Day team invites people all over the world both within the healthcare profession and in the public to join in this international effort to save and change lives. Carol A. Locke, MD, adds, “People can obtain huge benefits by increasing their intake of omega-3. The only possible side effect is greater health and a longer life. Nothing else in medicine comes close to this.”

To learn more, sign up for the Omega-3 Day newsletter online at www.omega3day.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/omega3day.

For press inquiries, please contact Wain Wright, Omega-3 Day publicist, at (949) 929-7075 or info@omega3day.com.