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Omega-3 Fatty Acids From Fish Oil Protect Your Heart, Brain and Overall Health
Omega-3 enhances mood
Several studies have established a clear association between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and depression. Other studies have shown that countries with a high level of fish consumption have fewer cases of depression. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have successfully used fish oil supplementation to treat bipolar disorder, and British researchers report encouraging results in the treatment of schizophrenia.212223242526
Ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby with plenty of omega-3s
An adequate intake of DHA and EPA is particularly important during pregnancy and lactation. During this time the mother must supply all of the baby’s needs for DHA and EPA because the baby is unable to synthesize these essential fatty acids itself. 70 percent of the brain’s gray matter is made up of fats and DHA makes up 15 to 20 percent of the cerebral cortex and 30 to 60 percent of the retina, so it is absolutely necessary for normal development of the fetus and baby.
There is some evidence that an insufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of premature birth and an abnormally low birth weight. The drain on a mother’s DHA reserves can easily lead to a deficiency and some researchers believe that preeclampsia (pregnancy-related high blood pressure) and postpartum depression could be linked to a DHA deficiency. Experts recommend that women get at least 500-600 mg of DHA every day during pregnancy and lactation … and the easiest way to ensure this intake is to take a good fish oil supplement daily!2728293031
Omega-3s may help ADHD
There is emerging evidence that low levels of omega-3 acids are associated with hyperactivity in children.323334
British researchers reported in the February, 2002, issue of Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry that learning-disabled children with symptoms of dyslexia and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) may behave better and improve their cognitive skills when their diets are supplemented with fish oils.
Lowers risk of asthma in children
Researchers at the University of Sydney have found that children who regularly eat fresh, oily fish have a four times lower risk of developing asthma than children who rarely eat such fish. EPA may prevent the development of asthma or reduce its severity by reducing airway inflammation and responsiveness. Researchers at the University of Wyoming have found that supplementation with 3.3 grams/day of fish oil markedly reduces breathing difficulties and other symptoms in asthma patients.353637
Eat lots of fish … or take fish oil supplements!
It’s clear that the omega-3 fatty acids are vital to health. If you want to increase your omega-3 fatty acids, you need to make a commitment to eat salmon, mackerel, cod, herring, rainbow trout, sardines, or eel every day. Or, use a high quality fish oil supplement.
How much do you need?
The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish at least twice a week. But Dr. Barry Sears recommends up to 2,500 mg EPA and DHA (omega-3s) every day. (EPA + DHA = 2,500 mg.) It’s important to note, however, that only 5 to 20 percent of the fatty acids in fish oil are a combination of EPA + DHA. The rest of the fatty acids in fish oil are saturated fats.
If you only eat fish 2-3 times per week and you want a 2:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats, you would have to eat unbelievably small amounts of omega-6 fats. It would be difficult. Plus many conditions require more omega-3 than that. Sears (and many others) recommend a maintenance level of 2,500 mg (EPA + DHA). A 3.5-ounce can of sardines has 1.4 grams, or 1,400 mg of EPA + DHA and a 3.5-ounce serving of salmon has 1.1 grams or 1,100 mg, although a large serving of salmon probably has 2,500-3,000 mg. So every day, you would either need to eat two cans of sardines or a large portion of salmon. Of course, Japanese fishermen eat that much fish and Eskimos eat much more. It is possible to get 2,500 mg of EPA and DHA with fish, without taking fish oil capsules, but if you do, you would be eating almost nothing but fish.
How much DHA and EPA are in fish oil?
The amount of fish oil used in much of the research that has been done provided 3 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids. This amount is usually found in 10 grams of fish oil. To calculate how much omega-3 fatty acid is contained in a fish oil supplement, add together the amounts of EPA and DHA. For example, a typical 1,000 mg capsule of fish oil provides 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA (total omega-3 fatty acids=300 mg). Ten of these capsules contain 3,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. However, you can find quality fish oil supplements containing higher doses of EPA and DHA.
Safety precautions
Eating fresh fish every day used to be the best way to get high-quality fish oil. Not only is that difficult for most of us living in the U.S., much of the fish now found in the oceans, lakes, and streams contain dangerously high levels of mercury and other toxins.
The health risks of ingesting these toxins may outweigh the benefits of getting omega-3s … since we’d have to eat a lot more fish than may be considered safe.
Supplementing your diet with high quality fish oil capsules is the next best thing to relying on fresh fish. Just be sure that you take a high-quality, fresh product. Check the expiration date on the bottle, and cut open a capsule and taste the oil. If it tastes and smells like fish that’s gone bad, don’t eat it! It is rancid oil. Even the best oil will be fishy and oily but will not have that sharp, bitter, fishy smell of rancid fish oil. Unfortunately, most fish oil supplements are not high quality, so you shouldn’t trust anything from a grocery or discount store.
Conclusion
Research on omega-3s has come a long way, and undoubtedly there are many more exciting discoveries to be made. In the near future, we’ll be learning more about the mechanisms of how they work, and specifically their impact on gene expression, protein expression, and other processes in the body. In the meantime, we can rely on the thousands of studies indicating the immense benefits that omega-3 fatty acids provide … and obtain some of those benefits by eating fish every day, or supplementing our diets with fish oil capsules. It’s probably safe to say that omega-3 just may be the most important single dietary supplement you can take.
Caution: People with clotting disorders or who are taking prescription blood thinners should not take omega-3 supplements unless prescribed by a physician.
How to get a healthy balance of the right fats
The average American person gets an excess of omega-6s from processed foods, margarine, and vegetable oils. Also, many factors of our modern lifestyle hamper our body’s ability to convert omega-6’s Linoleic Acid into the beneficial derivative GLA, including consumption of sugar, alcohol, saturated fats and trans-fatty acids, diabetes, aging, stress, and prescription medications. Insufficient quantities of zinc, magnesium, and vitamins B6, C, and niacin also slow the process.
At the same time, we get very little of the omega-3s: ALA, EPA and DHA. Make sure you get a healthy balance of the right fats by:
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Increasing your EPA and DHA intake. Eat more fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna. If you don’t eat fish, take an omega-3-rich fish oil supplement. If you’re a vegetarian take several tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily.
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Cutting down your Linoleic Acid intake. Eat less processed food, margarine, and vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower oils. (But make sure you get 9-18 grams of good quality Linoleic Acid per day. One Tbs. of sunflower oil should do this but make sure the label does NOT say “high monounsaturated sunflower oil.” You want ordinary sunflower oil, which is mostly polyunsaturated.)
- Cutting down your arachidonic acid-containing saturated fat intake. Eat less fatty red meats, high-fat dairy products such as whole milk, and deep-fried foods.
Editor's Note:
The natural health solutions described in this article are available through many on-line retailers including those listed below. By clicking these links you help support the important alternative health research we provide.
Visit www.amazon.com – a great way to find competitive deals on supplements offered by many different manufacturers.
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This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a physician before embarking on a dietary supplement program.
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