Omega-3 Benefits: It’s Vital For Health & Fitness

Decades before the science behind omega-3 was understood, families were taking a spoonful of cod liver oil a day because they knew that it made a real difference to their wellbeing. The importance of these micronutrients is no old wives’ tale. Extensive studies have shown that omega-3 benefits are quite extensive. It can have profound effects on your ability to learn, your physical and mental health, and can also help protect you against life-threatening chronic diseases. Let’s uncover all the health benefits of taking fish oil in this article!

What is omega-3?

Omega-3 is a part of a group of chemicals called polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unlike most of the other fats that we need to function, our bodies can’t make Omega-3, so it’s vital (1) that we get enough from our diets, or from supplements.

The three types of these essential fatty acids involved in our body’s function are:

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
• Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA)

These omega-3 fatty acids have great health benefits, particularly EPA and DHA.

Why do I need omega 3?

DHA and EPA form an important part of our cell membranes and help the cell receptors work properly. They are involved in regulating genetic function and also have a key role in the manufacture of hormones that control blood clotting, inflammation and the ability of our arteries to contract and relax.

So, it is easy to see that getting insufficient Omega-3 can have a dramatic impact on our body’s ability to perform optimally. Omega-3 fatty acids benefits include the following:

• Prevents heart disease and stroke
• Decrease blood pressure
• Controls inflammatory conditions such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease
• Offers protection from certain cancers

However, all the Omega-3 fatty acids are not equal. The American Institute of Medicine says that “ALA is not known to have any specific functions other than to serve as a precursor for synthesis of EPA and DHA.”

So, some dietary ALA can be converted in the body to the crucial fatty EPA and DHA, but this ability is rather limited and inefficient. It’s therefore a good idea to ensure that your intake of EPA and DHA is adequate, and add in some ALA as a bonus!

How to boost your Omega-3 levels?

Omega-3 can be found in both animal and plant sources. However, it is the animal sources, and particularly those of marine origin, that contain the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that are most beneficial for health.

To get enough omega-3 it is important to eat fish or another seafood one to two times per week, particularly choosing the dark fattier meat that is richer in EPA and DHA. This is especially important for women who are trying to conceive and nursing mothers. But remember to choose sustainable sources, so that there is enough oily fish for future generations, too.

Rich sources of EPA and DHA

Choose plenty of fish, and especially oily fish, to really boost your Omega-3. Whether they’re fresh, frozen or canned, these seafoods will increase your intake:

• Mackerel
• Sardines
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Crabs
• Herring
• Anchovy
• Oysters

Rich sources of ALA

Omega-3, predominantly ALA, can also be found in nuts and seeds, such as:

• Walnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Rapeseed oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Green leafy veggies
• Soya and all soya products

Foods fortified with Omega-3

Governments have become increasingly aware of the essential role omega-3 plays in our health and have driven the fortification of some foods, such as:

• Eggs
• Margarine
• Dairy products
• Fruit juices

Is diet enough to reap omega-3 benefits?

In an ideal world, eating a healthy balanced diet should ensure that the body gets all the micronutrients it needs to function well. But our modern lives are often far from ideal.

We’re often too busy to plan and prepare meals and just grab food that is quick, easy and convenient. So, it can be tricky to get enough omega-3 from diet alone. Indeed, studies have shown that very few adults are meeting the recommended levels.

The good news is that high-quality omega-3 fish oil supplementation is effective and readily available. And you no longer have to grin and bear the fishy flavor of cod liver oil to get all the benefits of omega-3!

The British Dietetic Association recommends a daily supplement that is based on fish oil for maximum benefit when intake is insufficient.

The genetic difference

Genetic research has shown that our ability to absorb and use specific micronutrients may be written in our DNA. Some individuals have a gene that makes it more difficult to metabolize omega-3. This means their function will be lower, even with a dietary intake that would be ample for other people, making it harder to get all the omega-3 benefits. For these people, boosting their intake with a high-quality omega-3 supplement can help maintain their health.

The amazing health benefits of Omega-3

Omega 3 benefits are nothing to scoff at. This is one nutrient that has been studied and vetted by numerous medical scientists. Here are some of them:

1. Omega-3 benefits in disease prevention

Most people simply don’t get enough omega-3 in their diets. Scientists believe that this could be causing as many as 84,000 premature deaths in the States every year, with many more across the world (2).

In fact, DHA and EPA deficiency is believed to be the sixth biggest killer of Americans. In the Western world with plentiful food, it is sad to see that we are still nutritionally deficient. However, by adjusting our diets and taking supplements when needed, we can improve our health and prevent disease.

2. Omega and your heart

It all started with the Inuit Indians in Greenland. Scientists observed that these Eskimos had significantly lower levels of cardiovascular disease, with around one tenth the incidence of heart disease seen in many Western countries. Similar findings were found in Japan. What was it in these cultures that was protecting them against a disease that was such a big killer elsewhere?

The answer was in their diets. They had dramatically higher levels of Omega-3 than those in other countries because of the quantities of oily fish they consumed.

Here’s how omega-3 can benefit heart health:

• It can stabilize the heart’s beat
• It can prevent dangerous arrhythmias
• Lowers blood pressure and heart rate
• Improve function of blood vessels
• When taken in higher quantities, it can lower triglycerides more efficiently than statins
• Decrease levels of inflammation

Additionally, in one study, men who consumed fish once or more a week had a 50% lower risk of dying from a sudden cardiac event. But it’s not too late to make a difference if you already have heart disease, or even if you have suffered a heart attack. The Italian GISSI trial found that heart attack survivors who subsequently took fish oil supplements had a much lower risk of another heart attack, stroke, or death.

Find out how much omega 3 you need to protect against heart disease.

3. Omega and inflammation

Inflammation is one of the biggest threats to our bodies. Fortunately, a number of clinical trials have shown that supplementing with fish oils can make a significant difference, decreasing disease activity and reducing the need for medication (3).

This is exciting news in itself-however it becomes even more important when you consider that many other chronic diseases including major depression, cancer and dementia as well as the ageing process itself, are associated with inflammation. It will be interesting to see what further research reveals about the potential for even more omega-3 benefits.

That said, here’s a list of diseases that are characterized by high levels of inflammation:

• Arthritis
• Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Autoimmune conditions like lupus

4. Omega-3 benefits for your brain

EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids can increase the cerebral blood flow and also keep the levels of dopamine in the brain high. This can have positive effects on both mood and cognitive function.

On the other side of the coin, low omega-3 has been linked to suicide and symptoms of depression in the elderly. Increasing fish intake or introducing supplements can reverse this trend and help prevent (4) and combat depression.

There is also early evidence (5) that regular consumption of fish and omega-3 may help reduce dementia risk. More research is needed but the theory makes some sense. Omega-3 fatty acids are broken down into chemicals, which have important roles in the brain, reducing the immune response and protecting cells from damage. This combination is thought to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, so Omega-3 could well prove to be protective.

5. Omega and cancer

There have been many studies suggesting that omega-3 benefits may include protection against some forms of cancer.

Prostate cancer

Research (6) showed that those men whose diets are rich in EPA and DHA (mainly from fish and seafood) are less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer.

Breast cancer

Higher intakes of EPA and DHA from dietary sources were reported (7) to be associated with a 25% reduction in breast cancer recurrence as well as improved overall mortality.

Skin cancer

A recent study also showed improved results in patients with certain skin cancers when their omega input was higher. This may be due to a combination of the anti-inflammatory effects of the fats and their potential ability to inhibit tumor growth.

However, there can be too much of a good thing, very high doses of omega-3 were thought to be associated with higher levels of prostate cancer in one early trial. More research is ongoing, but it may be wise not to overdose.

6. Omega-3 benefits for children

In the womb and while they are being breastfed, infants will depend on the mother to provide all the Omega-3 with their evolving body needs. Later, they will rely on their own diet to get the nutrition they need.

From their time in your womb to the second year of life and beyond, a child is going through an extraordinary level of growth and change. The rapidly developing brain, eyes, and nervous system need a steady supply of omega-3 to support this vital process.

However, research shows that most women in the West are deficient in omega-3. The dangers of mercury contamination in fish can make pregnant and nursing mothers understandably worried about upping their intake and endangering their child.

Omega-3 fish oil supplements can be a simple and safe way of boosting levels and the best quality ones will have all the mercury removed. However, it is wise to avoid fish liver oils which contain Vitamin A, as these have been shown to cause damage to the unborn child.

7. Omega-3 benefits in learning and development

Later in life, omega-3 benefits continue to have an impact, with significant effects on a child’s learning and behavior. Children with learning problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were shown in studies to be more likely to have lower levels of omega-3.

Here’s where one of the DHA benefits presents itself. A study in 2013 linked decreased DHA with poorer reading, as well as memory and behavioral problems in healthy school-age children (8).

However, the great news is that we may be able to do something about this deficit. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (9) showed that children who were given omega-3 supplements as infants performed better when tested on intelligence, rule learning and vocabulary at ages 3 to 5. Maybe we really can feed their brains!

When choosing an omega-3 fish oil supplement for your little one, make sure they’re child-sized and free from any smells, so that they’ll swallow it safely and without a fight.

8. Omega-3 and diabetes

Resistance to the effects of insulin is one of the biggest problems in health today. It is believed to be a key cause of various health conditions, such as:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• High blood fat levels
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

There is increasing evidence suggesting that dietary omega-3 may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes (10). Higher levels, either in the diet or measured in the bloodstream have been shown to make a real difference.

Early studies have also shown that insulin resistance may be reversed by supplementation with fish oil. So, as well as avoiding obesity and exercising, we should be increasing our intake of oily fish and boosting with a supplement.

9. Omega-3 and exercise

Exercising hard is tough and we all get fatigued and suffer muscle cramps every now and again. Cramping happens when there is too little oxygen flowing to the muscles, which have to work anaerobically. Lactic acid builds up, leading to pain and poorer performance.

By improving the way the blood vessels contract and relax, omega-3 can increase the blood flow to the muscles so that they get the oxygen they need to function. Any waste products are whisked right away, so you can perform to the best of your ability.

Omega-3 has also been shown to increase muscle mass. It does this by improving insulin sensitivity and increasing blood flow so more nutrients can reach the muscle cells. It also switches on the body’s muscle-building pathway known as mTor.

10. Omega-3 benefits your skin and hair

In addition to all the powerful omega-3 benefits you’ve learned so far, it can also contribute to amazing skin and hair! For one, it slows down skin aging and helps keep skin wrinkle-free. Additionally, omega-3 also helps prevent hair loss by keeping the scalp hydrated. This leads to reduced hair brittleness, increased hair density, and lower numbers of hair falling out.

Getting the omega balance right

We don’t just have omega-3 fats in our diet, we also have another type called omega-6 and the correct balance of these 2 omega types could be key to our wellbeing. The perfect ratio is 1:1. But our modern diet contains huge amounts of omega-6. The scales are heavily tipped in omega 6’s direction with ratios of up to 50:1 common!

Here’s where omega-6 fatty acids are commonly found:

• Corn oil
• Soybean oil
• Sesame oil
• Canola oil
• Sunflower oil
• Grapeseed oil

Many scientists believe that this omega-6 vs. omega-3 imbalance is dangerous for our health. It can lead to:

• Increased inflammation
• Predisposition towards heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Premature aging
• Some cancers

By increasing omega-3 we can help counteract the damaging effects of omega-6.

What is the best Omega-3 supplement in the market?

Just spotting the words omega-3 on a supplement label may not be enough to get you the supplementation you need. Research (11) has emphasized that it is essential to get the right types of Omega 3, at the right levels.

Check to see that the supplement is predominantly EPA and DHA. If the omega-3 is mostly from ALA, then there will be a reduced benefit because the body is only able to convert a small amount into the protective fatty acids.

We also recommend omega-3 fish oil supplements in their natural triglyceride form. Around 90% of the omega-3’s on the market are in the artificial ethyl ester form. These ethyl esters are cheaper to produce which is why most companies use them. But studies have shown ethyl ester form is between 70% and 400% less well absorbed and less effective when they are in the body.

Here’s why our Ultra Pure Omega-3 Fish Oil supplement is the best:

• Each serving contains 2250mg of omega-3, with 1,224mg EPA and 816mg DHA (this is the scientifically recommended 3:2 EPA:DHA ratio)
• We use natural triglyceride form, not the cheap ethyl ester form
• Our fish oil is molecularly distilled to remove all contaminants (hence the name Ultra Pure)

What are your favorite omega-3 benefits?

The Omega-3 fish oil benefits are huge and it is one of the absolutely essential nutrients. By improving our diets and supplementing our omega 3 intake, we can help maintain the health of our neurological and cardiovascular systems. We can also better protect ourselves against inflammation and chronic disease. Let us know in the comments below if you’re taking fish oil as well and what your favorite omega-3 benefits are!

References

(1) Holman RT, The slow discovery of the importance of omega 3 essential fatty acids in human health., J Nutr. 1998 Feb;128(2 Suppl):427S-433S (2) Singh GM, Danaei G, Farzadfar F, Stevens GA, Woodward M, Wormser D, et al. (2013) The Age-Specific Quantitative Effects of Metabolic Risk Factors on Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes: A Pooled Analysis. PLoS ONE 8(7): e65174. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065174 (3) Simopoulos AP, Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases,J Am Coll Nutr. 2002 Dec;21(6):495-505. (4) Ondine van de Rest, Johanna M Geleijnse, Frans J Kok, Wija A van Staveren,Willibrord H Hoefnagels, Aartjan TF Beekman, and Lisette CPGM de Groot, Effect of fish-oil supplementation on mental well-being in older subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Am J Clin Nutr September 2008 , vol. 88 no. 3 706-713 (5) Science behind the headlines: How to reduce your risk and other popular topics, Alzheimer’s Society (6) Harvard School of Public Health, Omega-3 Fatty Acids: An Essential Contribution. (7) Carol J Fabian, Bruce F Kimler, and Stephen D Hursting, Omega-3 fatty acids for breast cancer prevention and survivorship, Breast Cancer Res. 2015; 17(1): 62. Published online 2015 May 4. (8) Mats Johnson, Sven Östlund, Gunnar Fransson, Björn Kadesjö, Christopher Gillberg, Omega-3/Omega-6 Fatty Acids for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial in Children and Adolescents, Journal of Attention Disorders March 2009 vol. 12 no. 5 394-401. (9) John Colombo, Susan E Carlson, Carol L Cheatham, D Jill Shaddy, Elizabeth H Kerling, Jocelynn M Thodosoff, Kathleen M Gustafson, and Caitlin Brez, Long-term effects of LCPUFA supplementation on childhood cognitive outcomes, Am J Clin Nutr August 2013, vol. 98 no. 2 403-412. (10) Benjamin B. Albert, José G. B. Derraik, Christine M. Brennan, Janene B. Biggs, Greg C. Smith, Manohar L. Garg, David Cameron-Smith, Paul L. Hofman & Wayne S. Cutfield. Higher omega-3 index is associated with increased insulin sensitivity and more favourable metabolic profile in middle-aged overweight men. Scientific Reports 4, Article number: 6697 (2014) (11) Chenchen Wang, William S Harris, Mei Chung, Alice H Lichtenstein, Ethan M Balk, Bruce Kupelnick, Harmon S Jordan, and Joseph Lau, n−3 Fatty acids from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not α-linolenic acid, benefit cardiovascular disease outcomes in primary- and secondary-prevention studies: a systematic review, Am J Clin Nutr July 2006, vol. 84 no. 1 5-17

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