Q&A: Let’s talk about Omega-3
What is an Omega-3: Omega 3 fats are crucial polyunsaturated fatty acids that play an important role in our body and yields many health benefits. The most common benefits of omega-3 supplementation are seen in improving brain and heart health.
Some Fun facts about Omega-3:
Nearly 2 in 3 people (63%) have not heard of omega-3 ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)
8 in 10 people are not aware of the heart health benefits of omega-3 ALA, including supporting normal blood cholesterol levels and helping to prevent heart disease.
Over half of the people do not know what foods contain omega-3 ALA
1 in 20 people incorrectly think omega-3 ALA is bad for overall health.
What are some good sources of Omega-3?
Some of the richest sources of Omega-3 are:
fatty fish (salmon, sardines, trout, herring, tuna, or mackerel), fish oils
chia seeds (1tbsp=2500mg of omega- 3)
flax seeds (1tbsp=1597mg of omega- 3)
walnuts (1oz= 2545mg of omega- 3).
Omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in wheat germ, hemp seeds, avocados, soybeans and egg yolks.
What is EPA, DHA and ALA?
These are 3 different types of omega-3 fatty acids:
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) comes from fatty fish, and therefore they are often called as fish oils. The one of the major benefits of EPA supplementation is reducing inflammation, regulating blood pressure and plays a role in blood clotting.
Alpha linolenic acid (ALA): ALA comes from plant foods such as vegetable oils, flaxseeds, and nuts. Therefore, it is most common form of omega-3 in today’s diet.
What benefits does Omega-3 have on my health?
Heart health: omega-3 fatty acid supplementation helps in improving flow-mediated arterial dilation and improvement of the mechanical function of the heart. Additionally, it is well established that omega-3 fatty acids decrease serum levels of triglycerides, partly through reduced liver synthesis of very low-density lipoprotein and partly by boosting the degradation of fatty acids and accelerating triglyceride clearance from the plasma.
Brain health: Omega 3’s may potentially encourage healthy brain cells and assist in less degeneration of brain cells, thereby improving healthy brain function and ameliorating both cognitive decline and impairment. DHA also serves as a requisite for brain development and function in childhood and throughout the first eighteen years of life
Joint and muscle health: 1-2g/day of Omega-3 supplementation is found to be highly beneficial for sports persons. It has been proven in studies that, EPA and DHA help to promote, muscle strength, increased performance, enhanced recovery, reduced risk of injury and illnesses, muscle and leg soreness.
Pregnancy: In pregnant women’s omega-3 supplementation may reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia, low-birth weight, improved head circumference, preterm delivery, pre-natal and post-partum depression, glycemic control, and inflammation markers.
How much omega-3 fatty acids do I need?
Healthy individuals who eat 8oz of fatty fish more than twice a week may not need to take an omega-3 (fish oil) supplement. But for generally healthy vegetarian and vegan population who do not eat fish often, taking a fish oil supplement may be beneficial.
The National Institute of Medicine has suggested that approximately 10% of the total omega-3 fatty acid intake can be consumed in the form of EPA and/or DHA.
12 oz. of a variety of seafood should be consumed weekly by the pregnant and lactating women (providing approximately 375 mg of EPA and DHA per day), to improve child health.
Is it safe to take omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) supplements?
The FDA has ruled that daily intake of EPA and DHA up to 3 grams (3,000 mg) is safe for general population.
The guideline suggests that supplementation (800 mg DHA and 100 mg EPA per day) may decrease the risk of preterm birth in pregnant women with a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
Current recommendations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for omega-3 supplementation is daily intake of at least 200 mg DHA per day.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended pregnant women to a daily intake of 100–200 mg of DHA, in addition to the suggested intake for non-pregnant women of 250 mg DHA daily.
Key point to remember: Our body cannot produce omega-3 on its own, therefore we need to include it in our diet from foods. So, don’t let your body survive without omega-3.