The Importance of Omega-3 Oils

There are three primary omega-3 oils in the human body; docosahexanoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

DHA and EPA are the most important, long-chain omega 3 oils. ALA is a plant-based, shorter-chain omega-3 that the body attempts to convert into DHA/EPA.

These are essential oils, meaning they are necessary for your healthy functioning but can't be made by your body. They must therefore be obtained in your diet.

There are other types of essential oils (Omega-6, omega-9) but the most critical from a nutritional standpoint are the omega-3s. However, omega-6 oils are a major concern due to their excess in our diets, as we will see.

Omega-3 Functions

Omega-3 three oils as a group do some amazing things for us.

• They are protective against macular degeneration.
• They reduce the vascular damage from diabetic retinopathy, and diabetes in general.
• Preliminary studies show they are helpful in glaucoma.
• They are critical in cardiovascular health, possibly due to their ability to reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol (See Good Cholesterol).
• They provide major support for brain and nervous system structure. Ten percent of the brain's gray matter is DHA.
• DHA is essential in the manufacture of phospholipids, a major component of sperm and the nervous tissue in the brain.
• Phospholipids are also extremely important in the retina.
• Improve nerve conduction in myleinated nerves throughout the body.
• Strongly effect the regulation of mood and behavior, showing promise as adjunctive treatment.
• Low levels of DHA lower the brain's supply of seratonin and are believed to contribute to ADHD, depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
• Studies have shown they improve the body's ability to fight both cancers of the breast and prostate.
• They have a strong ability to reduce blood clotting.

The Problem With Omega-3s

With all these great things they do for us, what could be the problem? We don't get enough of them.

• Most people do not eat enough fish to satisfy the body's need for omega-3s.



A can of sardines a day will keep...
...something away.
• Most people eat far too much omega-6 oil.
• Omega-6 sources are corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil and olive oils.
• In excess, omega-6 produces inflammation throughout the body.
• Omega-6 oils interfere with the body's conversion of plant-based ALA to DHA or EPA.
• Both the ALA to DHA/EPA and omega-6 to inflammatory prostaglandins use the same enzyme system for metabolism.
• Competition for the enzymes reduces the ALA conversion from already low levels.
• Research estimates the ideal ratio for omega-6 to omega-3 is between 4:1 and 2:1.
• The normal American diet supplies a ratio of between 20:1 and 40:1.
• Consequently the plant-based source of omega 3 is often insufficient.

Recommendations

Most of us do not get sufficient omega 3 in our normal diet, and this contributes to many eye diseases, heart disease and mood/brain disorders.

Supplement your diet with a couple of good-quality fish oil capsules daily.

• You will usually find fish oil as a DHA/EPA combination. The combined amounts of DHA and EPA should add up to between 1000 and 1500 mg per day.
• Out of the 1000 mg total in the capsule, DHA and EPA should add up to slightly over half (500 mg). The rest will be "fish parts".
• If you "...can't take fish oil because it makes me burp and tastes terrible..." it's usually because you bought cheap (rancid) fish capsules.
• You can also buy fish oil instead. The best will be salmon oil.
• Tests by consumerlabs.com found Carlson's Fish Oils to be the purest. Another very pure oil is Udo Oil, designed by Udo Erasmus Ph.D., a leading expert in oils. Life Extension Foundation (lef.org) is another of my favorites.
• Avoid farmed fish or the oil from them (See Farmed fish). If the capsules don't indicate it's not from farmed fish or that it's from wild fish, don't buy it.
• Farmed fish, and the oil, is much cheaper. If you buy based on price you're likely to get farmed fish oil.
• If you wish to eat fish instead of taking fish oil, sardines are your best bet. They have almost the same omega 3 oils as salmon but are far less likely to have contaminants like mercury.