OMEGA 3 MINI

Because of all the wonderful things they do! Omegas are essential nutrients required for the proper structure and functioning of every cell in the body. In fact, there are over 60 conditions that have been shown to benefit from their use. Furthermore, due to their extensive role, they’re critical for optimal health and nearly everyone can benefit from improving their Omega 3 intake. These good fats do it all from helping with the absorption of vitamins and minerals, improving heart and brain health, promoting proper nerve function, helping with hormone production, nourishing the hair, skin and nails, as well as treating and preventing a number of diseases. Your brain is about 60% fat, so it’s no wonder that supplementing with lots of good, healthy fats is a no-brainer for most people! Not only have researchers seen benefits for memory but they’ve also seen improvements in mood and emotional balance. 

When it comes to these essential fatty acids (EFAs) things can get a little confusing, so let’s break it down. There are two main classes of unsaturated EFA’s: Omega 6’s and Omega 3’s (there are also Omega 9’s, but these are not considered essential). Each EFA starts with a parent compound and converts into longer chain derivatives in the body. For Omega 3’s, we see Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA) being converted into Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and then later Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). For Omega6’s, Linoleic Acid (LA) get converted to Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA) then later to Arachidonic Acid (AA). And while we agree that all these big words are confusing, the important take home message is that Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s follow two different metabolic pathways with end products that have quite different biological actions. 

Omega 6’s are found in abundance in a typical western diet that includes foods such as vegetable oils, safflower oil, meat, poultry and eggs. Omega 3’s, however, are a bit less prevalent in most people’s diet. ALA is usually found in plant-based foods such as green leafy vegetables, flax and chia seed. But, because the conversion to EPA and DHA is not very efficient in the body, it’s often more efficient and effective to consume EPA and DHA directly in things like oily fish or algae oil.

It’s generally accepted that we should strive for a ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 of 2:1, however most people are actually closer to 20:1… That’s not cool since Omega 6’s in excess may actually lead to more inflammation and disease. That’s why for the best results, we recommend supplementing with an Omega 3 complex in conjunction with  decreasing dietary Omega 6 intake to help bring these two essential fatty acids back into balance.