Finding the Right Balance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Fitness and Wellness

Fat is back. The American public is no longer fat-phobic. Fat is essential for the body to function in a healthy manner. The low-fat craze is dead and fortunately the supermarket shelves are no longer lined with cookies and crackers proudly proclaiming themselves to be healthy because they are low in fat. But it is critical that people get the right kind of fats, in the right balance. And that is where omega-3 fatty acids come into play.

Omega-3 fatty acids are called essential fatty acids. This means that your body cannot make them and you have to either get them through food or supplements (Ehrlich 2011). The best and most easily-absorbed omega-3s are found in fish. Salmon, tuna, and sardines are some of the most popular sources of omega-3s. All of these can be easily purchased at your local supermarket in canned form. 'Fatty' fish are the best sources of omega-3 which means that salmon is a better choice than flounder, for example, if you are looking to expand the sources of omega-3s in your diet. There are also vegetarian sources of omega-3s, including walnuts, pumpkin seeds, avocados, and flaxseed. Vegetable oils like canola and soybean oils also have omega-3s. However, "the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids come mostly from EPA and DHA. ALA from flax and other vegetarian sources needs to be converted in the body to EPA and DHA. Many people do not make these conversions very effectively" (Ehrlich 2011).

In other words, although it is technically possible to get omega-3s from other sources, for people who do consume animal protein, fish is the best option. For people who do not like the taste of fish, fish oil supplements have been used to provide some of the same benefits. However, a study which just focused on the benefits of fish oil in the New England Journal of Medicine found that omega-3 fatty acid supplements did not reduce heart attacks, strokes, or heart disease, suggesting that these supplements are not a replacement for the benefits of omega-3s you get in food (LeWine 2013).

Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and are necessary for normal brain functioning and some studies have found that people who eat foods high in omega-3s have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and other chronic conditions (Ehrlich 2011). Their anti-inflammatory properties mean that they may also benefit patients with arthritis and auto-immune diseases like lupus and arthritis. The role of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain is still not completely understood but they do seem to be necessary for healthy brain function. Infants who did not get enough omega-3s prenatally are at elevating risk for "developing vision and nerve problems" (Ehrlich 2011). In adults, symptoms of a lack of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet include "fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation" (Ehrlich 2011). Many of those who are deficient do not realize that poor diet is the source of their problems.

Cultures which have diets high in omega-3s often have better health indicators, including the Mediterranean diet which emphasizes olive oil and fish consumption. Mediterranean diets are also different from the standard American diet in that they have fewer foods high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are also essential but they tend to promote rather than reduce inflammation. "The typical American diet tends to contain 14-25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, which many nutritionally oriented physicians consider to be way too high on the omega-6 side. The Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, has a healthier balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids" (Ehrlich 2011). Foods high in omega-6 include vegetable oils such as corn, soy, and sunflower oil as well as most nuts. Many highly processed foods contain these types of oils.

It should be noted that the key is having the right balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: one type is not 'good' while the other type is not 'bad.' Another problem with the idea that omega-3s are better than omega-6s is that people may overdose on omega-3 supplements, which can cause problems on its own. For example, "people who eat more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day (equivalent to 3 servings of fish per day) may have higher risk for hemorrhagic stroke, a potentially fatal type of stroke in which an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures" (Ehrlich 2011). And "a study by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle linked eating a lot of oily fish or taking potent fish oil supplements to a 43% increased risk for prostate cancer overall, and a 71% increased risk for aggressive prostate cancer" (LeWine 2013). High doses of omega-3s may inhibit blood clotting, so people who bruise or bleed easily should use high-dose supplements with extreme caution and only under physician supervision. Patients on blood-thinning medications like warfarin (Coumadin) and aspiring should also be very cautious about dramatically increasing omega-3s in their diet (Ehrlich 2011).