Brain Health, Everyday Health, General, Healthy Ageing, Nutrition

The health benefits of Omega 3, as found in fish oil

22nd September 2011 by SevenSeasLife | 0 Comments

Humans evolved on a diet of polyunsaturated fats which are essential to our body’s health. Our ancestors ate a diet of these fats in proportion: Omega 3 : Omega 6 i.e. 1:1. Yet our modern western diet contains very highs quantities of Omega 6 and lower proportions of Omega 3, estimated at 15:1-16.7:1¹. Current medical research suggests that this dominance of Omega 6 to Omega 3 contributes to the development of many common diseases including cardiovascular disease, some cancers, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Fish Oil and Omega 3

Fish Oil is our richest dietary source of the essential fat Omega 3. Many other food sources contain omega 3 but neither in such concentration, quantity nor in the most useful forms – called Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) as Omega 3 fish oil. These polyunsaturated fats are made by our body from plant-sourced Omega 3. This conversion is limited by dietary and lifestyle choices including high saturated fat intake, high intakes of caffeine, stress, smoking and some health concerns e.g. viral infection plus genetic factors³. One in three of us does not like eating fish², and therefore should consider supplementation. So significant are the research findings on the health benefits of Omega 3, that the Food Standards Agency changed their recommendations for consumption of oily fish from 1-2 portions a week to one to four for healthy adults (two for pregnant and lactating women) in 2004⁴. You may be interested in reading more on the health benefits of Omega 3 in the diet.

Fish Oil, Omega 3 and Cardiovascular Health

Fish Oil is without a doubt good for your heart and arteries; this has been repeatedly shown in research. A trial of over 84,000 nurses for 16 years demonstrated that deaths related to cardiovascular disease were 50% lower in women who ate fish 5 times a week and 20% lower for those who ate fish one to three times a month⁵. Equally 2000 men aged 70+ who had survived a heart attack were studied, the group advised to add two to three portions of oil fish into their diet showed a 29% reduction in any further cardiac events⁶. A similar trial of over 11,000 participants reached similar conclusions using omega 3 supplementation⁷. The levels of Omega 3 are now believed to be the new measure of the health of a person’s heart and circulatory system⁸. Supplementing Omega 3 fatty acids has consistently been found to lower levels of triglycerides in the body⁹. Omega 3 supplementation with statins has shown significantly decreased cholesterol levels versus medicating with statins alone¹⁰. In summary, supplementing with Omega 3 and in particular the EPA and DHA in fish oil has been shown to benefit all types of cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, stroke and coronary artery disease¹¹

Omega 3 and Inflammation

The form of Omega 3 found in fish oils has been shown to reduce the production of the inflammatory chemical (Arachidonic Acid) in the body, which reduces inflammation of, for example, the joint in the inflammatory condition rheumatoid arthritis¹². Logically the same effect occurs throughout the body and therefore Omega 3 fats, EPA and DHA are vital in the reduction of inflammation in inflammatory conditions, which include Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, asthma, lupus and cystic fibrosis. The evidence for the use of Omega 3 supplements for these conditions is mixed and needs further study. Supplementation with Fish Oil for pain relief of non-specific neck and back pain compared with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e.g. ibuprofen showed fish oil to be as effective, without the unpleasant side effects (gastric ulcers, bleeding, heart attack)¹³. The markers tested by doctors to show that the body is suffering from chronic inflammation have been shown to reduce with the use of Omega 3 supplementation, for example in patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (an ‘umbrella’ term for people with chronic bronchitis, emphysema)¹⁴. It is widely accepted that Omega 3 fats behave as anti-inflammatories in the body.

Use of fish oil has been shown to slow the development of arthritis and the severity of symptoms including reduced pain, duration of morning stiffness and lowered use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e.g. ibuprofen¹⁵.

Joint and Bone health

Recent research has shown that young men with higher blood levels of Omega 3 have significantly denser bones, a measure of bone health and strength¹⁶. Animal studies have shown a lower ratio of Omega 6: Omega 3 in the diet reduces post-menopausal bone loss¹⁷; the results on the few studies carried out on humans were mixed although these also used high levels of Omega 6¹⁸. More research is needed in this area.

Omega 3, brain development and mental health.

Sixty percent of the human brain is fat. DHA as found in fish oil, makes up over 20% of this¹⁹. The development of a foetus’s brain requires high levels of DHA which is taken from the mother during pregnancy, leaving the mother at risk of a deficiency – and if levels are very low, the foetus²⁰. A 2002 study found that mothers with lower levels of DHA in their breast milk after the birth and lower reported fish consumption, were more likely to suffer from post-natal depression²⁰. Results of trials using Omega 3 in the treatment of clinical depression have shown statistically significant but mixed (usually due to inconsistencies in dose, time of trial and sample base) results according to the Journal of Psychiatry, which recommends that Omega 3 treatment for depression should be pursued²¹. Lower levels of DHA at birth have been shown to influence the likelihood of problem behaviour in children at the age of 7²². Mothers who ate fish four times a week during pregnancy had babies with higher developmental scores at 18 months vs. those who ate no fish²³.

Analysis of the brains of those who died with Alzheimer’s disease shows that they have lower levels of Omega 3 than those did not have the condition²⁴. A review of Omega 3 and dementia completed in 2006 suggested that the beneficial effects were not proven²⁵; however a more recent study in Alzheimer’s and Dementia 2010 showed significant benefits for learning and memory in 485 people suffering from age related cognitive decline²⁶.

Summary

Omega 3 fats form the structural foundation of every cell membrane in the body, they are necessary for the production of hormones, regulation of our immune system, development and effective working of our brain, effective reproduction and central to the integrity of ever barrier (e.g. our skin or gut) with the outside environment. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats are crucial for the workings of our body – we are made of them! The balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 has radically changed in the Western diet. Having insufficient quantities of Omega 3 has been linked with an increased chance of diseases including poor heart and circulatory health, mental decline e.g. dementia, mental health (e.g. depression and schizophrenia), asthma, arthritis and some cancers²⁷. In addition adequate intake of Omega 3 by pregnant women has been linked with better brain²⁸ and eye function²⁹ in their children. Whilst the quantities of Omega 3 supplementation needed to reverse symptoms for individual diseases is still in debate, it is clear that eating enough Omega 3 and reducing the amount of Omega 6 in your diet will increase your likelihood of good health. Omega 3 is not known to have any negative impact on health.

For you for life