Omega-3: Your Powerhouse Supplement

In these fast and furious times your nutritional program not only needs to address your physical health but your stress level and overall mental state as well. That is definitely a lot to handle. And there is certainly no shortage of information out there pulling you in all different directions. It leaves us all asking ourselves – should I take this supplement or should I take that supplement? Will this one really do what it says it will do?

There are many nutritional supplements and therapies that can help combat stress and depression and some even aid people who suffer from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. But let’s focus on one powerhouse supplement, since it deserves the spotlight – Omega-3.

What is omega-3?

It is a fatty acid found in fish like salmon. It is “associated with increased grey matter volume in areas of the brain commonly linked to mood and behavior“, according to a recent University of Pittsburgh study. (This is a good thing, by the way.)

…researchers found that people who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to be considered impulsive and have a negative outlook on life.

What are Fatty Acids?

Essential fatty acids are essential to human health but cannot be produced by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food or supplement. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a critical role in optimizing brain function as well as normal growth and development.

What are some common sources of omega-3?

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish (e.g. salmon, tuna, halibut) and other marine life such as algae and krill, certain plants, fish and nut oils. Supplements are an option as well.

Can omega-3 improve my mood?

Omega-3 intake leads to actual structural brain changes. In the previously mentioned University of Pittsburgh study, researchers found that people who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to be considered impulsive and have a negative outlook on life.

On the flip side, people with higher levels of omega-3 were found to be more agreeable and less likely to suffer symptoms of depression.

How else is omega-3 helpful?

That’s the beauty of omega-3. It covers a lot of territory.

Other benefits include:

• Reducing the risk of heart disease
• Reducing symptoms of hypertension, depression and attention deficient disorder (ADD)
• Lessening joint pain as well as other rheumatoid problems
• Aiding and eliminating skin ailments
• Boosting the immune system
• Decreasing your likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease

What’s the best way to take Omega 3?

While supplements are often more readily available, the ADA has this to say:

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has said that a food-based approach to receiving adequate fatty acid levels is recommended, but careful supplementation is a feasible alternative if dietary intake falls short.

In addition:

The ADA and Dietitians of Canada recommend two servings of fish per week, preferably fatty fish, which is a good source of dietary fatty acids. In addition, 500 mg/day EPA and DHA is recommended.

In short, fish beat supplements, as far as overall body assimilation.

What’s the difference between Omega-3 and Omega-6?

In a nutshell, omega-6 is considered somewhat of a “bad” fat (since too much can be harmful), while omega-3 is considered good fat. But of course, nothing is that simple. Some omega-6 fatty acids are required by your body to support overall skin health, lower cholesterol and help make our blood sticky so it can clot properly.

The problem is that over the last several decades, our society has seen a drastic increase in foods that contain omega 6 fatty acids. These foods include: vegetable oils from corn, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, cottonseed and soybeans. So omega-3 is often needed to compensate or balance.

There is some debate on the perfect balance between omega-3 and omega-6. The ideal ratio is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:1 to 1:2 (so 1 omega-6 to 2 omega-3s). Typical North American diets provide ratios between 10:1 and 30:1, which is dramatically slanted towards omega-6. Here are the ratios of omega−6 to omega−3 fatty acids in some common oils:

• canola 2:1
• soybean 7:1
• olive 3–13:1
• sunflower (no omega−3)
• flax 1:3
• peanut (no omega−3)
• corn oil 46:1

What are some other food sources of omega-3?

Some good sources of omega-3 include:

If you just can’t seem to manage eating that much fish in a week (or other omega-3 rich source), then remember this when choosing a supplement:

When selecting an omega 3 product, make sure it has been molecularly distilled and is high in both DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Molecular distillation is a process that removes all of the toxins from the oil.

Also be sure to carefully read the label to find out the species of the fish used. This can be crucial because many manufactures mention misleading names, such as mixed species.

Be Great!
The GreatAtLife Team

Tagged as: depression, dha, epa, increase mood, omega-3, Omega-3 fatty acid, omega-3 sources, omega-6, supplement