Aloe News

BENEFITS OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

I know I’ve written an article on Forever’s Arctic-Sea Super Omega-3 and the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids earlier on this site. It was actually my first article, but I must admit it is one of my favorite supplements because I look and feel well within the first 30days. It looks like I’m not alone on that as over the past few years there have been lots of talk and research about fish oils, how beneficial they are to health, why they should be added to diets such as the western diets that are lacking in them and of course, which fish oil is the best. We all know this popular oil is derived from the tissues of oily fish and contains the Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), essential fatty acids which the human body needs to function properly but cannot manufacture by itself and thus they have to be ingested. I believe that the term, the “Miracle Food of the 21st Century” given to the Omega-3 fatty acids is because of the complex control they exert over many body systems starting with the brain.

One interesting thing to note about Omega-3 fatty acids is that both conventional and alternative medicine agree on how wonderful their many benefits are. This is rare considering the fact that conventional medicine’s approach is to health is that of intervention rather than prevention as is the case with alternative medicine. In this case of Omega-3 fatty acids, with the evidences of their benefits so overwhelming, even conventional medical practitioners recommend an increase in their intake.

The benefits mentioned are in such important areas of our health as brain or mental health, heart health, arthritis, cancers, aches and pains, Crohn’s Disease, Osteoporosis, inflammatory Bowel Disorders, during pregnancies or with nursing mothers, anti-aging, age-related macular degeneration, Psoriasis, acne, skin disorders. After much reading about these essential fatty acids and their benefits, I would say this list should include almost any disease that has to do with inflammation or immunity.

Let us look at some of these areas where we see the benefits of Omega-3 starting with our primary control center, the brain. The human brain is the fattest organ in the body and comprises of at least 60% fat, about half of which is DHA Omega-3. In order words, our control system actually needs a lot of fat to “run”, that is, perform its five major functions which fall under these categories memory, attention and concentration, language skills, visual and spatial, and executive functions (such as problem solving, logic and reasoning). What this means is that if for any reason the brain does not have the adequate level of the fatty acids it needs to function properly, it begins to function improperly. Talk about mental ill – health such as Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Post-Natal Depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other brain disorders.

Some studies published in 2004(1) and 2009 (2) have suggested that fish oil may reduce the risk of depression and suicide because its fatty acids are responsible for the neuronal growth of the frontal cortex of the brain which is the seat of personal behavior. This means that some mental illnesses and even behaviors like attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity or even low IQs can be prevented. So don’t wait until you can no longer process information, recall memories, or control movement to up your intake of Omega-3.

In the area of heart health, studies have shown that taking fish oil can help regulate cholesterol in the body. Triglycerides (blood fats) in the blood are reduced, the build up of plaque and the hardening of the arteries are slowed down.  The high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil also give it its anti-inflammatory capabilities and its ability to have a generally positive effect on body composition. So if you want to clean your arteries or veins, lower your cholesterol and blood pressure or even loose weight, your key is in your fish oil.

The anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are the reason why it is beneficial in helping prevent cases such as heart diseases, cancers (breast, colon and prostrate), Alzheimer’s, auto-immune diseases, psoriasis where the levels of pro-inflammatory markers are high.

The recommended daily intake of 900mg of fish oil or a daily serving of an oily fish like salmon for pregnant women benefits both the mother and her unborn child. For the mother, it helps to reduce the chances of pre-eclampsia and pre-term labor occurring, post-natal depression and also reduces the risk of breast cancer. For the unborn baby whose brain, retina of the eye and nervous system are 70% fatty acids (DHA and EPA), the benefits are numerous as can be imagined. Such a baby, when born, has a healthier brain with increased intelligence, a better nervous system, better eyesight, better sleeping pattern and fewer behavioral problems after birth than a baby who didn’t get enough omega-3 from his mom.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness or irreversible loss of vision in people over the age of 60 in the United States. Apart from age, other factors such as smoking, family history, race, obesity, gender affect one’s chances of suffering from the disease. Its symptoms may include blurred vision, sensitivity to light, problem identifying colors among others. The macula is the part of the retina of the eye responsible for sharp central vision needed for reading, driving or recognizing faces. Once again, we meet the retina and I guess it doesn’t come as a surprise then to learn that a major component of the eye’s retina is the DHA, and that it accounts for 60% of the fatty acids in the retina. The DHA boosts the rate of optical nerve firing signals which improves communication between the brain and the eyes. A study carried out at the University of Melbourne by Dr. Chong and her team showed that increasing Omega-3 fatty acids intake by 300mg a day may reduce the risk of AMD by 70%. A diet high in Omega-3 decreases the amount of dying and diseased cells in the eyes and leads to their improved overall health.

Imagine that the overall healthy condition of the cells in the eye is duplicated all over the body, what we find is a prolonged life span of the various cells in all other parts of the body. In other words, consumption of the optimal amount of Omega-3 fatty acids results in stronger cell membranes which in turn lead to stronger, healthier cells that can resist attacks from free radicals. The renewed, rejuvenated and restored cells deliver an ultimate smoothness to the skin for that outward younger-looking appearance of the body! People know when anti-aging is more than skin deep.

I could go on and on with the benefits of Omega-3 but I think we all get the idea. It is truly the “Miracle food of the 21st century”! Having said that, I should also mention that not all fish oil capsules deliver. In fact some maybe considered harmful because they contain harmful contaminants.

References:

1. Huan M, Hamazak K, Sun Y, Itomura M, Liu H, Kang W, Watanabe S, Terasawa K, Hamazak T. (2004); Suicide Attempt and n-3 fatty acid levels in red blood cell: a case control study in China.

2. Mischoulon D, Papakostas GI, Dording CM, et. al.; A double-blind randomized controlled trial of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate for major depressive disorder. J. Clin Psychiatry (2009)