Lifestyle & Nutrition

7 November 2021

Question: What's all the fuss about Omega 3 fish oils? What do they do for my body?

Answer: 

Omega 3 fish oils are a substance that can be found in the bodies of fish and is a type of fat that is essential for human health. These essential fats have been linked to helping prevent heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. 

They are responsible for numerous cellular functions, such as signaling, cell membrane fluidity, and structural maintenance. All very fancy words, but it just means that nutrients, hormones and waste can pass to and from the cell.

They also regulate the nervous system, blood pressure, blood clotting, glucose tolerance, and inflammatory processes, which may be useful in all inflammatory conditions.

In addition, their potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity may provide health benefits and performance improvement, especially in those who practice physical activity, due to their increased reactive oxygen production. 

All of this makes sense when you connect it back to the fluidity of the cell membrane and the need to allow substances to pass through.

While I always advocate eating real food and topping up any gaps with supplements, the type of fish you eat is important too. The methylmercury levels that are prevalent in a lot of fish these days can be detrimental to your health and seems to be in the larger fish such as swordfish and tuna. Replacing some of these with lower level fish like salmon, herring, sardines and trout is a great idea.

Fortunately, modern EPA and DHA (omega 3 fatty acids) supplements do not contain methylmercury. Companies have manufactured fish oil that is mercury free by processing the oils that naturally occur in the fish. 

DHA is also required by the human brain. Low levels of DHA in the brain have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and an increased chance of being stricken with Alzheimer’s disease. Also, research has shown that fish oils can help decrease the risk of arrhythmias, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and even slightly lower blood pressure! With all these facts, there is no doubt that the regular and responsible use of Omega 3 fish oils from supplements can be of great benefit to your health.

The American Heart Association recommends the use of fish oils to help your heart's performance as long as you keep your dosage under 3 grams per day, suggesting an amount roughly between 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day. 

A study at NIH reports the Adequate Intake at 1.6g for men and 1.1g for females. In the Lancet, the FDA states that intake via food and supplements combined should not exceed 3g and from supplement no more than 1g.

If your diet includes a regular intake of omega foods, and we shouldn't ignore the vegan omega food like flaxseed, a regular supplement of 1g should be enough to top you up. 

As always though, when you are considering any supplements, you should speak to your health practitioner so they can assess your individual needs and make sure there are no interactions with medications you may be taking.

The Omega 3:6 ratio is key to our overall health and is why it is one of my favorite four pillars of health. You can find how to balance your omega status here in Harmonise Your Health Deeper and the Four Week Health and Wellness Programme, where I teach you how to reduce your omega 6 and increase your omega 3.

Balance, as with most things in life, is the most important.

Best,

Sam