Omega 3 Fatty Acid / Fish Oil Information

Omega 3 Fatty Acid / Fish Oil supplements are increasingly popular with health-conscious consumers worldwide. Some of the many benefits of taking fish oil supplements are outlined below. HealthPost have a large selection of Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements available for purchase at heavily discounted prices. We accept orders from around the world through our online store.

OMEGA 3 FISH OIL – Essential Fatty Acid

There are two essential fatty acids (EFA) – linoleic acid (Omega 6) and linolenic acid (Omega 3). They are called “essential” because the human body is not able to manufacture them, we must ingest them in our daily diet.

The ideal ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats is between 1:1 and 2:1. The hunter gatherer diet of our ancestors supplied this healthy ratio of essential fatty acids. Over the past 100-150 years however, there has been an enormous increase in the consumption of Omega 6 fatty acids, changing the ratio to about 20:1 to 50:1. This is due mainly to the increased intake of grain and vegetable oils and the reduced consumption of fish oils and free ranging or wild game meats. In addition, the average Western diet provides high amounts of saturated, trans and denatured fats, which block Omega 3 and add to ill health.

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Omega 3 Fatty Acid Sources

Omega 3 fatty acids are found most abundantly in fish oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil and free range or wild game meats.

The best type of Omega 3 fats are those found in fish, because the Omega 3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Research has shown that these two fatty acids are critically important in preventing heart disease, eye disease, neurological disease, cancer, and many other serious and chronic conditions.

The human brain is so highly dependent on DHA that low DHA levels have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Researchers are now also linking inadequate intake of these Omega 3 fats in pregnant women to premature birth and low birth weight and to hyperactivity in children.

The Eskimo population has been thoroughly researched to investigate the effects of Omega 3 fish oil fatty acids on health and diseases such as heart disease, psoriasis and arthritis due to their very high fish oil diet (and consequent high intake of Omega 3 fatty acids and low incidence of these diseases).

In the body, Omega 3 fish oil fatty acids are incorporated into cell membrane walls where they are used in the synthesis of hormone-like compounds (prostaglandins). These help regulate processes in the body such as blood platelet aggregation (clotting), blood pressure, inflammation, and immune response.

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID – Benefits And Specific Conditions

Heart Disease

A study undertaken by Nagakawa et al. found a significant decrease in total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels in 12 volunteers after taking 2 grams of partially purified EPA every day for 4 weeks. Harris et al. compared a salmon oil diet, containing high levels of Omega 3 fish oil fatty acids to a control diet high in saturated fat, and to a vegetable oil diet high in Omega 6 fatty acids. All diets had an equal content of total fat and cholesterol. The salmon oil diet reduced plasma cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels in four weeks. As well as contributing to a decrease in blood cholesterol levels, Omega 3 fatty acids are used to produce the type of prostaglandins which make blood platelet cells less sticky and less likely to adhere to the blood vessel wall, therefore lowering the risk of heart disease.

Blood Pressure

Supplementation of Omega 3 fish oil fatty acids has been shown to lower blood pressure. Fifteen volunteers with normal blood pressure levels were fed the equivalent of 5 grams of Omega 3 fatty acids per day. A marked decrease in blood pressure was observed after the two week period (Singer et al. 1985). Omega 3 fatty acids are used to produce the type of prostaglandins which increase the elasticity of the blood vessel wall.

Inflammatory Diseases – Psoriasis, Arthritis, Asthma

An epidemiological survey of approximately 1800 Greenland Eskimos (with high Omega 3 intake) over 25 years found this population to have fewer incidences of these diseases than Danes or Americans. Only 2 cases of psoriasis were found. The hormone-like compounds produced from Omega 3 fatty acids have only weak inflammatory properties and hence regulate the inflammatory processes.

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