Consuming fish and taking omega-3 supplements containing EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can lower your risk of heart disease while improving vision quality and decreasing the chance of age-related macular degeneration.
Ask your provider about the latest research regarding omega-3. Your provider knows you and can interpret new research in order to provide tailored advice based on individual medical history.
Heart health
Studies demonstrate omega-3’s benefits for heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes, including decreasing inflammation, lowering triglyceride levels and improving blood pressure. Furthermore, omega-3 can lower your risk of cancer and depression, and help treat autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or asthma.
These essential fatty acids can be found primarily in fish, as well as some plant foods like nuts and seeds, soy products and green leafy vegetables. The two major omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon, trout, tuna mackerel and mackerel as well as flaxseeds walnuts olive oil contain omega-3s EPA and DHA which provide essential protection for our bodies from diseases like cardiovascular diseases and obesity.
Studies demonstrate that eating oily fish or taking omega-3 supplements at least twice weekly improves heart health and lowers risk of coronary heart disease-related death. They do this by decreasing inflammation in blood vessels, making abnormal heart rhythms less likely and slowing plaque build-up on arterial walls.
American Heart Association recommends that those living with cardiovascular disease take 1 gram daily of EPA+DHA from food or supplements under medical advice; oily fish or supplements have proven especially helpful. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated how consuming more omega-3 has decreased heart attack and stroke risks for those who already have cardiovascular issues.
Current sources of omega-3s include fish and plant oils. If you feel you don’t get enough from food alone, consult with your healthcare provider about adding fish oil supplements – they will know your medical history better than anyone and can offer personalized guidance.
Bone health
Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential dietary component, found only through food sources like oily fish or plant sources such as flaxseed.
Omega-3 fatty acids have long been recognized for their protective qualities against heart disease, depression, ADHD and cancer. Furthermore, they play a vital role in brain development – helping reduce symptoms associated with bipolar disorder and autism as well as improving immunity and decreasing inflammation. Research continues to uncover more benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids.
An appropriate intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fats may help combat age-related bone loss, known as sarcopenia. Unfortunately, modern western diets tend to be high in omega-6 fats while lacking in omega-3s; this imbalance promotes sarcopenia which in turn leads to decreased muscle mass and independence among older adults.
Studies demonstrate that people who consume higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids enjoy better bone mineral density and reduced fracture risks, thanks to omega-3’s role in encouraging just the right balance of bone breaking down and rebuilding, crucial for maintaining healthy bones.
Oily fish is rich in two omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), neither of which the body can synthesize on its own; so you must consume these long-chain omega-3 fats from food sources, like fish or cereal fortified with them; your body also synthesizes alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), from foods including plants.
Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in postmenopausal women’s bone health. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition revealed that women who consumed more fish had healthier BMIs despite similar calcium intake levels; additionally, omega-3s increased osteocalcin levels – helping to sustain bone mineral density levels after menopause.
To ensure you’re getting enough omega-3, aim to eat oily fish at least twice each week and consider taking daily fish oil or algal oils supplements as a means of increasing your omega-3 consumption.
Sleep regulation
Studies are increasingly showing the beneficial effect omega-3 fatty acids can play in supporting restful sleep. A 2021 study discovered that adults who regularly consumed higher quantities of the omega-3 fatty acid EPA experienced more restful sleep with fewer wakeups throughout the night – possibly due to reduced production of inflammatory mediators and cytokines which disrupt sleep.
One more recent study discovered that DHA and EPA can significantly enhance sleep quality for adults who regularly consume low amounts of oily fish. Participants who took a placebo supplement of 450 mg DHA + EPA experienced improvements in both actigraphy-measured sleep efficiency and latency as well as reductions in depressive episodes frequency and overall severity.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and longitudinal studies assessing the effect of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) on sleep, using data from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and AMED databases from inception through November 2019. Studies that included control groups were considered for inclusion. Methodological quality was appraised using Cochrane risk of bias tools before any trials reporting outcomes related to sleep were pooled together using fixed or random effects models for analysis.
Researchers discovered that omega-3 LCPUFA intake was linked with reduced insomnia severity among older adults. Furthermore, high DHA blood levels were related to greater restfulness and less daytime sleepiness; while infants’ circulating levels of DHA and its ratio with arachidonic acid (an n-6 PUFA) were linked with longer sleeping duration and overall mood disturbance; levels of EPA relative to DHA correlated to time spent in rapid eye movement sleep (REM).
These findings bolster evidence that omega-3 fatty acids play a critical role in health and wellbeing, including heart, bone, brain and mental wellbeing. For best results, aim to consume oily fish twice each week or take Omega-3 capsules or tablets daily for best results.
Brain health
EPA and DHA, two omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil, play an essential role in brain development. Neurons contain these fats as cell membrane phospholipids essential to brain functioning. Furthermore, omega-3 supplementation increases levels of dopamine for depressed patients to help improve their mood. One double-blind study demonstrated this link.
Omega-3s have been found to increase cognitive health and brain functioning among both young and elderly individuals, particularly when consumed via cold-water fish products. A recent Framingham Heart Study participant study demonstrated this link through using MRI scans and neurological assessments – those with higher omega-3 blood levels had larger hippocampal volumes, increased gray matter density and demonstrated slightly improved abstract reasoning skills than their counterparts with lower levels.
Other research indicates omega-3 may aid in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease; more studies are necessary. According to the Rotterdam Study, higher fish consumption was linked with lower dementia risk among older adults, and in clinical trials LC omega-3 supplements did not improve cognitive decline among people suffering from Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia – perhaps suggesting its effectiveness might only come into play early when some degree of brain function remains.
Diets rich in omega-3 for adults should include salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, anchovies and sardines as a key source. Aim to consume two servings per week from these sources while limiting your consumption of shark, swordfish and king mackerel (which contain high mercury concentrations). In addition to food sources of omega-3s such as these mentioned above, omega-3 supplements are widely available and come either in gel caps or liquid drops form.
