Why Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids So Important?

The typical American diet has wandered farther and farther from providing the Omega-3 fatty acids we truly need for optimal health and emotional wellbeing. Sometimes essential fatty acids are even removed from convenience foods during processing to improve shelf-life! What we may not realize is how big of an impact this migration has had on our day-to-day health. Despite medical headlines on the importance of a balanced ratio of Omega-3 fatty acids to Omega-6 fatty acids, many Americans have simply not been informed of the critical change in diet that is necessary for optimal heart, circulatory, and brain health. Our very cellular nature depends on our bodies receiving adequate amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly two types called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid ) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

Imagine a healthy circulatory system. Well-oxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to all parts of the body including even the tiniest capillaries. All organ systems and muscles happily benefit from the ebb and flow of an abundant blood supply and are therefore provided with adequate oxygen and nutrients needed for energy and vitality. All of us have a body with the ability to function with such beauty; a perfectly synchronized method of obtaining and then distributing many different essential elements to all bodily systems. Most of us even begin our lives this way. As we age, however, if we do not provide ourselves with optimal levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, we are not doing all we can to prevent problems from occurring within this intricate system. There is strong medical evidence showing that a balanced intake of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA (mostly from fatty, cold-water fish) is effective in the prevention of various forms of heart disease. Studies also show that even people with a history of heart attack who change their diet to include a regular consumption of oily fish or fish oil (DHA and EPA) supplements, experience a decreased risk of non-fatal heart attack, fatal heart attack, sudden death, or death for any reason. (1) Why is this? More recent findings indicate that these health benefits stem from the ability that Omega-3 fatty acids have to lower the amount of “bad” prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) our bodies produce. These prostaglandins can cause inflammation or thrombosis (the clotting of blood within a blood vessel), the underlying causes of many chronic diseases. (2)

In addition to keeping inflammation under control, an optimal balance of essential fatty acids allows the new and developing cells in our bodies to form correctly. Both nerve cells and fatty acids are much more abundant in the brain than anywhere else in the body. As new nerve cells are formed inside the brain throughout our lives, essential fatty acids are used for the proper formation of their cell membranes. In preliminary studies, French researchers have shown that when a diet includes “bad” fats, those trans fatty acids can find their way into the membranes of brain cells. This compromises the quality and fluidity of the cell membrane and, in turn, affects the ability of that cell to function properly. It actually changes the electrical conductivity of the cells. (3) This means that the biochemical communication between nerve cells is compromised. When our nerve cells are not transmitting messages efficiently, we may experience symptoms of depression or other mood and behavioral disorders. (4) Some researchers believe that an imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids give rise to a variety of other mental disorders as well, including hyperactivity, depression, brain allergies, and schizophrenia.(5) There are many who suffer from the debilitating effects of depression! This may be caused, at least in part, to insufficient consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids! How can we expect to feel our best if we aren’t supplying our cells with the essential fatty acids they need to form correctly and work with efficiency and integrity? Through simple dietary changes, we can feed our bodies the essential fatty acids they need to develop gorgeous new nerve cells in the proper fashion!

Happily, a healthy body and satisfied cells are just around the corner. It is well within our control to make healthy dietary choices so we can begin to change our body chemistry and actually see and feel our health improve! We can begin to enjoy the powerful benefits of a healthy functioning brain and heart. Truly, small dietary changes can bring about great things for our health and wellbeing!

(1) Natural Standard (2010). Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid. Retrieved January 1, 2010 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil

(2) Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2006, April 4). Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Omega 3 Fatty Acid In Fish Oil Linked To Lowering Of Prostaglandin. Science Daily. Retrieved January 1, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060404085719.htm

(3) The Franklin Institute Online (2004) Fats Build Your Brain. Retrieved January 4, 2010 from http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html#top

(4) The Franklin Institute Online (2004) Essential Fatty Acids. Retrieved January 4, 2010 from http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html#top

(5) The Franklin Institute Online (2004) Fatty Acids, Intelligence and Cognitive Decline. Retrieved January 4, 2010 from http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html#top