Do you feel bloated, are you at risk of cardiovascular disease, or do you feel more down emotionally?
Then this article is for you!
Let's talk about omega-3, that well-known fatty acid that we all know is good for you. But what exactly is it, where is it found, and what are its benefits?
Well, omega 3, as I just mentioned, is a polyunsaturated fatty acid with important anti-inflammatory properties that we can find in oily fish, nuts and seeds such as flax or chia, as well as some algae.
Of the omega-3 fatty acids, two stand out as crucial for our health: EPA and DHA, found in oily fish. However, we can also obtain them through plant-based sources of omega-3 such as nuts and seeds, as these contain ALA, a precursor to EPA and DHA.
Here's a tip! Using turmeric in conjunction with plant-based omega-3 sources increases its conversion to DHA. This is something we can all benefit from, but especially vegans and vegetarians.
Taking advantage of this symbiosis is as easy as adding a little turmeric to a plant-based drink - as in turmeric latte - or eating a salad with nuts (1) and curry sauce.
Whoever you are, it's essential that our diet includes sources rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but omega-3 supplements can also be beneficial. In fact, omega-3 supplementation has been shown to offer benefits for:
● Eye health: Omega-3 supplements have been shown to be helpful in the
treatment of dry eye disease (2).
● Muscle health: Omega-3 supplement consumption was associated with a
Increased muscle mass in the elderly, especially when
They administered more than 2 g/day. Omega-3 increases the rate of synthesis of
muscle proteins in elderly people and suppresses the cascade of
inflammation in patients with muscular dystrophy (3).
● Mental health: significant results have been observed in the improvement of
depressive symptoms in elderly patients with mild to moderate depression,
To achieve this, they consumed 1.3g of omega 3 daily (4). Results have also been obtained
favorable results for depressive traits in patients with schizophrenia
starting from a daily intake of 1g of EPA (5). Similar findings have been observed
also in adults with bipolar disorder (6).
● Gut health: Omega-3 supplementation has also been shown
benefits for reducing intestinal inflammation, and thus improving the
gut microbiota and immune response (7). This finding has much
What does this have to do with the benefits of omega-3 on mental health, since we already know the
gut-microbiota-brain axis and there are even probiotics designed to
improve psychological well-being.
● Cardiovascular health: Omega 3 has anti-atherosclerotic properties, which
When administered at high doses, between 0.84-2.5g daily, it is able to delay
significantly slow the progression of atherosclerosis and thereby reduce the risk
of cardiovascular disease (8).
I hope you found this article helpful, and that you increase your omega-3 intake!
Coral Martín Moreno, Dietitian and Psychologist
***
Coral Martín is a dietitian and psychologist. Every Tuesday she offers nutritional counseling at Salud Mediterránea Manuel Becerra: C/Ortega y Gasset 77.
Click here for more information and pricing for this service.
Bibliographic references:
1. Sugasini, D., & Lokesh, BR (2017). Curcumin and linseed oil co-delivered in
Phospholipid nanoemulsions enhance the levels of docosahexaenoic acid in
serum and tissue lipids of rats. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty
Acids, 119, 45-52.
2. Downie, LE, Ng, SM, Lindsley, KB, & Akpek, EK (2019). Omega-3 and
omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for dry eye disease. The Cochrane Database
of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD011016.
3. Huang, Y.-H., Chiu, W.-C., Hsu, Y.-P., Lo, Y.-L., & Wang, Y.-H. (2020). Effects of
Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Muscle Performance
among the Elderly: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 12(12), E3739.
4. Bae, J.-H., & Kim, G. (2018). Systematic review and meta-analysis of omega-3-fatty
acids in elderly patients with depression. Nutrition Research (New York, NY), 50,
1-9.
5. Goh, K.K., Chen, CY-A., Chen, C.-H., & Lu, M.-L. (2021). Effects of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids supplements on psychopathology and metabolism
parameters in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 35(3), 221-235.
6. Grosso, G., Pajak, A., Marventano, S., Castellano, S., Galvano, F., Bucolo, C.,
Drago, F., & Caraci, F. (2014). Role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of
depressive disorders: A comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
trials. PloS One, 9(5), e96905.
7. Fu, Y., Wang, Y., Gao, H., Li, D., Jiang, R., Ge, L., Tong, C., & Xu, K. (2021).
Associations among Dietary Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, the Gut
Microbiota, and Intestinal Immunity. Mediators of Inflammation, 2021, 8879227.
8. Sekikawa, A., Cui, C., Sugiyama, D., Fabio, A., Harris, W.S., & Zhang, X. (2019).
Effect of High-Dose Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Atherosclerosis: A Systematic
Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Nutrients, 11(11), E2599.