Omega 3 fatty acids are getting more and more good press as
an important part of preventing a number of common health
problems. But why is supplementing with Omega-3's so
important?
First you have to understand that supplementing with
Omega-3 fatty acids does not give you "extra" of these
beneficial fats. In fact, most supplementation
recommendations probably give most people the minimum they
need to balance the other fats in their diets. Various
studies have indicated that indigenous cultures (which
typically have very low rates of cancer, heart disease,
arthritis, and other chronic conditions) consume a ratio of
omega-6 fats to omega-3 fats of approximately 1:1 to 2:1.
Currently in the United States, that ratio ranges from 20:1
to more than 30:1!
Why the huge difference? First of all, grains and most
commercially produced vegetable oils are primarily omega-6
fats and these are staples in the modern American diet.
Second, the primary source of omega-3 fats in the American
diet used to be from meats, fish, eggs, and poultry. What
do I mean used to be? Don't we still eat those foods in
relatively large quantities? Yes, but what those foods are
being fed has changed.
At one time, most of the meat and poultry came from
"free-range" livestock, meaning the animals ate insects and
plants that grew wild in their environment. Insects and
plants are high in omega-3 fats, so the animals that eat
them are likewise high in omega-3's. Today though, most
commercially raised meat, poultry, eggs, and even
farm-raised fish, are fed primarily grain - which is high
in omega-6 fats, not omega-3's, so the meat, eggs, and fish
are also high in omega-6. This combined with our own
tendency to eat a lot of grain-based foods has led to a
dramatic shift in the ratio of fats in our diets.
This shift in the dietary fat ratio with very little
omega-3's being consumed sets us up for a wide variety of
health problems. Because omega-3's are essential to a
number of biochemical processes, the lack of these
important fats has led to a general increase in problems
that include depression, inflammatory conditions (such as
arthritis and allergies/asthma), and cardiovascular
disease. There is even speculation that a lack of
omega-3's may be at least partially involved in the
development of neurodegenerative disorders and some types
of cancer.
In any event, except for those very rare individuals who
eat almost no grains AND who consume primarily free-range
meats, wild game, and/or wild-caught fish, I strongly
recommend taking a high-quality supplement at a dosage of
1000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Omega-3
supplements are usually made from fish oil, or may be from
krill oil. In either case, if you are getting a good
product from a reputable company that has independent lab
certificaton of their supplements (as to purity and
potency), you should be fine.
For those who are strict vegans and do not consume animal
products of any kind, I suggest using flax seed oil
supplements(at least 1000 mg per day). Flax oil is not
high in omega-3's but the fats in it can be converted to
omega-3 in the body in most individuals. There are some
people who cannot efficiently make the conversion to the
needed omega-3's, and if you are having problems with
depression and/or inflammatory conditions despite taking
flax oil, you may want to consider fish oil, or you may
want to try walnut oil (which is high in omega-3's).
Another option is to try evening primrose or borage oil ,
as these contain fatty acids that don't require as much
conversion in the body to produce omega-3 fats.
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Dr. George Best is a holistic healthcare provider in San
Antonio, Texas. For free health-related information on a
variety of topics, please visit his blog at
http://www.BestHealthAndWellnessInfo.com .
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