Omega-3 For Better Health

You can use Omega-3 for better health in general and to protect the cardiovascular system from disease in particular, since they seem to reduce the likelihood of your blood clotting internally and thus causing coronary heart disease. They also help to reduce the level of cholesterol in your body while offering other health benefits by virtue of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats, and better for you than the saturated types. For the technically minded, the '3' comes from the fact the first double bond in the chemical structure starts at the third carbon atom in the chain, linking it to the fourth. The Omega 3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid, icosapentaenoic acid and docosahexanoic acid. The body cannot synthesize these fatty acids from scratch, but can do so from linolenic acid, so alpha linolenic acid is an essential part of our diets.

All three of these omega-3 acids offer significant physiological benefits, particularly their ability to prevent the formation of platelets in the blood that can lead to thrombosis and their anti-inflammatory properties. On the other hand, the animal based omega-6 fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, are pro-inflammatory and also tend to promote the formation of platelets if taken in excess. The more effective of these are the longer chain aids, manufactured by human biochemistry from the ALA.

Apart from being known to be essential in promoting normal growth in children, omega-3 fatty acids appear to have a significant effect on ventricular arrhythmia and can reduce death through this by up to 40%, and also lead to a significant reduction in all causes of death in people with existing coronary heart disease. The fatty acids are used commonly in the treatment of high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis, where their anti-inflammatory properties are effective.

An unusual application is in the suppression of the negative effects of omega-6 fatty acids, obtained from animal and vegetable sources such as nuts and seeds. The anti-inflammatory effect of omega-6 fatty acids are effective with rheumatoid arthritis to the extent that some patients can stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs when taking it, but too much omega-6 can be harmful. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids compete for the same enzymes that synthesize them, and an increased intake of omega-3 oils will cause a sufficient reduction in the creation of the longer chain harmful omega-6 acids to negate the pro-thrombotic and pro-inflammatory effect, and promote the anti-inflammatory effect.

To put it in a nutshell, omega-3 oils are very effective in reducing death due to arrhythmia in the ventricles of the heart, and also in reducing fatalities in general in patients known to be suffering from heart disease. They also help to reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and to allow the use of the more effective omega-6 fatty acids in the treatment of this type of arthritis with out the negative side effects. Omega-3 fatty acids also have a positive effect in the treatment of hypertension and can help to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Studies have shown that patients given omega-3 fatty acid supplement levels of up to 4 grams a day showed a reduction of up to 50% in their VLDL cholesterol levels, this being the bad type of cholesterol. Triglyceride levels, that can promote cardiovascular disease, were also reduced by up to 45%. These are significant reductions. Positive effects were also reported in The Lancet in March, 2007.

The best natural sources of omega-3 oils are fatty, cold water fish, including mackerel, herring, trout and salmon. Vegetarian sources are green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and also some nuts and seeds. Eggs are also a good source. The problem with many vegetable sources is that they also contain the potentially harmful omega-6 fatty acids, and an omega-3 supplement might be required to depress the activity of the omega-6 acids. Flax seed and flax seed oil are good sources for vegetarians as are soya and tofu.

Another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids is hemp, or cannabis. The seed oil should be cold pressed, and taken uncooked for the greatest effect. The benefit of hemp over other vegetarian sources is that it also contains omega-6 oils, but in a much lower ratio than usually found in a normal diet. The normal American diet contains a ratio of around 10-1 in favor of omega-6, while hemp contains the much safer 3-1 ratio. This is close to the ideal 2-1, and hemp oil can be used safely with little fear of the pro-aggregation effect on blood platelets, and the resultant problems with thrombosis or blood clots.

This is especially good news for vegans, for whom fish and eggs are not an option. Hemp is the one vegetable source that is known to contain a favorable ration of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and is also free of the potential toxins and heavy metals that can found in fish, originating from the ever increasing pollution of the oceans. Hemp seed oil is also totally free of the harmful trans fatty acids. The same is true of flax seeds that are also a good omega-3 option for vegetarians and vegans.

Hemp itself is currently grown for industrial use in may parts of Asia and Europe, and increasingly in North America. Its main use is for fibers, textiles, clothing and oils. It is grown under license and subsidies are available to European growers. Its use in foodstuffs, however, is still restricted in many European countries irrespective of the licensing situation. It is a very rich source of protein and could be a valuable food source for under-developed countries. However, there are obvious reasons why strict controls are needed.

Omega-3 oils and fatty acids offer well proven health benefits, especially in the field of cardiac care. A 1 minimum gram supplement of omega-3 fish oil is sufficient to dramatically reduce the fatality rate from heart failure in people even with known heart conditions, and though it is most commonly known source is fatty or oily fish, flax and hemp offer alternative rich sources for vegetarians and vegans.