Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a long chain omega3 essential fatty acid found in fatty fish like herring, salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines or in fish oil extracted from these fish.
Without a regular intake of EPA we would die, and because we cannot produce EPA ourselves we have to source it from our diet. EPA is necessary for the production of prostaglandins, which are really a type of hormone, so is instrumental in regulating many processes and functions within the human body.
So what happens when we don't get enough EPA in our diets? It's quite simple really; our body just doesn't function as well as it should.
Inflammation
If we don't get enough EPA in our diet in order to balance out our intake of Omega 6, which is also a necessary fatty acid but which happens to be abundant in western diets, we are likely to experience an increase in inflammation in the body and therefore inflammatory conditions.
EPA has strong anti-inflammatory properties so can help ease the pain and the inflammation of arthritis, and indeed any other inflammatory condition and given that some form of inflammation is believed to be at the root of all health conditions, EPA is vital for good health in general.
Heart health
There is now an abundance of evidence to show that EPA fish oil can help prevent heart disease and death from heart attack in patients who already have experienced a heart attack.
No one knows exactly why EPA can be so beneficial for heart health but it's believed to be at least in part to EPA's antiatherogenic ability. Basically this is the ability of EPA to help prevent the formation of plaques on the arteries, however, that's not the only benefit.
EPA can also help to improve the elasticity of the arteries, thin the blood and help the blood to flow more freely throughout the body. Studies have shown that EPA can lower cholesterol (the bad one) and lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels which may help prevent heart attacks.
Brain and mental health
In order for our brain to function efficiently we need an adequate supply of EPA throughout out entire lives. Think of it as a bit like fuel for the brain. Just like any vehicle, if the brain doesn't get the right kind of fuel it's going to start to become sluggish and won't run as smoothly as it should and may perhaps break down.
If you have a lack of EPA in your diet you may find you start to lose concentration more easily, or your memory is not as good as it was, and you just don't have the same zest for life that you used to have.
It's no coincidence that people suffering from mental health problems like depression, bipolar disorder and even anxiety and stress, have low levels of EPA in their blood and it's not surprising that supplementing with fish oil capsules high in EPA have been shown by countless studies to help treat and prevent all types of mental health problems.
Should you take EPA?
Fish oil containing EPA is considered generally safe for everyone from young children to the elderly but you should speak to your doctor first if you have an existing health condition or if you are currently taking any blood thinning medication.
