Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 are a family of essential fatty acids that play important roles in your body and may provide a number of health benefits.

As your body cannot produce them on its own, you must get them from your diet.

The three most important types are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). ALA is mainly found in plants, while DHA and EPA occur mostly in animal foods and algae.

Common foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish, fish oils, flax seeds, flaxseed oil, and walnuts.

What are the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids?

Omega 3 fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids that help to reduce inflammation, which can damage blood vessels throughout the body, leading to heart disease and strokes. Omega 3 fatty acids may benefit heart health, and many other illnesses include:

• Prevent cardiovascular disease and ischemic strokes: Several studies have found the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids concerning cardiovascular disease and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Consuming omega 3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA) at 850 mg/day in combination with natural vitamin E at 300 mg/day or fish and seafood containing omega 3 has been shown to reduce the risk of strokes and heart failure, reducing irregular heartbeats, including preventing heart disease, reduce triglyceride levels, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood clotting, reducing myocardial ischemia mortality and sudden cardiac arrest. Recent research showed that people who ate fish twice a week (240 grams) had a lower risk of heart disease than those who rarely ate fish.
• Prevent coronary artery disease: CAD): Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil are the precursors of the eicosanoids (Eicosanoids), including prostaglandin-3 (Prostaglandins-3) and thromboxane-3 (Thromboxan-3), which may help inhibit platelet adhesion. As a result, it prevents blood vessel clogging and promotes blood vessel dilatation, which improves blood circulation and reduces irregular heartbeat.
• Lower blood pressure: Omega 3 fatty acids aid in blood vessel dilation and improve blood flow by preventing blood vessel clogging, lowering blood pressure. In people without hypertension, fish oil does not further lower blood pressure.
• Relieve rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling, stiffness, pain, and loss of joint function. According to some medical studies, taking omega 3 fatty acids with rheumatoid arthritis medications and other treatments can improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
• Improve brain cell function and prevent Alzheimer’s disease: Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil nourish the brain, improve memory, and prevent dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. DHA fatty acids in fish oil are essential for the brain to help reduce the formation of plaques (fibers or fibrils) in the brain, which are responsible for memory loss.
• Help prevent macular degeneration: Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness. According to research, people who consume a high-omega 3 diet are less likely to develop macular degeneration. However, omega 3 does not appear to improve symptoms or delay blindness.