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Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Description

Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids, make prostaglandins of the three series, which are anti-inflammatory and not constrictive. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that can trigger pain and inflammation when they belong to the two series (arachidonic acid), however, the three series counteract that production and actually relieve pain and inflammation. Arachidonic acid dominates the average diet (meat and dairy), and without omega 3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, this balance tips in favor of inflammatory, pain-producing and vasoconstrive prostaglandins. This explains the seeming paradox of why the average person gets too much fat in their diet, and yet most people suffer from a fatty acid insufficiency (better termed a fatty acid imbalance). They actually don’t get enough of the “good” fatty acids. There are many disorders attributed to imbalanced fatty acids. Udo Erasmus has written a popular book called, "Fats that heal, fats that kill," which proposes the idea that people are getting more than enough of the bad fats, yet aren't eating enough of the right kind of fat.

Clinical Applications/Research

Cardiovascular conditions, blood pressure, high triglycerides, asthma, dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammatory conditions, PMS, menstrual cramps, immune effects, brain/visual function. When it was discovered that the Eskimos, who eat a lot of fish, had a reduced risk for heart disease even though they had a high fat diet, scientists began to take a more serious look at what might be causing that to happen. Fish oils are comprised mostly of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are long-chain unsaturated fatty acids. We have a requirement for these longer chain fatty acids, especially in nervous tissue, the brain, the eye, and other tissues that absolutely need the higher degree of cell membrane flexibility that these fatty acids offer. In addition to what they do for the cell membrane, fish oils make anti-inflammatory substances which can help relieve conditions due to the pain and swelling of inflammation.

Cardiovascular Health

Fish oil (omega-3 or n-3) seems to have many beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system by decreasing fats (triglycerides) in the blood, regulating prostaglandin metabolism and thinning the blood, which helps decrease the risk of clots. Since fish oil does thin the blood, it may increase risk of stroke from hemorrhaging.

Arthritis

The positive effect of fish oil on rheumatoid arthritis has been documented in several leading journals (Ann Rheum Dis 1988; 47:96-104; Intern Med 1987; 106:497-503). Aside from the antiinflammatory effects, fish oil favorably affects cytokine formation, and cytokines, which cause inflammation, are implicated in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (Arthritis and Rheumatism. Feb 1995, pp. 151-160).

Asthma

Fish oils make antiinflammatory substances and counteract the potent inflammatory leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are responsible for most of the inflammation that is involved in asthma attacks. In fact, leukotrienes are 1,000 times more potent as stimulators of bronchial constriction than histamine (Murray M and Pizzorno J, Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 1991, Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA. p. 152). It is believed that asthma sufferers may have an imbalance in fatty acid metabolism, subjecting them to risk for elevated leukotriene production (Yen SS and Morris HG. Biochem Biophys Res Com 1981;103:774-79). A recent study on children found that those eating fresh, oily fish had 1/4 the risk of asthma as children who did not eat oily fish (Hodge et al., Consumption of oily fish and childhood asthma risk. Med J Australia 1996;164:137-40). Canned fish, non-oily fish, and total fish intake were not found to be protective against asthma. Oily fish include Atlantic salmon, cod, yellowtail, blue mackerel, rainbow trout, and several others with greater than 2% fat content. Aside from the production of antiinflammatory substances, the reported effects of fish oil and omega 3s on the immune system could be playing a role in reducing symptoms. Although some studies on fish oil have not reported significant effects, it could be related to the short duration of the studies and the age of the subjects. One study showed a beneficial effect of supplementation at 18 weeks, 10 weeks after the supplementation was ceased (Australian New Zealand Journal of Medicine. 1994;24:727). It takes several weeks for the tissues to get saturated.

Female Conditions

Essential fatty acids are extremely important for proper functioning of the female system, because the steroid sex hormones are all synthesized from fat. Menstrual discomfort is regulated by prostaglandins and is influenced by the ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to arachidonic acid. In a clinical trial, 181 Danish women (aged 20 to 45 years) were studied, and it was shown that the women with a decreased intake of marine fish and omega 3 fatty acids had symptoms that were doubled in severity (Menstrual pain in Danish women correlated with low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. Deutch, B. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1995;49:523-31). It has been shown that there are a significant amount of inflammatory prostaglandins circulating during the menstrual period.

Immune Effects

There have been many indications that fish oil has beneficial effects on the immune system. It is suggested that some of the beneficial effects of fish oil on the immune system are due to the effect on tumor necrosis factor alpha, an important cytokine (inflammatory substance) in the system. See Essential Fatty Acids (Specialty Nutrients) for more information.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease has two categories: Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. The Journal of Nutrition reports that arachidonic, acid-derived, inflammatory prostaglandins contribute to the disease, and that supplementation with a formula containing fish oil decreased those inflammatory substances - they further suggested that dietary supplementation could be beneficial for patients with ulcerative colitis by modifying prostaglandin synthesis (J Nutr. 1997;127:137-145). In another study, the effect of fish oil on ulcerative colitis was investigated in 87 patients. Treatment with fish oil resulted in, "measurable clinical benefit" - there was a trend toward achieving remission (being taken off corticosteroids) faster in the patients taking 4.5 grams fish oil daily for a year (Gut 1992;33(7):922-8).

Brain Development

Linoleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are essential fatty acids critical for the development of brain function. In a study on infants performed 57 weeks after birth, a fish oil supplemented formula was compared to human milk and a corn oil based formula. The corn oil based diet, which lacked the long chain DHA present in the fish oil formula and human milk, caused impaired visual acuity at both 36 and 57 weeks. "The study supports a role for omega 3 long chain PUFAs as required nutrients for the optimal maturation of visual and cortical function " (Am J Clin Nutr 1993;57:807S-12S).

Contraindications/Toxicology

Since fish oil does thin the blood, it may increase risk of stroke from hemorrhaging. Fish oil should not be combined with anticoagulant therapy such as coumadin. Caution is advised with the other anti-clotting essential fatty acids to a lesser extent.

Disclaimer: The statements above have not been evaluated by the FDA. The nutritional suggestions and research provided are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease and should not be used as a substitute for sound medical advice. Please see your health care professional in all matters pertaining to your physical health.

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