Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are nutrients that are essential for good health. They control blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain, and since our bodies cannot make Omega 3 fatty acids, we must get them through food or supplements.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Health Benefits

Omega 3 fatty acids have many health benefits, including protection against heart disease and possibly even stroke. Additionally, Omega 3 fatty acids in high doses (e.g 6 to 10 capsules per day) are being used to treat depression. New studies are being published that show benefits for a wide range of conditions including cancer, lupus, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The major Omega 3 fatty acids are:

• ALA, (alpha) linolenic acid
• EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid
• DHA, docosahexaenoic acid

The Chemistry of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are long-chained, polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acids are the building blocks of triglycerides and other lipids. They are usually composed of a long chain of unbranched carbon atoms with a carboxyl group at one end. Most fatty acids contain between 4 and 24 carbon atoms in the backbone.

A saturated fatty acid has only single bonds in the carbon backbone. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds in the carbon backbone. Thus, mono unsaturated fat acids have one double bond and poly unsaturated fatty acids have two or more double bonds. These double bonds decrease the melting point – that means they are more likely to be a liquid than a solid at room temperature. The longer the carbon backbone length, the higher the melting point and the more likely to be a solid than a liquid at room temperature.

Why Fatty Acids Are Important for Your Health

Omega 3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important because our bodies do not have the enzymes necessary to create double bonds after the 10th carbon from the carboxyl group. Thus, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids are essential.

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is the only essential Omega 3 fatty acid because our bodies can convert ALA into others such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). There is a wealth of scientific data that suggests the conversion rate of ALA to DHA is only in the region of 4-15%. There are, however, other conditions where this conversion is inefficient to non-existent. For example, infants and people with certain enzyme deficiencies cannot efficiently convert ALA to EPA. For this reason, EPA and DHA are sometimes considered as conditionally essential fatty acids.

Where Do We Get Omega 3 Fatty Acids?

ALA is found primarily in dark green leafy vegetables, flaxseed oils, and certain vegetable oils. EPA and DHA are found primarily in oily cold-water fish such as mackerel, herring, tuna, and salmon. Unfortunately, plant sources of Omega 3 fatty acids produce DHA and/or ALA and very little, if any, EPA.

*The dietary requirements of essential fatty acids are approximately 2% of caloric intake for adults and 3% for children.

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