Do Omega 3 Fatty Acids Contribute to
Optimal Brain Health?
Omega 3 fatty acids, commonly supplemented in fish oil pills, are one of the most popular supplements used in the US. Almost 19 million people or 7.8% of the population is riding the wave, according to a National Institue of Health survey.
Reported benefits range from mental health must have to heart health go-to.
Are all these people on to something or is this just another health gimmick? I’ll let you make the decision for yourself.
What are Omega 3 Fatty acids?
Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats, which are fat molecules that contain a double bond in their chemical structure. They are usually oil at room temperature and solidify at colder temperatures.
Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids contain many fats, although the therapeutic focus is generally on α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found in plant oils. EPA and DHA are commonly found in marine oils.
The primary fats for brain health are EPA and DHA, which can be made by the human body. ALA can be converted to EPA and DHA; although, it is a very inefficient process with a low conversion rate.
Omega 3 fatty acids help make up the structure of cell membranes, provide energy and facilitate signaling throughout the body. DHA is particularly high in the brain, retina, and sperm.
Mental Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids and their metabolites affect blood circulation, cognitive function, regeneration of brain tissue, and inflammation in the body – to name a few.
Study designs that interfere with consistency and repeatability are the main problem limiting the extraction of quality data needed to recommend the usage of omega 3 for a variety of conditions.
EPA and DHA are the two most studied omega 3 fatty acids. The brain is made up of 60% fat with these guys playing an important role. EPA has more harmonious reports of beneficial effects for mood disorders while DHA is more aligned with neurodegenerative diseases.
Reduce Depression
A Harvard analysis of over 30 trials on omega 3’s for depression suggests their effectiveness at treating depression although the results are not unanimous. These results show that the most significant reduction of symptoms is in EPA concentrations of at least 60% in relation to DHA.
Lowered Anxiety
One study showed a 20% reduction of anxiety and a 14% reduction of an inflammatory blood marker in healthy young adults (without anxiety disorders) given fish oil versus the placebo group. These researchers at Ohio State University were partially backed by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
There is contradictory evidence on whether omega 3 fatty acids reduce only mild anxiety or benefit those with anxiety disorders as well.
A review of over 19 studies with a total of 1203 participants concluded that omega 3 treatment resulted in lessened severity of anxiety symptoms. Those with a clinical diagnosis showed a more significant reduction of symptoms than those without a clinical diagnosis.
Improve Memory and Cognitive Function
Alzehiemers is a neurogenerative disease that is categorized mostly by memory loss, confusion, and cognitive dysfunction. This disease has shown a positive correlation between inflammation and neurogenerative disease. Omega-3 fatty acids also decline in the brain with aging.
Many epidemiological studies, which analyze data from diseased populations, show that lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids or fish consumption are connected with a higher risk of age-related cognitive decline. Blood levels with more elevated DHA markers seem to reduce Alzehiemers and other dementia in these studies which call for more robust clinical trials to investigate effects.
Anti-Inflammatory
Reducing inflammation is both a body and a brain benefit. Chronic inflammation in the body contributes to mental health disorders, like anxiety, as well as physical disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.
Omega-3 fatty acids partially inhibit inflammation by targeting inflammation causing agents in the body. EPA and DHA restructure the cell membrane which helps active anti-inflammatory chemicals and hinders inflammatory ones.
A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Department of Neurological Surgery shows that omega-3 fatty acids had similar effects on arthritic pain as Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) like ibuprofen. It concluded that omega-3 fatty acids were a safe anti-inflammatory alternative to NSAIDs
Sources of Omega 3
Diet
Most experts suggest that it is more beneficial to get nutrients from your diet than from supplements. A variety of foods contain omega 3 fatty acids, although it is more challenging to obtain optimal amounts if you do not consume seafood (specifically fish) regularly.
This makes omega-3 fatty acids a good candidate for supplementation. Unless you consume a large amount of the below foods containing DHA and EPA. *note not all foods containing DHA, EPA and ALA are listed below*
| Type | Food | DHA | EPA | ALA |
| Fish | Salmon | X | X | |
| Fish | Mackerel | X | X | |
| Fish | Tuna | X | X | |
| Fish | Sardines | X | X | |
| Fish | Herring | X | X | |
| Oil | Flaxseed Oil | X | ||
| Oil | Canola Oil | X | ||
| Oil | Soybean Oil | X | ||
| Seed | Flax Seed | X | ||
| Seed | Chia Seed | X | ||
| Seed | Sunflower Seed | X | ||
| Nut | Walnut | X | ||
| Soybean | Tofu | X |
Supplements
Most people in the US do not consume enough fish and most likely are not getting enough EPA or DHA from their diet. If you believe you in this category, a supplement may be an excellent addition.
The jury is still out on whether omega 3 supplements show significant benefit. In my opinion, taking something is better than nothing.
| Supplement | DHA | EPA | ALA |
| Fish Oil | X | X | |
| Fish Liver Oil | X | X | |
| Krill Oil | X | X | |
| Algan Oil (vegetarian) | X | X | |
| Flaxseed Oil | X |
Omega 3 Dosage
The Daily Adequate Intake level recommended by the National Institute of Health (NIH) only references ALA since this is an essential omega 3 that cannot be produced by the body.
| Age | Male | Female |
| 14-18 | 1600 mg | 1100 mg |
| 19-50 | 1600 mg | 1100 mg |
| 51+ | 1600 mg | 1100 mg |
Although, one review of 19 trials concluded that omega 3 intake higher than 2000 mg had a more significant effect on the reduction of symptoms of anxiety.
If you decide to use a supplement, be sure to purchase a product from a credible company, read the label and follow their usage instructions. The NIH has a handy Dietary Supplement Label Database to help find appropriate products for you.
