Omega 3 Fatty Acids & Fish Oil

Omega 3 fatty acids have been making medical headlines over the past 15 years, and for good reason.

Among medical research to improve our health, there have been a few discoveries that have had both the medical profession and the public, pay attention to the same degree.

And the benefits of omega 3 oils and fish oils, is one of them.

It is known that fish oil has a significant affect on the health of our hearts, whether we already have heart disease, or whether we are healthy.

Fish oil is the main dietary source, although there are also vegetarian food sources of omega 3 as well.

And as you’ll see, the benefits of these essential fatty acids go further.

Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to:

1. Reduces the risk of fatal heart attacks (myocardial infarction) by 30% and sudden death by 45% in those who have already had a heart attack, in the GISSI Prevention trial, and a 62% reduction in cardiac related death in those taking fish oil supplements in the DART trial.[1]

2. Reduces the risk of heart attacks (by 38%) and sudden death (by 72-81%, that is, a relative risk of 28-19%) in people who are otherwise healthy without a history of heart problems.[6,5] It is interesting to note that 50% of heart attacks occur in people without any known heart disease.

3. There’s a significant reduction in the risk of dementia, with a risk reduction of 50% in one study.[12]

4. There’s a reduced prevalence of depression in people who have a higher intake of omega 3 fatty acids.[7]

5. With omega 3 fish oils in depressed patients who are already taking antidepressants, there is a significant improvement in symptoms.[7]

6. In bipolar disorder, a significant improvement in functioning, and a reduction in depressive symptoms.[11]

7. A reduction in hostility in young adults, as well as in borderline personality disorder.[13,14]

8. An improvement in insulin sensitivity and stabilises blood sugar rsponses, which are the metabolic problems in “metabolic syndrome”.[16]

9. In women with prementrual syndrome, there’s a reduction in premenstrual depressive symptoms.[15]

10. In rheumatoid arthritis, there has been improvement in symptoms.[19]

11. Omega 3 fatty acids may reduce premature delivery, and DHA is associated with less post natal depression.[20]

12. Mothers who took fish oil supplements from the second trimester of pregnancy and during the first 3 months of breastfeeding, was associated with a higher IQ is higher in the children at aged 4.[21]

So the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids benefits are certainly important.

They deal with the health of our heart, our risk of sudden death, as well as our brain functioning.

For both convenience and safety, pharmaceutical grade fish oil has become available as a way of getting our omega 3 daily requirements, even when we can't find fish in our diet, or if we're concerned about the level of mercury in fish.

As another choice, cod liver oil is also a source of omega 3 oils that has been well known for centuries. But there are some differences between cod liver oil and the fish oils.

And the story of Iceland and omega 3 is one of those that sparked the interest in heart and brain health as a result of using fish oils.

For the latest nutrition and fish oil news, see this collection of omega 3 fatty acids news and rss feeds.