Health Benefits of Omega-3
Thousands of clinical studies have clearly validated the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for optimal health. Yet, many of us around the world do not get enough omega-3. Taking pharmaceutical grade fish oils is imperative to address this omega-3 deficiency and restore healthy omega-6 to omega-3 balance. The health benefits associated with omega-3 are:
Improve heart health
Omega-3 helps relax blood vessels, improve blood flow, reduce blood pressure, and thereby lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke. Omega-3 also significantly reduces heart rate at rest, and expedites a return to a normal heart rate after exercise, which could help protect against the risk of sudden death. High intake of omega-3 EPA is also associated with a significantly lower risk of heart failure.
Support healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels
Omega-3 consumption reduces triglycerides, LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels and increases HDL or “good” cholesterol levels
Reduce risk of plaques and blood clots
Plaques and blood clots will partially or completely block blood flow in blood vessels. Omega-3 helps prevent plaques from forming and reduces risk of blood clots by preventing platelets in the blood from clumping together
Promote brain health
Omega-3 is crucial for development and maintenance of normal brain function regardless of a person’s age. Higher omega-3 intake is linked to decreased age-related mental decline and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Reduce risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
ALS is a progressive disease that affects motor neurons (nerve cells) in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control. Currently, ALS has no known cure or effective treatment.Omega-3 supplementation has been associated with a lower risk of developing ALS. A healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 could temporarily preserve motor neuron function during the terminal stages of ALS, which can significantly improve the quality of life of patients.
Reduce symptoms of depression
Omega-3 may help improve mood in people with depression. It helps reduce symptoms of depression, including anxiety, daily stresses and sleep disturbances. Consuming omega-3s may offer powerful protection against depression.
Improve mental disorders
Low omega-3 levels have been reported in people with mental disorders. Omega-3 supplementation can reduce the frequency of mood swings and recurrence in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Besides, omega-3 may also decrease violent behavior.
Reduce symptoms of ADHD
Omega-3 supplementation decreases symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Paediatr Child Health 14(2): 89-98 (2009)).
Reduce insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is the driving factor that leads to type 2 diabetes. Consumption of omega-3 is associated with improved insulin sensitivity and may reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
Help fight autoimmune diseases
An autoimmune disease is a condition in which immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign cells and starts attacking them. Omega-3 can help fight several autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease.
Reduce risk of asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease with symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing. Omega-3 consumption has been linked to a lower risk of asthma in children and young adults.
Reduce liver fat
Omega-3 reduces liver fat and inflammation in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is a type of fatty liver that occurs when fat is deposited in the liver due to causes other than excessive alcohol use.
Reduce risk of end stage kidney disease
Omega-3 helps lower the risk of proteinuria, delay the progression of kidney disease and reduce risk of end-stage renal disease. This may due to the involvement of omega-3 in blood pressure control, as high blood pressure is a strong risk factor for the progression of kidney disease.
Improve bone and joint health
Omega-3 improves bone strength by increasing the amount of calcium in bones and may help reduce risk of osteoporosis. Besides, omega-3 intake is also associated with reduced joint pain and increased grip strength. Omega-3 may also help alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as pain, stiffness and reduce the joint damage.
Improve eye health
Improve skin condition
Omega-3 moistens dry skins, manages oil production, and protects the skin from premature ageing, acne, hyper keratinisation of hair follicles and sun damage. Besides, it also reduces symptoms of eczema and mitigate psoriasis (an inflammatory skin condition) by reducing the number of flare-ups, severity of scaling and redness.
Alleviate menstrual pain
Women who consume the most omega-3 have milder menstrual pain. One study found that omega-3 supplementation was more effective than ibuprofen drug in treating severe pain during menstruation (Caspian J Intern Med 2(3): 279-282 (2011))
Improve sleep
Low levels of omega-3 have been linked to sleep problems in children and obstructive sleep apnea in adults as well as lower levels of “sleep hormone” melatonin. Consumption of omega-3 improves the length and quality of sleep in both children and adults.
Lose weight
Fish oil omega-3 may help reduce hunger and appetite, which would in turn, help people to lose weight.
Reduce risk of premature birth
Daily intake of omega-3, particularly DHA and EPA during pregnancy helps:
- Reduce the risk of having a premature baby (less than 37 weeks) by 11%
- Reduce the risk of having an early premature baby (less than 34 weeks) by 42%
- Reduce the risk of having a small baby by 10%
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