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Unlocking the Power of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Your Key to Health and Vitality

by | Apr 12, 2024 | Omega 3 fatty acid | 0 comments

If you are the one thinking about optimal and functional health, here is the cue to optimal health with omega 3 fatty acids. Let’s understand its benefits and sharpen our diet and reap greater benefits from omega’s.

Optimal health is when all your biochemical parameters are in great status and setting you apart from all degenerative and inevitable metabolic diseases. Here our key is omega 3 fatty acids.

What is omega 3 fatty acid?

Omega 3 fatty acids play a role in forming the cell integrity. Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fats that are essential for our bodies to function optimally. Unlike other fats, our bodies cannot produce omega-3s on their own, so we must obtain them through our diet or supplementation. There are three main omega-3 fatty acids: Alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

How are these magic molecules actually helping us?

Living a stressful, in polluted, poor diet, lack of exercise, weight gain all this are actually causing stress on every cell in your body resulting in Anxiety, Insomnia, Diabetes, Obesity, Fatty liver, impaired focus, foggy brain, Thyroid, Insulin resistance, improper vision and many more on table that we can’t brief all about over here. Omega-3:Omega-6 ratio is in imbalance due to modernized diets (Vegetable oils, soy oil products) , incorporating more seeds rich in PUFA,MUFA- ensure 2:3 ratio (omega3:omega6) is scientifically suggested.

Improve your heart (Lub-Dub) health.

Due to drift in consumption of excessive saturated fats (Vegetable oils, Junk food) has higher omega 6 which is not good for health and leading cause for metabolic diseases.

Higher fat mass and higher triglyceride(TG) content in blood serum leads to plaque formation, Omega 3 helps in promoting High density lipoprotein and reduces total triglycerides there by reducing chance of hypertension and atherosclerosis.

How? They can directly influence heart rate by inhibiting myocyte (muscle cell) voltage-gated sodium channels via muscle contraction and prolonging the relative refractory (response) period, which can lead to a decrease in heart rate tension, elevated heart rate. Omega 3 fatty acids nourish the endothelial lining and improve dilation and blood flow thereby getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients.

Scientifically clinical trials have proved that omega 3 fatty acids have lipid lowering effect by reducing Triglyceride (TG) synthesis and promoting its (TG) degradation proven in random critically controlled trials.

  •  In India we don’t tend to consume omega 3 fatty acids and as well as in European countries, people don’t consume enough EPA and DHA, according to reviews. Instead, they mostly consume (Omega 6 – Linolenic acid) as their main omega-fat. Interestingly, these regions have higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD), insulin resistance (IR), and certain cancers compared to countries like Japan, where people eat more fatty fish rich in omega-3s.
  • Therefore, it is recommended to consume foods rich in EPA and DHA, such as fatty fish and seafood, to ensure adequate intake of these essential fatty acids.
  • Diet high in Linolenic acid (LA) (Omega 6 – Palm oil, vegetable oil, soy oil, biscuits, chips, your Kurkure) has higher omega 6 that is potential to cause inflammation in your body.
  • Follow and incorporate low LA foods & estrogenic foods.  INCORPORATE (Seed oils, nuts, algal sources -kelps, Irish mosses, seaweed into our diet plan).
  • A low-linoleic acid diet and estrogen have been shown to increase the conversion of ALA into DHA by upregulating the elongases and desaturases of fatty acids.

Hack: Research suggests that curcumin, which is found in turmeric, can help the body make more DHA from ALA by elevating the levels of enzymes involved in DHA synthesis in both liver and brain tissues. Curcumin being anti-inflammatory reduces anxiety too.

Do This: Get your lipid profile blood work done and check your HDL, VLDL, LDL, TG values to gain an edge for better health.

Start: 2 spoon powder of flax seeds every day /15-30g (10 pieces) of walnuts soaked overnight and consume ½ tsp of turmeric everyday with pepper dissolved in water/milk everyday thus helping production of intermediates of DHA.

(One shot two birds benefit to your body, so favor it doing so, your body will thank you)

Set your Energy pattern (Excited, feeling drained)

Improving your Glucose levels, Glucose, Fructose (Maida, fruits, donuts, pizza, burger, pasta, oat milk, sugars) being a major source of energy for cells in our body but immediate glucose spike causes stress and too often spike causes insulin resistance (IR) (cells not allowing glucose into them). Savior omega-3 delays the gastric emptying and thereby improves insulin levels and promotes slow and steady insulin and sugar spikes.

How? In our intestine we have incertins (enzymes that respond to release insulin based on glucose release into your blood) omega 3 fatty acids stimulate the incertins and help by glucose dependent natural insulin releasing mechanisms protecting you from diabetes and providing sustained energy patterns.

Get your HbAlc, Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels work done in the nearest lab and start following omega 3 for optimal work done to gain an edge for better health and consult a nutritionist.

Start: Pair your meal with fat source (Ghee), and vegetables (Fiber) and following that consume nuts /algae sources/supplement omega 3 (DHA+EPA-500mg-1g/serving) post your meal.

Anti-inflammatory effect! What is inflammation?

Inflammation is part of the body’s defense mechanism. It protects us from harmful causing agents in the body and quickens the healing process.

How?  It might be caused due to infections, injuries, allergies like food allergies, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Glucose spikes, exercise induced oxidative stress etc. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (eicosatetraenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), have anti-inflammatory effects, which can help reduce inflammation in the body. Omega-3 fatty acid derivatives protect by releasing resolvins, cellular immunity, neuro and psychiatry – endorphins (happy hormones) to ease stress.

  • Omega 3 fatty acid produces distinct n-3 PUFA-derived metabolites, such as resolvins D (RvD) and E (RvE) series, maresins (MaR) and protectins (PD), which are collectively named specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and act as strong anti-inflammatory agents.
  • RvD and RvE helps in improving depressive-like behaviors. Protectins and maresins help in neurological function.
  • Helps in decreasing the pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress
  • DHA, a major component of brain membrane phospholipids, plays a vital role in neurite outgrowth and influences the neural network, which can help improve mood and cognitive function & helps in uplift mood

Hack: The dosage of omega-3 fatty acids required to have anti-inflammatory effects may vary depending on the individual and the severity of their symptoms, but a dosage of at least 2000 mg/d of EPA/DHA daily may be necessary.

Get your inflammatory markers: C reactive protein, Cortisol, ESR, Kidney profile test work done to gain an edge for better health and consult a nutritionist.

Probiotic and omega 3 fatty acids.

We are made with millions of useful bacteria (gut flora) and they are symbiotic to what we eat and help in maximum nutrient absorption.

The gut microbiota can trigger inflammation by releasing compounds like lipo-polysaccharides (LPS), (Causes bacterial overgrowth/imbalance -we call it dysbiosis.

Probiotics like Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium and omega-3 fatty acids (FA), can enhance gut microbiota diversity and lower LPS-induced inflammation.

Hack: Fermented foods (Idli/dosa batter combined with flax seeds (2 tbsp powder, chia seeds 2 tbsp) can help good bacteria ingestion and omega 3 fatty acid sources and helps in better digestion and gut dysbiosis.

Vegetarians/Vegan: Do consume seed powder, Avocados, Fermented -batter foods, fiber rich foods (Steamed leafy vegetables, vegetable salads, whole grains).

Non vegetarians: Include Curd, yogurt with fruit bowls and vegetable bowls, fish curry.

Get your gut health test done:  Get your Gut health test done and know where tiny benefitting organisms are at which ranges, consult your nutritionist for optimal health.

More information to make your omega 3 fatty acid better absorbed & Conversion of ALA into EPA and DHA.

  • ALA is the precursor for the de novo synthesis of EPA and DHA. Studies show that the way our bodies make EPA and DHA from ALA isn’t very effective in humans. It involves several steps, but only a small percentage, about 5-10% for EPA and 2-5% for DHA, gets converted in healthy adults.
  • This low conversion happens because of factors like poor diet, genes, and health and change in environment i.e.:(Oxidative stress-causing factors).
  • It is also important to note that the conversion rate of ALA to EPA and DHA is relatively low, with estimates suggesting that only 1-10% of ALA is converted to EPA and 0.5-5% is converted to DHA.
  • The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) said that ALA turning into DHA is only about 1% in infants  and even less in adults.
  • Incorporate Turmeric in your probiotic foods (Kadi), Veggie bowls/Salads with added seed powders as toppings (add 2 tablespoons of flax seeds, chia seeds).
  • Cinnamon powder with seed powder (to enhance taste).

Intervention: Can start from today to improve your day with better energy.

  • Research indicates that a daily intake of 1g of EPA and DHA may have limited effects on cardiac health, suggesting that higher doses may be necessary. However, further research is required to fully understand the optimal dosage for cardiovascular benefits.
  • Significantly, the FDA has approved  the consumption of up to 3000 mg/day of EPA and DHA combined, sourced from both food and supplements, as safe for the general population.
  • Consumption of Fish meat twice a week for non-vegetarians.
  • Consumption of EPA & DHA supplements – 2g/day to delay glucose spike and improve health.
  • Consuming Probiotic foods with Chia seeds/flax seeds will help promote omega 3 fatty acids. (Chia pudding with fruits/oats/yogurt).

References

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