I have stated in the past that I do take a Omega 3 vitamins pill every day. My wife calls that pills “Heart Pills” or fish oil pills.
So I have no idea how this will change if I ever have to take real heart pills. Anyway in the search around for health info around the net I found this great articles telling us why we should be taking Omega 3 vitamin pills
Omega 3 is the latest buzz in the health and fitness industry. Doctors and researchers all over the world recommend the intake of Omega 3 vitamins to treat a wide variety of diseases.
While most of us have heard something or the other about these remarkable fatty acids, we are not sure about a lot of things concerning Omega 3. This article will deal with what’s, why’s and how’s of Omega 3 fatty acids.
What are Omega 3 Vitamins?
Omega 3 is the name given to a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids or essential fatty acids. There are mainly three types of essential fatty acids Alpha-Linolenic acids (ALA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found in English walnuts and vegetable oils like flaxseed, soybean and olive which the body eventually, but in small quantities, converts to DHA.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found primarily in fish oil, this is the ultimate form of fatty acid in humans. Most people get far too little of this all-important fatty acid, especially since the conversion of ALA to DHA is slow and minimally yielding. Getting a daily dose of of DHA (600 to 1000 mg) from supplements is preferable to reap the health benefits. You have a choice of taking a fish oil supplement or one derived from algae or krill, a shrimp-like crustacean.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is also found in fish oil, so it’s absorbed if you’re taking a daily dose of DHA omega-3.
Hundreds of studies suggest that omega-3s may provide some benefits to a wide range of diseases: cancer, asthma, depression, cardiovascular disease, ADHD, and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The Alpha-linolenic acids break into DHA and EPA during the process of digestion, since these two fatty acids are most utilized by the body. Omega 3 or the essential fatty acids are vital for the healthy functioning of all organs but they cannot be synthesized by the body.
Sources of Omega 3 Vitamins
Dietary sources of ALA include dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed oil and Soya.
DHA and EPA are found in oily fishes such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and sardines. The richest source of Omega 3 is considered to be fish oil since it consists of both DHA and EPA
The most important thing to remember about getting fish oils, which are high in Omega 3 vitamins is to have fresh fish. Makarel, Tuna, Salmon (especially wild, not farmed) are high in Omega 3’s
Importance of DHA In Our Diet
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a fantastic supplement for all of us as it really is one of the strongest antioxidants and is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. DHA is also required for maintenance of normal brain function in adults.
DHA has become a very big deal to medical researchers lately because it will trigger the creation in our body of BDNF, meaning that it’s DHA which kickstarts the growth of new neurons in our brain, leading to improved memory.
The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet improves learning ability, whereas deficiencies of DHA are associated with deficits in learning. DHA is taken up by the brain in preference to other fatty acids. The turnover of DHA in the brain is very fast, more so than is generally realized. The visual acuity of healthy, full-term, formula-fed infants is increased when their formula includes DHA
This brings us to a very important question. Why do you need fish oil or Omega 3 Vitamins supplements, when you could just eat fish regularly as a part of your daily diet?
Eating fish regularly can lead to deposition of toxins like mercury, metals etc in your body. This is because most of the rivers, seas and other water resources are becoming more and more polluted each day. However, fish oil supplements that are molecularly distilled are safe for daily consumption.
Molecular distillation is the process through which all toxins and contaminants are removed from fish oil at the manufacturing stage. Make sure you buy molecularly distilled, pharmaceutical brand Omega 3 supplements to ensure their purity.
Why Do I Need Omega 3 Vitamins Fatty Acids?
Omega 3 fatty acids are the building blocks of our cell membranes and neurological system. They play a crucial role in many functions of the body. There are endless reasons why you should make these essential fatty acids a part of your diet.
- Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the Triglyceride level in the blood and protect against cardio-vascular diseases.
- They prevent the platelets from clogging and control the cholesterol levels in the blood.
- It helps in maintaining a radiant, clear and healthy skin.
- Pregnant women are advised to take fish oil supplements which help in the healthy development of brain and retina in the infant.
- Fish oil helps in fighting against eczema, psoriasis and other skin problems.
- Fish oils act as antidepressants which is why they are used to treat diseases like depression and schizophrenia.
Thus, for a healthy heart and mind, it is essential that you make Omega 3 vitamins a part of your daily diet.
Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
There are many benefits to increasing your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Dr David Perlmutter wrote about the building of Neurons because of the DHA in Omega-3 and omega 3 good for brain health.
In a double-blind interventional trial, MIDAS, it was concluded that, in those studied,:
Twenty-four week supplementation with 900 mg/d DHA improved learning and memory function in age-related cognitive decline and is a beneficial supplement that supports cognitive health with aging.
Dr Josh Axe also wrote about the benefits of Omega 3 in the Okinawa Diet
The typical Okinawa diet — which consists of plenty of fish, sea vegetables and other fresh produce — is actually believed to have about eight times the amount of omega-3s that you’d find in the standard American diet, which is likely one reason why this population is considered one of the healthiest in human history.
Many people take fish oil to help joint movement. Arthritic patients can suffer a great deal of pain and omega 3 fatty acid may reduce wear and tear on the joints and reduce the pain of inflammation.
You should always tell your doctor if you are taking fish oil supplements, particularly if you are on any prescribed medication.
In the UK, research showed dramatic improvements in reading skills in children given omega 3 over a period of three months.
Both over and under-achievers were seen to improve. Sixteen year old students given omega 3 in the period before taking exams achieved better results than those not taking supplements.
Omega 3 Supplement for ADHD?
Many parents with children suffering from ADHD prefer to give their children omega 3 fish oil supplements rather than treating with Ritalin, you can get this omega 3 fish oil from online pharmacies all over the world, a good source would be https://www.blinkhealth.com/ which has a record of providing amazing medicine and supplements for years.
In a pre-trial assessment of students at the Greenfield Community Arts College, students given blended fish oil supplements over a three month period showed improvement in both severe impulsiveness and severe inattention.
For many years children who suffered with ADHD/ADD were just considered naughty and never received any form of treatment. Now, as adults,they realise that they may be ADHD/ADD sufferers. Taking omega 3 fish oil could improve their general health and may benefit their ADHD.
Omega 3 Supplement for Depression?
Some doctors recommend taking omega 3 fish oil to help reduce depression and research is showing that patients can benefit. In countries like Japan, where consumption of fish is higher than in other nations, statistics show lower incidences of adult depression than areas where less fish is eaten.
However no-one should stop taking prescribed medication for depression without consulting their doctor. Nor should anyone take large doses of cod liver oil or fish oil. Their doctor will advise on safe dosages.
The author accepts no liability for the accuracy of information in this article. No treatment should be undertaken without consulting a doctor and the author accepts no liability for any action taken.
Omega 3 supplement as you can see is good for more than your heart it can also help fight ADHD and depression
Research On Gum Disease And Omega Fatty Acids
Dental exams showed participants in the middle and upper third for omega-3 fatty acid consumption were between 23 percent and 30 percent less likely to have gum disease than those who consumed the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
Specifically, the researchers found that the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were associated with less gum disease.
The association with linolenic acid (LNA) was not statistically significant.
“Eating a very feasible amount of fatty fish seems to have a lot of benefit,” said senior study author Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
“But we found no benefits to eating tons of this stuff.”
Since the study was a snapshot of a single day’s diet to see if you can prevent gum disease with fish oil, Mukamal said researchers could not determine exactly how much fish oil people should consume regularly.
How Much Omega 3 Vitamins Should I Get?
I have found so much range in the amount of Omega vitamins for different issues that I think there is definitely no consensus. Therefore I am going to guess that a supplementation amount if 1000-1500 mg a day is a great place to start.
Watch your Omega supplement to see how much DHA most are very low and some are higher.
When I was looking through the local pharmacy to see what I should get I noticed that there was a wide range – but price was not the deciding factor at all.
Two very similar priced products for 200 gelcaps had a huge difference. The two had the following:
Omega Vitamin 1 | Omega Vitamin 2 |
Omega 3 300 mg | Omega 3 300 mg |
EPA 65 mg | EPA 180 mg |
DHA 43 mg | DHA 120 mg |
The difference in these two Omega vitamins is that one is flax seed and fish oil and the second is fish oil. Fish oil has no ALA and only has EPA and DHA.
Why should you care about getting more EPA and DHA? Well as I was saying earlier in this article the problem is that the ALA is not very efficient at turning into DHA and this DHA is the part of Omega vitamins that is fantastic for your brain. So unless you are on a vegetarian or vegan diet I would say that it is definitely best to stick with fish oils including even cod liver oil for your supplements to get more of those great brain supplements.