Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Do You Get Enough and the Right Type?

In my practice, one of the biggest question topics people ask about is regarding omega 3 fats. Everyone knows they’re healthy. But people are also confused about dosing and the type to consume. The following is meant to clear up some confusion.

The first thing you need to know is that omega 3 fatty acids are found in three major forms: ALA, EPA, and DHA. The ALA form (alpha linolenic acid – but you can ignore the large words) comes from plant sources, such as walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds (as well as canola oil and soybean oil, which I tend to recommend against as they are usually heavily processed and altered from their natural state).

The EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) omega 3 forms generally come from animal sources, including fish and fish oil (especially from salmon, trout, anchovies, and sardines), enriched eggs (from chickens fed flaxseeds), and grass-fed, but not standard corn-fed, beef.

Here is the problem: the human body’s active and useful forms of omega 3 are EPA and DHA, the animal forms. When people consume ALA, only a very small amount gets converted into the active animal forms, potentially as low as 5% for males and only somewhat higher for females (1, 2). Those with chronic disease may see even further impairment in the conversion to the forms that are really needed.

For this reason, I recommend that nearly everyone take fish oil supplements, especially on days that they don’t consume salmon, trout, anchovies, sardines, or grass-fed beef. The government's minimum daily recommended omega 3 intake is 1.6 grams (1,600mg) per day for men and 1.1 grams (1,100mg) per day for women. In order to get this amount, look at the nutrition label on your supplements and add up the amount of EPA and DHA together per pill. Take note that many times, the serving size is more than one pill, so you need to note how many pills will get you to an optimal amount of 1,600 or 1,100mg.

The best omega 3 supplements list “molecularly distilled” on the label, which indicates that mercury and other toxins have been completely removed, and are GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certified and/or pharmaceutical grade. Certain brands have higher doses per pill, which allows you to take less pills and still get an adequate dose, and flavored liquid varieties are also available.

According to the University of Maryland, significant deficiency of omega 3 (especially over time), can lead to poor memory, fatigue, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings, depression, and poor circulation (3).

1. Gerster H. Can adults adequately convert alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3)?. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1998;68(3):159-73.
2. Burdge GC, Calder PC. Conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to longer-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in human adults. Reprod Nutr Dev. 2005;45(5):581-97.
3. Erlich, Stephen D. “Omega 3 Fatty Acids.” University of Maryland Medical Center, May 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

David Rodgers, L.N., M.S. is a Licensed Nutritionist practicing in Berkley at the Nutrient Balance Center. He specializes in helping people with Chronic Lyme Disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, weight loss, heart disease, diabetes, digestive conditions, lupus, MS, and more by using dietary changes, targeted natural supplements, detoxification, and lifestyle modification. For more information, see www.nutrientbalance.com.

Image courtesy of Rakratchada Torsap.