Thread: What happens if you are lacking Omega 3's?

Slow painful death.

Omega 3's are very heart healthy but they are also used to construct neurotransmitters in the brain. when there are no Omega 3 fatty acids present the body must use Omega 6 fatty acids which is not optimum for the trafficing of messages. it's like using nickel as a conductor vs using silver. I believe that around 30% of the dry weight of the brain is supposed to be comprised of Omega 3 fattty acids with 50% of the total weight of the brain being comprised of fatty acids...

LAM you are so darn smart

Fish oil or fish such as Salmon, Mackeral, Tuna are all great sources of Omega 3. Flaxseeds are good too.

Fish capsules are so cheap and easy to carry around with you so there are no excuses

Originally Posted by LAM

Omega 3's are very heart healthy but they are also used to construct neurotransmitters in the brain. when there are no Omega 3 fatty acids present the body must use Omega 6 fatty acids which is not optimum for the trafficing of messages. it's like using nickel as a conductor vs using silver. I believe that around 30% of the dry weight of the brain is supposed to be comprised of Omega 3 fattty acids with 50% of the total weight of the brain being comprised of fatty acids...

damn then why are there so many fat stupid people walkin around

Originally Posted by Jodi

Fish capsules are so cheap and easy to carry around with you so there are no excuses

Last time I took em I tasted "fish" ..it was disgusting..
Plus I like to EAT as much food as I can ..especially fat.

Those darn fishies!

Originally Posted by mikah

If I was consuming mostly omega 6's what would the outcome be? {If my total fat count was good just ratios off balanced}

Would my body "hold" onto fat or would I just be looking at the risk of deficiency?

I am asking because I dont think Ive been getting enough omega 3.s...

Oh, and are ground flaxeeds a good source of 3's?

thanks in advance

Omega-3 fatty acids do a lot more than help with fat loss.

The two really important things they do are - they alter cell membrane structure and they are essential in producing the 'good' prostaglandins (series 3 prostaglandins in particular).

By altering cell membranes (they increase the poly-unsaturated nature of cell walls) they alter cell metabolism, which is one of the reasons why they make it easier to utilise fats as fuel, but they also increase the efficiency of cell signalling (important in nerve function and hormone actions).

The series 3 prostaglandins are essential in decreasing inflammation in the body. They are essential in maintaining good joint lubrication, maintaining the lining of your stomach, maintaining your kidney health and doing a multitude of other things. Omega-3 fatty acids are also helpful in maintaining your vision (they are linked to macula health), maintaining your mood/emotional health, maintaining nerve/brain function (this is especially so for one of the omega-3 FA - DHA - which is essential for brain health and development),
maintaining cardiovascular health (decrease platelet 'stickyness', decrease blood pressure and decrease triglyceride levels etc), maintaining good hormone production, maintaining skin/hair/nail and bone health. Basically, they are needed for everything...

When you eat too many omega-6 fatty acids you interfere with the conversion of ALA (the true 'essential omega-3) into the series 3 prostaglandins, EPA and DHA and you get in increase in the formation of the 'bad' prostoglandins (series 2 in particular).

This then results in failure of all the benifits of the omega-3 FA/series 3 prostaglandins as well as an increase in the negative effects of the series 2 prostaglandins, which can result in things such as inflammation (esp of joints), decreased cardiovascular health (it increases things such as platelet stickiness and can cause hypertension)

Don't get me wrong - you DO need omega-6 FA. Series 2 prostaglandins are ESSENTIAL in your bodies immune response to disease and Omega-6 FA are also converted into the series 1 prostaglandins, which are also essential for your overall health.... But you just do not want too many in comparison to omega-3 FAs!!

Although flax does have some omega-3 in it, it does not have EPA and DHA, which fish oils DO have - and these are really important because, although the body can create these if you are getting enough omega-3, the conversion rate is very low. Flax also has omega-6 in it, so if you are already getting lots of these in your diet then you will only be increasing the imbalance.

Emma is a book of knowledge

Originally Posted by aztecwolf

damn then why are there so many fat stupid people walkin around

I always wanted to know that.

Originally Posted by Jodi

Fish capsules are so cheap and easy to carry around with you so there are no excuses

Good point.... you've convinced me tostop being lazy and start taking them again.

Originally Posted by atherjen

Emma is a book of knowledge

Yep , she definitely takes her fish oils..

I am now convinced to take mine too -
So ..... If Im taking in 40 grams of fat a day do I make sure 1/2 of it comes from fish oil caps??