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Martin Sadofski

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Omega 3, 6, 9 the Numbers Don't Add Up

Posted: 11/08/2012 10:33

A lot of people think if they're taking Omega 3,6,9 that they're getting a more 'complete' Omega. More is better, right?

Okay well let's take down some numbers - Omega 9, the human body can make itself, so you don't need any extra. Forget about it.

And Omega 6? Well a 100 years ago people died from Omega 6 deficiency, that's no longer the case today. We get plenty. Many of us get too much and too much of a good thing can be bad for you.

Omega 6 although essential for survival is everywhere in a variety of foods we eat. Here are just a few foods with high amounts of omega 6 fats, - If this makes you hungry I apologise - French fries, Sunflower oil, Corn oils, nuts, seeds, cakes, crisps, chips, fried chicken, fried foods, red meat, snack-bars, milk, eggs, cakes.

Even our old sunny friend olive oil contains 12% Omega 6.

What is crucial here is the balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Too much Omega 6 is detrimental to the absorption of Omega 3 and has a negative effect on your health. It can contribute to you piling on the pounds, especially if you ate that list I just gave you. Too much Omega 6 will only go into storing in the body where we don't want it, around the stomach in most cases. Where does Omega 3 store? In the brain, eyes and heart. Where it has real benefits.

The ratio should be around 1:1 to 4:1 (Omega 6 to Omega 3) but in typical Western diets it can be anything from around a staggering 50:1 in favour of the Omega 6. Many scientists think this accounts for the rise in obesity and heart disease, depression and many other conditions.

So what I'm saying is - lay off the Omega 6 pills - You don't need them.

So what about the popular combination 3 and 6 combination capsules? Well, Omega 6 and Omega 3 compete with each other for absorption within the body. And in that fight Omega 6 always wins. You may as well not bother with any Omega 3 at all, it's just good money down the drain.

There are many Omega 3 supplements out there, yet are bulked with fillers such as borage, hemp, olive, sunflower oil , flax oils, so watch out for those.

In many expert opinions the healthiest option to make sure you get your daily dose of the good stuff is to take an Algae based omega 3. The best choice in sustainability and developed in a controlled environment. It's natural and vegan.

Sure you can get omega 3 from eating fish but is that really the best healthy option? And do you get the right dosage?

The facts are that Humans cannot manufacture long chain Omega 3 EPA & DHA, they have to get it from their diet by consuming either oily fish or an algae oil supplement.

Algae are the source of long chain essential fatty acids (PUFA's) and fish obtain Omega 3 from their diet of algae. So it kind of makes perfect sense that you should too.

The future without question, should be algae derived Omega 3, why? It's pure, unadulterated and 100% natural, and is especially important for expectant and breastfeeding mothers. Algae based Omega 3 is guaranteed to be free of toxins, heavy metals and PCB's because it's grown in a controlled pharmaceutical grade facility, away from the sea. Therefore you can be sure of the highest quality and purity of our algae oil without having to take a fish oil.

Simon Worth, General Manager of Nuique Ltd one of the few companies that make this algae based omega 3 says "One day in the not too distant future all long chain Omega 3 will come from algae and not fish! Why plunder our oceans when there's a perfectly sustainable, toxin free alternative to fish oil?"

The bottom line is omega 3 is good for your heart, your eyes and your brain. It would do you a lot of good to take in more.

 

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20:46 on 05/09/2012
OMEGA 3 OIL FISH OIL IS BEST SUPPLEMENT TO TAKE ALL OTHER OMEGA NUMBERS CAN BE DERIVED IN CORRECT QUANTITIES BY EATING FOODS RICH IN OMEGA OILS.

BUT OMEGA 3 PURE SUPPLEMENTS HAVE PROVEN HEALTH BENEFITS IN FIGHTING CANCER.......
18:51 on 06/09/2012
I agree with you Apollo99 but algae based omega 3 is a better alternative to fish oil products. because of the PCBS, mercury and other toxins that our fish are now contaminated with.
12:47 on 31/08/2012
Supposed to be very good for the baby in the womb’s development. Is that true?
11:46 on 31/08/2012
I take omega 3 and it made a big difference to my moods.
19:16 on 29/08/2012
Eat fresh food!
17:50 on 29/08/2012
There's a piece here on omega 3 and ADHD http://blog.lef.org/2012/08/omega-fats-help-kids-adhd.html
11:46 on 27/08/2012
Really useful information. ~Thanks.
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Aidan Goggins
21:35 on 26/08/2012
While true that we definitely do not need to supplement omega 6, the purported importance of the omega 3:6 ratio has long being debunked. It's not about ratio the but amounts, just look at the Los Angeles Veterans Study, the greatest anti-inflammatory effect was observed from a high intake of both omega 6 and omega 3. The ratio is only relevant for vegetarians where conversion of ALA (plant omega 3) to the utilized EPA and DHA is impeded by a high omega- 6 intake. For everyone else there is NO competition.

Let's stop the pseudo science and address the real issue, our lack of omega 3 intake (independent of our omega 6 intake) We average ~80mg EPA/DHA a day in the UK, the Japanese intake 900mg/day and just compare for one, our heart disease levels.

Instead of discussing bad science lets advance the debate and discuss the emerging importance of the omega 3 ratio (the EPA: DHA ratio), and how this can effect our risk of depression, dementia, ADHA etc. As mental health is now the biggest health burden of our time, this is what should be discussed, not something disproved years ago.
16:21 on 20/09/2012
Dear Aidan, hi.. a bit unfair to label some of this pseudo-science. This science based web site is a credible source of information regarding the ratios of omega 3 and 6. So it's worth considering. The last paragraph especially!

This is taken from http://www.fatsoflife.com/fats-and-health/omega-6s/

It's worth a read! But hey let's not fight. In the end your main point is really valid. We all need to sing about the value of omega 3.
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Aidan Goggins
21:09 on 23/09/2012
Hi Martin,
thanks for your link, but really, while sound in theory the science is not supportive of this belief. I can say this with confidence for in my recent book I had done up a whole chapter on this issue and had to scrap the whole thing as I realised it was only valid for plant omega-3s. So, I had to swallow my pride, let good science dictate and redo the whole thing. The key is we intake LA, which is converted in the body AA - this is so tightly regulated that increasing intake a few % does not increase AA production. LA does interfere with the desaturase enzymes for ALA, but when it comes to EPA and DHA being already in usable form, it does not matter.

And, while the end message is the same, to focus on a ratio only confuses things, i.e. people become focused on cutting omega 6s rather than increasing omega-3s, even if this was not the intention.

If we want to look at how the thinking on omega-6s has evolved, let's look at the American Heart Association. A viewpoint I do not share, but they actually recommend we now ensure at least 15% of our energy intake comes from omega 6s to promote cardiovascular health,

Regards
Aidan
17:24 on 25/08/2012
Are they good for ADHD. I’ve read a few things that say they are helpful?
01:08 on 24/08/2012
I came across this blog when looking for info on omega 3 for dogs – its supposed to be good for their joints as the get older… is this safe to give to dogs anyone know? Thanks?
00:44 on 23/08/2012
I guess the algae the companies who make algie omega 3 is made from safe algae not the toxic stuff.. I mean they’d have to be pretty stupid to make it from poisonous algae...
11:23 on 22/08/2012
Good article.
00:58 on 21/08/2012
If you eat healthy you don’t need supplements!
13:45 on 11/09/2012
There is no such thing as a healthy diet, that is just a myth.
10:53 on 20/08/2012
Modern food is so processed that people do need supplements! I take fish oil tablets but may try these. The fish oil ones I take give me terrible fish breath!
19:28 on 19/08/2012
Well written piece.. lots I never knew.. As a veggie its nice to know you can get omega 3 without hurting the worlds fish stocks. Can you get these algae oils in shops or are they all online orders?