What are the Best Omega Fatty Acids?
Omega fatty acids are among the most frequently studied nutrients.
They have many protective properties and functions in our body. And so they protect the skin from the sun, they help intestinal health and they have many anti-stress properties.
In this article, we'll look at how a deficiency of this essential nutrient occurs, what types of omegas there are, and our recommendations for the best omega fatty acids.
In this article
Lack of omega fatty acids
60% of the brain consists of fat, and the remaining 40% consists of water, proteins, carbohydrates and salts.1
This is why omega fatty acids play a big role in brain and eye development.2
Something that nutritionists and health professionals often emphasize is that certain fatty acids cannot be produced by our body, but can only be obtained from food.
The human body can produce saturated fatty acids and omega-9 fatty acids, while omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (essential fatty acids) cannot be synthesized due to the lack of enzymes to help with this. That is why the concentration of the mentioned acids in the blood depends exclusively on their intake in the body.
Source: Katarina Novak, MD
Almost all of us consume enough omega 6 fatty acids found in vegetable oils for example. sunflower oil.
The deficiency is often hidden in insufficient omega 3 fatty acids that are found only in fish oils, such as: cod oil, slabs, thunder and fish of the northern seas.
Types of omega 3 fatty acids
Since 3 types of omega-3 fatty acids:
- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
- EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
- ALA (α-linolenic acid)
ALA is found in flaxseeds, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. The health effects come mainly from EPA and DHA, which are found in cold-water fish with a higher amount of body fat.3
Benefits of taking omega fatty acids
Each of the previously mentioned ALA, EPA and DHA omega fatty acids has numerous health benefits such as:
- improve eye health
- they are good for health hair, skin and nails
- health of the child's brain during pregnancy and earlier years of life
- improve heart health
- reduce the symptoms of concentration disorders in children (ADHD)
- reduce symptoms metabolic syndrome (inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance)
- they are fighting against inflammatory processes in the body
- they are fighting against autoimmune diseases
- they help in mental disorders
- reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's
- can reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women
- can reduce asthma in children
- reduce inflammation in diseases fatty liver
- improve health bones and joints
- reduce pain during the course menstruation
- improve quality dream4
What are the best omega fatty acids?
EPA i DHA fatty acids can be obtained through food and through supplementation with food supplements. Manufacturers often list the total amount in milligrams on their products and state the presence DHA i EPA omega fatty acids.
PharmaVital Omega 3
Let's take as an example Omega 3 from a German manufacturer PharmaVital. The recommended daily dose of 2 capsules contains 2.000 mg of a concentrated mixture of salmon oil, of which 600 mg are omega fatty acids, of which 360mg of EPA acids and 240mg of DHA acid with the addition of natural vitamin E.
EnerZona Omega 3 RX
In the recommended daily dose of 8 capsules, they contain a total of 3 g of omega fatty acids, of which EPA 1,6g, DHA 0,8g and other omega-3 fatty acids 0,6 g.
Möller's Omega 3
Liquid food supplement from a Norwegian manufacturer Möller's contain 250 ml cod liver oil with a lemon flavor. The recommended daily dose of 5 ml contains a total of 550mg of DHA, 370mg of EPA, 10 μg of vitamin D, 250 μg of vitamin A and 3 mg of vitamin E.
Möller's Omega 3 is also the best omega 3 for children.
Solgar Wild Alaskan
Well-known American manufacturer Solgar so in its Wild Alaskan food supplement it has a wide range of omega fatty acids.
The recommended daily dose of 2 capsules contains 2400 mg of wild Alaskan salmon fish oil, of which there is a total of 500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, of which 202mg of EPA acid, 180mg of DHA acid, 41 mg DPA acid, 1,92mg of omega-5 acid, 47mg of omega-6 acid, 192mg of omega-7 acids, 384mg of omega-9 acid with the addition of astaxanthin and vitamin D3.
Salvit Omega 3
Omega 3 capsules hrvatof the manufacturer Salvus contain 1000 mg of fish oil, that is 180mg of EPA i 120mg of DHA in the recommended daily dose of one capsule.
Solgar Omega 3 Double Strength
Solgar Omega-3 Double Strength in 1200mg of standardized fish oil contains 360mg of EPA i 240mg of DHA. The recommended daily dose is one capsule.
Dietpharm Omega 3
Dietpharm Omega 3 capsules contain fish oil standardized to 18% EPA and 12% DHA, 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA in one capsule. It is possible to take two capsules within one day.
Conclusion
Omega 3 fatty acids they are essential nutrients that our body does not produce on its own. This is why it is important to get omega 3 through food so that our body can function normally.
Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of a dietary supplement are the ideal choice for all people who do not have time (or do not like) to eat fish products.
Literature
1. Chang CY, Ke DS, Chen JY. Essential fatty acids and human brain. Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2009 Dec;18(4):231-41. PMID: 20329590.
2. Ruxton C. Health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Nurse Stand. 2004 Aug 11-17;18(48):38-42. doi: 10.7748/ns2004.08.18.48.38.c3668. PMID: 15366399.
3. Gammone MA, Riccioni G, Parrinello G, D'Orazio N. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Benefits and Endpoints in Sports. Nutrients. 2018 Dec 27;11(1):46. doi: 10.3390/nu11010046. PMID: 30591639; PMCID: PMC6357022.
4. Hjalmarsdottir F. 17 Science-Based Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. 2023 January.
