Omega 3: A Miracle Compound

There's a lot of buzz out there on Omega 3 fatty acids right now: we see it in supplement pills, healthy food labels, and even orange juice cartons. This "miracle compound", found in seafoods and certain plant oils, supposedly helps with cognitive ability, heart disease prevention and stroke recovery, inflammation, arthritis, and the list goes on. Although the American Heart Association, Health Canada, and World Health Organization all agree that intake of Omega 3 promotes health, there is not a lot of strong research evidence out there on the optimal intake amount, long-term safety, and molecular mechanisms; in fact, there's even some contradictory evidence as to whether Omega 3 is actually that great for you.

Researchers at the Oregon State University may have just added a new piece to the puzzle. By analyzing liver metabolites in mice after they were treated with DHA (a compound from the Omega 3 family), researchers found that Omega 3 affects a broader range of molecular pathways than previously thought, helping with sugar, amino acid, and vitamin metabolism. In fact, this study even suggests that Omega 3 may be beneficial for individuals with fatty liver disease, reducing inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress. Although shedding promising light onto the molecular benefits of Omega 3, this study was done in mice, meaning that more research is needed for these results to translate to humans.

There seems to be a lot of promise in Omega 3, but there are also some concerns about the health consequences of consuming too much seafood and fish oils. So before you buy yourself a truckload of Omega 3 pills (read: put your wallet on a diet) or schedule daily all-you-can-eat-sushi (read: gluttony), ask your doctor if Omega 3 supplements are right for you!



Sources:

1.

Government of Canada HC. Prenatal Nutrition Guidelines for Health Professionals: Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids [Health Canada, 2009] [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2014 Jan 31]. Available from: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/nutrition/omega3-eng.php

2.

Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ. Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation. 2002 Nov 19;106(21):2747–57.

3.

Depner CM, Traber MG, Bobe G, Kensicki E, Bohren KM, Milne G, et al. A Metabolomic Analysis of Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Mediated Attenuation of Western Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in LDLR-/- Mice. PLoS ONE. 2013 Dec 17;8(12):e83756.