People Need Fish Fats

In times past, humans consumed a balance of omega-3 fats (found in fish, fish oils, walnuts, eggs, flaxseed meal, grass-fed meats) and omega-6 fats (found principally in vegetables and, more recently, in vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, soy, and cottonseed—most of the fats you find in processed foods). The ratio of these fats used to be close to 1:1 when our nutrients came exclusively from whole foods. The western world has greatly increased its omega-6 intake due to higher use of vegetable oils, processed foods, and products from animals raised on omega-6 rich diets (e.g., corn and soy).¹ Also, our intake of omega-3-rich foods has diminished,² which has resulted in the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats falling anywhere between 1:15 and 1:25—much too heavy in omega-6.^{3 4} Researchers believe that about 60% of Americans are deficient in omega-3 fats, and about 20% have so little as to be undetectable in their blood.⁵ When there is an overabundance of omega-6 in the diet, the body’s ability to utilize the omega-3 fats is inhibited; thus, all of their health benefits are reduced. This causes a host of undesirable reactions, including increased heart disease, immune system dysfunction, damage to the liver and the reproductive organs and lungs, digestive disorders, depressed learning ability, impaired growth, and weight gain.⁶

Unarguably, most people are in great need of improving their omega-3 to 6 ratio, and fish fats offer a simple way to optimize this balance. The most important omega-3s are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Although these fatty acids can be made by the cells in the body via the conversion of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found abundantly in such foods as flaxseed oil, the conversion is often inefficient or does not occur.⁷ This is why consuming preformed EPA and DHA directly from fish fats is so important.

Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA)

is the third most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil after EPA and DHA. In the body’s conversion of ALA to long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, DPA is the only intermediate between EPA and DHA. While we tend to hear about EPA and DHA the most, there is ample research to suggest DPA also plays important roles in human health and is a contributing factor to fish oil’s health benefits. In humans, higher DPA levels have been associated with lower coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure risk and reduced risk of stroke death.^{64 65 66} DPA levels have also been inversely associated with triglyceride levels and cancer mortality.^{67 68 66} Some of the mechanisms responsible for DPA’s positive effects appear to be a reduction in inflammation, improved lipid metabolism, and reduced platelet aggregation, as well as acting as a reservoir for EPA and DHA.^{69 70} Fish oil generally contains about 2% DPA by weight, but it is only sometimes listed on the Supplement Facts Panel.⁷¹ Food sources of DPA besides cold-water fatty fish are grass-fed meat, poultry and dairy products.^{71 72} 

Signs of EPA & DHA Deficiency

• Low mental sharpness on awakening
• Depression
• Weight gain
• Brittle fingernails
• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Poor sleep
• Memory problems
• Dry hair
• Dry skin
• Poor concentration
• Fatigue

Health Benefits

Mental Health

EPA and DHA deficiency have been associated with a broad spectrum of mental health concerns, including ADHD,^{8 9 10} memory loss,¹¹ depression,¹² and bipolar disorder.^{13 14 15} These fats also influence behavior by supporting proper development of brain tissue.¹⁶ They help increase serotonin levels,¹⁷ which not only improves mental function,¹⁸ but also boosts mood and encourages quality sleep.

Inflammation

Fish fats have strong anti-inflammatory activity by influencing prostaglandins.¹⁹ These hormone-like substances regulate the dilation of blood vessels, inflammatory responses, and other critical processes. As a result, fish oil is used to help people with various inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease²⁰ and rheumatoid arthritis.²¹ Supplementation with fish oil has also been shown to reduce the severity of colitis by more than 50% and enable many sufferers to discontinue anti-inflammatory medication and steroids.^{22 23 24} These anti-inflammatory benefits are more wide-spread, since inflammation plays a key role in many of our most devastating diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.^{25 26 27} Finally, the positive effects on prostaglandin production are said to be the reason these fats strengthen the immune system.²⁹

Insulin Stability/Diabetes

Insulin is the hormone that regulates sugar utilization in the body. When insulin balance falters, it can lead to symptoms like mood swings, headaches, afternoon sleepiness, and cravings. Moreover, many conditions have an underlying foundation of insulin instability, such as hypoglycemia, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Fish oils improve insulin receptor responsiveness.^{29 30 31} Studies have also found that these fats improve sugar (glucose) tolerance in diabetics and those dealing with other insulin problems.^{32 33 34 35}

Arthritis

A study at Cardiff University found that 86% of pre-operative patients with arthritis who took cod liver oil daily had absent or significantly reduced levels of the enzymes that cause cartilage damage and joint pain. It was determined that by taking cod liver oil, people are more likely to delay the onset of osteoarthritis and less likely to require multiple joint replacements later in life. This includes those with sports injuries that predispose them to early onset of osteoarthritis. This is welcome news for those concerned about the side effects associated with commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.³⁶

Heart Health

EPA and DHA help maintain the elasticity of artery walls, reduce inflammation, prevent blood clotting, lower blood pressure, reduce fat levels in the blood, and stabilize heart rhythms.^{37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45} Thus, these oils alleviate conditions such as atherosclerosis, angina, heart disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and stroke. A study performed in Germany found that fish oil supplementation for two years caused regression of atherosclerotic deposits. Another study reported that men who consume fish once or more every week have a 50% lower risk of dying from a sudden cardiac event than do men who eat fish less than once a month.^{46 47 48 49 50}

Prostate Health

Men with the highest amounts of EPA and DHA have an 11% lower prostate cancer risk and 26% reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer.⁵¹ This data corroborates a 30-year Swedish study involving 3,136 pairs of male twins that concluded that men who never eat fish have a two-to-three-fold higher risk of prostate cancer than men who eat moderate to high amounts.⁵²

Fish fats have a virtual laundry list of health benefits. Besides the conditions touched on above, research has proven their positive effects on numerous others, such as headaches and migraines,^{53 54} wrinkles,⁵⁵ eczema and other skin disorders,^{56 57} asthma⁵⁸ (including exercise-induced⁵⁹), weight loss, and breast cancer.⁶⁰ Last but not least, DHA is essential for the development of the brain⁶¹ and eyes in infants, and a deficiency during this time can significantly affect learning and behavior.^{62 63}

What about Flax?

Many of you may be asking where flaxseed oil fits into this equation. Flax oil is a rich source of ALA, the parent of the omega-3 family of fats. While it is true that ALA can be converted into EPA and DHA, the conversion is not very efficient, with less than 5% of ALA ingested converted into EPA and only 0.5% into DHA.⁷³ Furthermore, the conversion is often hampered by such things as the consumption of processed foods, illness, genetic inadequacies, and nutrient deficiencies. The conversion also becomes less efficient as we age.^{74 75} Excess omega-6 fatty acids from modern commercial vegetable oils inhibit the omega-3 conversion pathway as well.^{76 77} The bottom line is: flaxseed oil and other ALA-rich foods are good to include in the diet; however, it is not the best way to get EPA and DHA. For those looking for a vegan alternative, algae-based EPA and DHA supplements are available.

Choosing a Fish Oil Supplement

There are numerous types of supplements that supply EPA and DHA. Fish oil is generally a blend of fish oils from sardines, mackerel, and anchovies. Some supplements supply EPA and DHA from a single source such as salmon, cod liver, or krill. Cod liver oil supplies the fat-soluble vitamins A and D in addition to EPA and DHA. Krill oil supplies EPA and DHA as part of phospholipids which makes it easier to absorb and use. Krill oil also contains naturally occurring vitamin E and astaxanthin. Calamari oil is considered an eco-friendly source of EPA and DHA since it comes from a highly sustainable species of squid. You can also find supplements that are DHA only or DHA enhanced and EPA only or EPA enhanced, which have been concentrated to contain higher levels of DHA and EPA, respectively.

You can take fish oil supplements in liquid, capsules or even gummies. Liquids come in all sorts of flavors for easy delivery. You can take the liquid straight off the spoon or try adding it to a small amount of juice and then quickly drinking it down. For babies and children an eyedropper can be useful. If you choose capsules, they also come in a variety of sizes. For those who experience “fishy” burps, taking the capsules frozen has helped reduce this side effect for some people and may be worth a try.

Fish Oil Purity

Consuming fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, as well as wild game and 100% pasture-raised meats (instead of commercially-produced grain-fed meats) provides a healthy amount of these healing fats. Bear in mind, the fish should be wild, since the farmed varieties have little if any omega-3s due to their feed and controlled environments. Moreover, with the concerns over contamination of fish with heavy metals, PCBs and dioxins, supplementation offers a nice alternative. All high-quality fish oil supplements ensure their fish oils are free of contaminants through one of three processes:

1. Testing to ensure there are no detectable levels of contamination
2. Molecular distillation, which concentrates the EPA and DHA in fish oil and removes toxins using heat in a vacuum environment to prevent oxidative damage to the oils
3. Supercritical CO2 distillation also concentrates EPA and DHA and removes toxins but using a cold vacuum environment

Fats, including EPA and DHA, naturally occur in a triglyceride form, where three fatty acids are attached to a glycerol backbone. Some supplements, such as “whole” fish oils deliver the EPA and DHA in this natural form. However, both molecular and supercritical CO2 distillation release the EPA and DHA into an ethyl ester form where the individual fatty acids are separated from their glycerol backbone. From here companies can create products with differing concentrations of EPA and DHA. The ethyl esters can also be re-converted enzymatically back into a triglyceride form (aka re-esterified triglyceride form). While some persons may have a preference for one form or another, it appears that all forms are of equal benefit if taken regularly.

How much to take?

When we talk about the benefits of fish oil, we are generally talking about the benefits of EPA and DHA specifically, and a general recommendation for adults is 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA combined per day. Optimal amounts may go up or down depending on one’s diet and health needs, though. To know how much EPA and DHA a particular product contains, check the back of the bottle for the Supplement Facts Panel and see how much EPA and DHA is supplied per serving. Use this information to determine how many servings you will need to reach an optimal serving of EPA and DHA and also to calculate the cost per optimal dose of EPA and DHA to find the best fit for your budget. Some products may appear to be more expensive but once you do the math you may find they actually cost less per milligram of EPA and DHA than a product that appeared to be less expensive.  

There is no question fish fats are something most everyone needs. Where the waters get murky is sifting through the verbiage, choosing the right one, and deciding how much to take. The information provided here should clear the waters and make your next choice for improving your health an easy “catch.”

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