Facts

Your body depends on you to take care of it – to exercise regularly, to get plenty of sleep, to hydrate and to eat nutritious foods. If you don’t think fat is part of a healthy diet – you’re mistaken.

The skinny on fats

Not all fat is bad. In fact, there are several good fats that your body needs to support overall health, especially the health of your heart, brain and eyes. One of these categories of good fats is Omega-3s and specifically EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) Omega-3s. Learn more about healthy fats.

Cells rely on Omega-3s to help build cell membranes that ensure smooth signaling and communication between cells, aiding in the control of thousands of bodily functions.

Omega-3s & Heart Health

With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s time to listen to your heart. As part of a healthy lifestyle that includes exercising, getting enough sleep, not smoking and having an overall healthy diet, Omega-3s – and specifically EPA and DHA – may help you maintain healthy blood pressure, support healthy triglyceride levels and manage your risk of heart disease.

Omega-3s & Work in the Heart

The Omega-3s EPA and DHA found in fatty fish and Omega-3 dietary supplements help to maintain healthy blood vessels and may help reduce chronic inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can damage your blood vessels and potentially lead to heart disease.

With more than 2,000 studies conducted on Omega-3s and heart health, the totality of evidence suggests that there is a positive correlation between increased Omega-3 intake and heart health benefits.

Omega-3s & Blood Pressure

Emerging research has shown important vascular effects of Omega-3s, including a reduction in blood pressure, increased dilation of the coronary arteries and improved function of the (endothelial) cells that line the inner surface of the blood vessels.

Omega-3s & Triglycerides

One of the most important and consistent effects of EPA and DHA is evident in their role in reducing blood triglyceride levels as high triglycerides are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The triglyceride-lowering effect of Omega-3s is observed in individuals with normal blood lipid levels, but is even more dramatic in those with elevated triglycerides.

For example, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that high-doses of EPA and DHA Omega-3s (3,000 mg per day) compared to placebo may help lower blood triglyceride levels.

Omega-3s & Cardiovascular Events

EPA and DHA Omega-3s are integral as structural components of cells within your heart and we are still learning about all of their heart health benefits.

Unfortunately, most Americans do not get enough EPA and DHA Omega-3s in their daily diet. A scientific paper published in PLoSMed (Public Library of Science) estimated that in 2005 between 72 and 96 thousand people – in the U.S. alone – died from cardiovascular events due to insufficient intake of Omega-3s. Cardiovascular events are characterized by any incident that may cause damage to the heart muscle.

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Omega-3s & Brain Health

Fat makes up a large portion of human brain tissue and the good Omega-3 fat DHA makes up a significant percentage of the fat in the brain. Just as calcium is essential for building strong bones, the brain needs DHA for optimal development.

Omega-3s & Work in the Brain

Neurons in the brain process and transmit electrical and chemical “messages” that enable our bodies to function normally. Neurons are rich in the Omega-3 DHA; therefore, a diet deficient in DHA will deprive the nervous system of a critical nutrient and may impair the brain’s ability to function optimally.

Research shows that insufficient Omega-3s may negatively affect brain function and cognitive development.

Omega-3s & the Infant Brain

DHA intake is extremely important during pregnancy and lactation for mom and baby alike. During the prenatal time, there is a significant demand for and rapid accumulation of specific fatty acids, including AA (arachidonic acid) and DHA in the infant brain, DHA in the retina (eye) and AA in the cells throughout the entire body. The human brain relies on DHA for proper growth and development and it continues to accumulate DHA up to age 18, but it does so most aggressively from about halfway through gestation to two years of age. Developing infants must obtain this vital nutrient through the placenta during pregnancy and from breast milk after birth. Because the mother is the sole source of DHA for the developing baby, it is critical that pregnant and nursing mothers consume enough Omega-3s to ensure proper brain development for the baby.

Omega-3s & Cognition

Cognition is mental processing that includes working memory, comprehending and producing language, calculating, reasoning, problem solving and decision-making. As we age, our brains naturally do not perform the same way they did in our younger years, and deficiencies in nutrients, such as Omega-3s, certainly do not help.

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Omega-3s & Eye Health

It is no surprise that many Americans believe carrots are the best food to eat for eye health. While carrots do provide important essential vitamins to support eye health, there is a growing body of science showing the benefits of EPA and DHA Omega-3s. So move over carrots — fish and Omega-3 supplements can help promote infant visual development and eye health in the general population throughout the lifecycle.

Omega-3s & Work in the Eye

Omega-3s play an essential role in eye health, as the body’s highest concentration of the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA is found in the retina of the eye. High DHA concentrations are required by cells that allow you to see under different lighting conditions.

Infant Visual Development

Omega-3s play an important role in eye health and specifically infant eye development. DHA Omega-3 is a major structural fat in the retina of the eye and it plays an important role in infant visual development. The following health claims in the European Union reflect the strong scientific evidence in this area: “DHA intake contributes to the normal visual development of infants up to 12 months of age” and “DHA maternal intake contributes to the normal development of the eye of the foetus and breastfed infants.”

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