Omega 3
Omega-3 and omega-6 are two types of fatty acids that are important for your health. These fatty acids have several different tasks in your body and help build and repair cells, among other things.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods such as fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseeds and rapeseed oil, while omega-6 are found in various vegetable oils. It is often easier to get enough omega-6 because there are more of these fatty acids in food.
If you are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids through food, you may need to take supplements.
Omega-3 and omega-6 are the names of two families of polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential for life and the body cannot manufacture them on its own, but we must get them through the diet.
The polyunsaturated fat families include different long fatty acids that have different functions in the body.
In the omega-3 family, the parent fatty acid is called alpha-linolenic acid, and in omega-6 it is called linoleic acid. These parent fatty acids are medium-length fatty acids that can be converted to longer fatty acids in the body to some extent. The most common long omega-3 fatty acids that you've probably heard of are EPA and DHA. For omega-6, the most common long fatty acid is called arachidonic acid.
How do I get omega-3?
- Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines
- Some algae
- Rapeseed oil and edible fats made from rapeseed oil
- Walnuts
How do I get omega-6?
- Corn oil
- Sunflower oil
- Soybean oil
- Sesame seed
- Sesame seed oil
- Rapeseed oil
You can say that the omega-3 fatty acids interact with the omega-6 fatty acids. It is important that you get a good balance of the two fats. Some foods, such as rapeseed oil, contain both omega-3 and omega-6. Often they contain more omega-6, which means you may need to think more about getting enough omega-3.
The body needs many different fats, and most of these it can form itself from carbohydrates and protein. But it is precisely the polyunsaturated fats omega-3 that we need to get through food.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important to your health for several reasons. For example, the long omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have been shown to contribute to the normal functions of the eye, heart and brain. The fatty acids DHA and EPA are those found in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel. Omega-3 is also necessary for fetuses and young children to grow and develop normally.
Above all, omega-3 is important because your body cannot produce this on its own, so you must get omega-3 through your food or via dietary supplements.
Food supplements with omega-3
If you are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids through your diet, you may need to take omega-3 supplements. Elexir Pharma manufactures both omega-3 supplements based on fish oil and a vegan alternative made from specially grown algae.
Both supplements have a high content of omega-3 and you get the recommended daily dose if you take 1-2 capsules per day.
Buy dietary supplements from Elexir Pharma at our retailers. You will find these when you click on the respective product. There you can also read more about content and use.
Omega-3 and omega-6 have many different tasks in your body. To mention a few:
- Omega-3 contributes to the normal functioning of the heart by, among other things, contributing to the blood flowing easily through the veins and arteries, as well as by being involved in the regulation of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
- Omega-3 contributes to the brain's normal function by being involved in the brain's synapses/nerve impulses and is particularly important during the fetal stage in the mother's womb when the brain is developing.
- Omega-3 contributes to normal vision, i.e. to the function of the eye as the retina contains high levels of omega-3 and it also has a role in the production of tear fluid.
It is recommended that adults eat oily fish two to three times a week. In this way, you get the right amount of omega-3.
But not everyone eats fish and not that often. Then you can supplement with food supplements to get enough omega-3.
You should be careful with omega-3 supplements if you suffer from bleeding disorders or take blood-thinning medication.
If you are allergic to fish or have high triglyceride levels, you should consult your doctor to find out if you should take omega-3 and, if so, in what doses.
If you are unsure whether omega-3 supplements are for you, you should consult a doctor before starting.
There are a number of common signs that you are deficient in omega-3s. These are:
- Dry skin
- Rough skin
- Scalp sores
- Weak nails
- Brittle hair and hair loss
- Fatigue
If you suspect that you are deficient in omega-3 or other vitamins and minerals, you should always consult a doctor. Then you can get help knowing what possible deficiencies you have and have an easier time finding the nutritional supplements that suit you.