GO Fish—Benefits of Omega 3s
by William Sears, M.D.
Painting by Jeff Ham
 As a pediatrician and father of eight, I realize how much children’s health and behavior is affected, for better or worse, by what they eat. I realize that many of the health problems I see in my medical practice are due to nutritional deficiencies. In fact, I coined the term “NDD”—nutritional deficit disorder. What nutritional deficit tops the list? You guessed it, the omega-3s found in seafood, sea plants, and fish oils. I am also a “show me the science” physician. Every time I went fishing for knowledge in medical journals on nutrition and preventive medicine the term “omega-3s” kept popping up as healthful for nearly every organ in the body, and for all ages—from a baby in the womb to a senior citizen.
In June of 2006 I had the opportunity to spend a week on a fishing trip in Norway with Dr. Jorn Dyerberg, who is deservedly known as the “father of omega-3s” and the author of over 300 scientific articles on the health benefits of omega-3s. In addition to what Dr. Dyerberg taught me, there are over 10,000 scientific articles showing the health benefits of omega-3 supplements. In a nutshell, here’s what omega-3s can do for your family.
Eat omega-3s, be happy. Omega-3 supplements are “happy food” for every member of the family, starting at birth. New studies show that mothers who take omega-3 supplements prenatally and in the early months after birth are much less likely to suffer from postpartum depression. One of the theories why omega-3s are a happy food for new mothers is that during breastfeeding babies literally suck the omega-3s out of mother because they are so good for baby’s growing brain. This could leave mothers deficient in omega-3s, which could contribute to depression. Because of recent studies showing that people who eat more omega-3s have a lower incidence of mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, up-to-date psychiatrists are now recommending omega-3 supplements as the first “antidepressant.” The biochemical basis of these natural, happy pills seems to be that omega-3s act in the brain to boost the happy hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters that are also boosted by prescription antidepressant drugs. So, to have a happy family, eat omegas!
What’s the Right Dosage of Omega-3 Supplements for You?
While the U.S. government hasn’t yet issued an RDA for Omega-3s, here is the general recommendation of committees of experts, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the International Societies that Study Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL):
- At least 300 milligrams of DHA per day for infants
- At least 600 milligrams of Omega-3s (DHA and EPA) per day for children, adults, and pregnant and lactating mothers.
(The average person in the United States and Canada gets only 80-120 mg of DHA per day)
For prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, the dosage is at least twice these amounts. For the treatment of neurological problems, the dosage is usually even higher. Check with your healthcare provider for which dosage is right for you and each member of your family.
You will notice that the labels on most omega-3 supplements list the number of milligrams (“mg”) of fatty acids in each serving, and that’s because omega-3s, such as fish oil supplements, will contain other types of fatty acids in addition to the “top” ones, DHA and EPA. For this reason, the dosage on the “Supplement Facts” label is usually in grams, such as one gram per serving or three grams per serving, etc. Whatever the formulation you choose, be sure you get the above recommended range of 300-600 milligrams per day.
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Eat omega-3s, be smarter. Seafood is your top brain food. Interestingly, the relationship between omega-3 supplements and a smarter brain was discovered by studies with infant formula. Research in the 90s showed that tiny infants receiving more omega-3s in their diet were shown to perform better on cognitive scores. This ground-breaking research led to the FDA approval and the American Academy of Pediatric’s recommendation that all infant formulas be supplemented with the brain-building omega-3, DHA. A 2003 study in the journal, Pediatrics, showed that mothers who ate omega-3 supplements during pregnancy and lactation increased their children’s cognitive abilities at four years of age.
In 2005 The Oxford Durham study published in Pediatrics revealed that children who were given omega-3 supplements showed improved reading and spelling scores. After the study was published, many teachers suggested that school-age children routinely be given omega-3 supplements. Even senior brains perk up with omega-3s. Research shows that senior citizens who take omega-3 supplements are less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s and varying degrees of dementia.
Let’s go inside the brain to see why omega-3s are good brain food for all ages. Fats, especially the healthy fats, like omega-3s, form the structural component of cell membranes, especially brain cells. Think of thought processes among brain cells as a lock and key relationship. Chemicals called neurotransmitters are biochemical messengers that carry information from one brain cell to another, sort of like sparks flying across the gap between nerve cells. On the cell membrane are microscopic locks into which these neurotransmitter keys must fit. If the cell membrane is composed of the right fats, such as omega-3s, the locks and keys match. If, however, the “locks” on the cell membrane are loaded and clogged with the wrong fats, the keys won’t fit in these locks, and brain function suffers. Omega-3s are believed to keep these “locks” (called receptor sites) on the brain cell membranes healthy. Also, omega-3s are the main structural component of myelin which, like the insulation on electrical wires, speeds the transmission of information throughout the brain.
Seafood is good see food. The brain and the eyes share similar cell structures. Since omega-3 fats, especially DHA, are the most important structural component of the brain cell membrane, it stands to reason they are also good for the retina. Premature infants who were given omega-3 DHA supplements showed improved visual acuity. Seniors who eat more omega-3s tend to suffer less age-related macular degeneration, a common problem causing fuzzy vision in older eyes.
Eat omega-3s, behave better. Researchers at Purdue University found that boys with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) tended to have lower levels of omega-3 fats, especially DHA, in their bloodstreams. The boys with the most bizarre behavior had the lowest levels of DHA. School-age children with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had the fewest learning problems. Based on recent research, omega-3 supplements should be the first “medicine” prescribed for children with learning and behavioral problems. A study in the medical journal Lipids showed that school-age children who were supplemented with omega-3s had less ADD, hyperactivity, and disruptive behaviors. On a neurochemical basis, DHA seems to increase the brain concentration of dopamine, the neurotransmitter influential in cognitive function and behavior. This is why I believe that many children tagged with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) may have NDD (nutrition deficit disorder).
What “pill” do you imagine cardiologists often prescribe that has all four of these heart-healthy effects? You guess it, omega-3 supplements. A medical truism is: “You’re only as healthy as your arteries.” Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant properties that work in much the same way as aspirin does to keep your arteries clean. Omega-3 fats protect arteries from inflammation. High blood pressure, nicotine, diabetes, a sedentary lifestyle and a generally poor diet can cause the lining of the arteries to become rough or inflamed. Inflammation promotes the build-up of fatty streaks, called plaques, in the arteries, causing all kinds of gunk to accumulate in the arterial wall and block the free flow of blood to the heart and brain. Eventually, the blockage can cause a heart attack or stroke. Simply put, omega-3s keeps the lining of the arteries smooth like Teflon so that nothing can stick to them. Yet, inflammation makes the lining of the arteries rough and sticky like Velcro. Omega-3s also help lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure. In fact, doctors are now prescribing these fishy 0mega-3s for the three common “highs”: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and high blood sugar. If you’re wondering whether or not the omega-3s you eat actually get into the heart muscle cells, they do. In a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition cardiac surgeons who operated on persons who were taking omega-3 supplements found that the two stars, DHA and EPA, were present in healthful amounts in the heart tissue studied.
Eat omega-3s, have a healthy heart. Change your oils and you will change your risk for heart disease. There are four main things you need to have a healthy heart:
- The heartbeat should be regular.
- The lining of the arteries should be smooth like Teflon and not rough like Velcro so that plaque doesn’t build up.
- The blood should be thin enough so that it doesn’t clot too easily and clog the arteries.
- The blood vessel wall must be flexible—no hardening of the arteries.
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Eat omega’s, avoid “-itis.” As we age we suffer from a lot of “itis” illnesses, such as gingivitis, colitis, dermatitis, bronchitis, and arthritis. Recent research shows that omega-3s are powerful anti-inflammatories that cut down on the wear and tear (called inflammation) that cause these “itises.” Omega-3 supplements can help people with bronchitis and other lung problems to breathe better. Omega-3s bring joy to the joints, which is why these supplements are a top superfood for seniors. Omega-3s act like anti-inflammatories to keep the articular cartilage of the joints smooth, enabling the joints to glide over one another in a frictionless manner. For treatment of dermatitis, such as eczema, I tell my patients, “If you don’t want your skin to feel like a fish, eat more fish.”
Imagine what goes on in the highways of your body, especially the lining tissues, such as skin, the lining of the intestinal tract, the lining of your breathing passages, and the smooth endothelium of your blood vessels. Increased traffic on these “roads” causes wear and tear. The body’s immune system, or inflammatory system, sends out a repair crew to fix the potholes in the road. Sometimes the repair crew doesn’t fill in the potholes enough, or sometimes it fills them too much, thus leaving the tissues, such as the lining of the arteries, rough or inflamed with an “itis” illness. Simply speaking, omega-3s make the repair crew more efficient so that the roads of your body have smoother surfaces.
Omega-3s work in a similar way as prescription and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines, but without the side effects. Omega-3s help keep the body in inflammatory balance so there is just the right amount of repair without excess wear and tear.
Eat omega’s, talk nice to your genes. Within the DNA of your genes are codes that tell each cell of the organ, say the heart, how to behave. This is called “gene expression.” Omega-3s speak a “turn on”/“turn off” language. They act like cellular mentors telling the genes how to talk the language of health to each cell.
Eat omega-3s, prevent diabetes. Type II, also called “insulin resistant,” diabetes has become an American epidemic. Insulin resistance means a decreased efficiency of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake in the cells, especially of muscles and fat. The role of insulin is like a doorman to open the door of the cell membrane to let glucose in as an energy source. Insulin resistance means that the doorman is inefficient in letting glucose in and result in high blood levels of insulin and sugar. Omega-3s seem to act at the level of the cell membrane to increase the efficiency of the doorman to let the glucose in. By a similar mechanism, you can eat good fats (such as 0mega-3s) to lose excess body fat. Insulin resistance contributes to obesity because high blood levels of insulin cause excess fat to be stored rather than burned. By increasing the efficiency of the insulin, you help yourself stay lean.
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