Everything You Need to Know About Omega-3s

To bring you up to date, here’s the full rundown on omega-3s, including how much you should consume, whether to add a supplement to your diet, and the health risks to consider.

Omega-3s: What They Are

“Omega-3s are named for the placement of the last double bond in the molecule, which is three positions from the omega tail,” explains Melissa Majumdar, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and bariatric coordinator at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta.

ALA is the precursor to EPA and DHA, which means your body can convert very small amounts of ALA into the other two fatty acids, notes Sonya Angelone, RDN, a nutritionist with Angelone and Associates in San Francisco.

“And they’ve been shown to improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and decrease your risk of certain types of cancer,” notes Torey Armul RD, a nutritionist in Columbus, Ohio. These nutrients are the building blocks for cells, helping the structure of cell membranes and cell receptors to function properly, adds Kristi King, RD, a dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

• Kids 1 to 3 years: 0.7 g
• Kids 4 to 8 years: 0.9 g
• Boys 9 to 13 years: 1.2 g
• Girls 9 to 13 years: 1.0 g
• Teen boys and girls 14 to 18 years: 1.1 to 1.6 g
• Men: 1.6 g
• Women: 1.1 g
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 1.3 to 1.4 g

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] recommends not exceeding 3 grams (g) of the active EPA and DHA ingredients,” warns King.

“If you’re pregnant, you’ll need more omega-3 fats because they play an important role in the growth and development of the fetal brain and neural tubes,” points out Armul.

Strive to eat a healthful, varied diet of foods that naturally contain omega-3s and those that have been fortified. These include fish and other seafood, especially cold-water, oily varieties, like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, anchovies, and sardines. Walnuts and chia and flax seeds, along with their oils and other plant oils (such as canola), are also good sources of omega-3s.

Becoming deficient in omega-3 fatty acids is relatively rare, but if you’re vegan or don’t eat seafood every week, then you may not be getting enough, notes Angelone. Deficiencies can occur, though, with some people reporting fatigue, inflammation, and depression, says King. One classic sign is rough, red, scaly skin with itching. But since there’s no reasonable way to measure the omegas in your body, try to eat more foods that are rich in these fatty acids or consider a supplement, she adds.

But pregnant women may be wary of these guidelines because of the risk of mercury that’s present in some fish. In this case, expectant women should still aim for at least 8 oz a week (but less than 12 oz) to aid in cognitive and vision development for their babies, Majumdar explains. And be sure to choose fish lower in mercury, such as wild salmon, herring, sardines, trout, and Atlantic or Pacific mackerel (but not king mackerel, which is high in methyl mercury).

Can’t stomach anything with gills? A supplement may be the solution, particularly if you’re at risk for cardiovascular disease or you’re planning to have a baby, counsels Majumdar. Getting omega-3s from whole foods is always the best choice, but for those who simply cannot meet the recommended intake of fish each week, a supplement can be a good alternative.

“Most fish oil or omega-3 supplements contain EPA and DHA, which are from animal sources and tend to be more bioavailable [than the ALA from plant sources],” says King. Always speak with your doctor before taking a supplement, as it may not be appropriate in every case. Fish-free microalgae supplements that contain both EPA and DHA are also an option.

The Safety of Omega-3 Supplements

Two other fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-9, are also part of a healthy diet. “Omega-6s are important building blocks for cell membranes and can only be obtained from food or a supplement,” notes King. Good sources of omega-6 include flaxseed meal and oil, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, pistachios, and acai. Omega-6 is also present in many popular, processed foods that contain corn oil, though those tend to be less than healthy.

Most people get more than enough omega-6s in their diet; the benefit comes from a healthy ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s, and this can be improved by eating more omega-3s without a change in consumption of omega-6s.

As for omega-9s, your body can actually make this substance, but adding it to your diet is definitely beneficial. “Omega-9s are widely believed to increase levels of HDL, which is the ‘good’ cholesterol, and lower the ‘bad’ one (LDL),” explains King. You can find omega-9s in olive oil, olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds.

Although the majority of omega-3 research tends to be in the cardiovascular field, there are other areas in which fatty acid research has shown promising effects, including inflammation, colon cancer, and insulin resistance, reports King. “And it may help with ADHD symptoms, the reduction of depression and anxiety, eye health, and Alzheimer’s,” she adds.

Evidence related to cancer prevention isn’t clear, as it varies by cancer type, genetic factors, and gender, says Majumdar.