International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health and Medicine

Have you ever seen the movie When Harry Met Sally with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan? My favorite food-related cinematic scene is from this movie. Prior to the famed "faking it" scene, Sally is ordering and quite particular about what she wants (on the side, warmed, etc ...). Restaurants have become more accommodating to special requests for food allergies and intolerances or general health. Sally may not have had anything to do with how restaurants and chefs accommodate "picky" eaters, but she did make us laugh about it. Food consumption away from the home is a common occurrence and since it is now part of everyday life rather than a special splurge, attempts to make healthier choices when dining out are important in order to consume a healthy total diet, maintain normal body weight and prevent disease.

Whether from natural food sources or supplements, omega-3 fatty acids may provide cardiovascular benefits (see Omega-3 Fatty Acid Benefits). Putative mechanisms include antithrombotic and antiplatelet actions as well as altered eicosanoid production. This has raised theoretical concerns about an increased risk of bleeding. A review of numerous studies in which patients were supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and underwent cardiovascular related interventions (i.e., coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) found no clinically significant risk of bleeding (1). Also, there was no increased risk of clinically significant blood loss during delivery when pregnant women were supplemented with 2.7 grams/day of omega-3 fatty acids (2).

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are both polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and they are essential nutrients. Therefore, they must be consumed in our diet, as the body cannot make them. The essentiality and differences between these nutrients are based on the chemical structure of the fatty acid and where the chemical bonds (double bonds) are located in their structure. Omega-3 fatty acids have at least three double bonds starting from the 3rd carbon from the methyl end in the fatty acid structure. A minimum of two double bonds qualifies the fatty acid to be a PUFA. If there are no double bonds, the fatty acid is called a saturated fatty acid and if only one double bond, it is called a monounsaturated fatty acid. The omega-6 fatty acids have their first double bond located at the 6th carbon in the carbon chain from the methyl end.

Much like the omega-3 fatty acids themselves, not all omega-3 eggs are created equal. To get the most out of your omega-3 eggs, know what omega-3 fatty acids you are interested in and be sure the carton specifies how much of that particular omega-3 fatty acid it contains. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) offers the broadest array of health benefits including brain, eye, and heart health, whereas alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found abundantly in our diet already, offer a limited number of benefits.

Prepared by Heather L. Hutchins, MS RD

Evidence for the health benefits of long chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has grown in recent years. Nonetheless, when the last Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) were published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2002, there was insufficient evidence for recommendations beyond 10% of the total omega-3 requirement to come from EPA and DHA. Recently, a group of renowned researchers in the area of lipids and health convened at a national workshop to determine if enough research has been undertaken to develop a DRI for EPA and DHA. The health outcomes that were assessed by the researchers for long chain omega-3 fatty acids' impact included: cardiovascular health, cognitive development, cognitive decline, cancer and total mortality.

A new year and a new year's resolution... did one of your resolutions this year sound like this: "I'm going to eat healthy this year", or "I'm going to loose x amount of weight", or "I'm going on a diet January 1^st", or even "I'm getting in shape this year"? Now that we are into 2010, are the resolutions beginning to fade? Large grandiose resolutions are often tarnished by unattainable goals or lack of planning. If you want to eat healthier this year, how are you going to do it? Having a plan will help you to stay on target. One part of your healthy diet plan should include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Wild trout can be similar in the omega-3 fatty acid content compared to farm-raised trout with respect to the amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (1). Wild trout will eat aquatic insects [mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, craneflies (midges), mosquitoes, dragonflies, damselflies, beetles, alderflies, water boatmen and dobsonflies), and their larvae (nymphs)]. They also eat other insects that land or fall on the water, smaller fish (including other trout), crustaceans (crayfish, sowbugs and scuds, and freshwater shrimp), tadpoles, frogs, worms and snails. In addition, large trout eat eggs of other fish, small mammals (such as mice), and baby birds (such as ducklings).

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), commonly described as "hardening of the arteries," is a chronic disease that develops over a lifetime. Diets rich in EPA and DHA are associated with reduced CVD risk. A recent 16 country study was conducted with 6,426 individuals who were the primary family food shopper. It was found that knowledge about fat is conflicted, including which fats have health benefits; and while omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids had the greatest level of recognition, many did not realize they are fats (1)! Clearly there is a fundamental need for consumer education related to dietary fats. In grades K-12, there are many opportunities to incorporate factual information and concepts related to nutrition and, more specifically, dietary fats in lesson plans. These opportunities should not be missed as they can promote a more basic understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet and may lead to the selection of healthier diets, including those rich in EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.

As a registered dietitian, it can be tricky to separate fact from fiction, especially with the many advances in the field of foods and nutrition. Over the years, a lot of media attention has been focused upon the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in our diets, and yet, the importance of this essential nutrient has existed since the beginning of mankind. Much research has gone into determining dietary intake recommendations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for healthy populations, pregnant women, adults with elevated triglycerides and adults with CHD. However, even with supporting research for the use of EPA and DHA in the clinical treatment of various inflammatory diseases, cancer, psychiatric diseases (ADHD, Alzheimer's Disease, and dementia to name a few), factual recommendations are lacking and many healthcare professionals like myself are searching for answers.

Ever walked down a supplement aisle and felt completely confused? Supplement facts show the serving size and (for most omega-3 fatty acid supplements) will state the number of capsules per serving and the number of servings per container. An omega-3 fatty acid supplement will have most, if not all, of the calories from fat. This is one of the few times that you want all of the calories in a product to come from fat as omega-3 fatty acids are good fats. If the capsules are 1 g in size (a standard size for omega-3 supplements) and the serving size is 2 capsules, then the total fat will equal approximately 2 g or 2,000 mg. However, this does not mean that all the fat in a fish oil capsule is omega-3 fatty acids.

The omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a critical nutrient in human nutrition. People cannot make DHA in the body so it must be consumed in foods or obtained from supplements. After 30 years of clinical research, the need for adequate DHA during pregnancy is clearly established. Everyone needs DHA over their lifetime, but the developing years are fundamental. The greatest time of need for DHA is during infant development and the first 2 years of a child's life (1).

Foods with the highest amounts of long chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are oily fish. However, what if you are vegetarian, allergic to seafood, or just don't like fish? How can you make sure that you consume an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids?

We all know that exercise or physical activity is good for you; however, while exercise is beneficial to our health, far too many of us do not partake in regular physical activity. Whether it is gardening, cycling or even a brisk walk or competitive sport, activity can promote cardiovascular and pulmonary health benefits, to name a few. Marine derived omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) also provide cardiovascular benefits. Many regulatory bodies around the world have recommendations for the intake of omega-3 fatty acids for prevention of or as part of a treatment regime for cardiovascular diseases.

The health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are reported more and more frequently and include benefits from heart health to improved cognition and inflammation, with emerging evidence for other benefits as well; but do you know what omega-3 fatty acids are?