Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Why Are They So Important?

Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential and important part of the body’s cell membranes, and they affect the functions of the receptors in these membranes. They pave the way for the body’s ability to produce hormones that control blood clotting, inflammation and the ability of the artery walls to contract and relax. Omega-3 fatty acids also help prevent heart attack by helping the heart to beat at a steady rate and lowering blood pressure. Heart attack survivors who take a supplement of Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce their risk of having a second heart attack. Some studies have shown that people who take Omega-3 over a period of three years can decrease their risk of a recurrent heart attack by as much as 50 percent.

By lowering the blood pressure and keeping the heart at a steady rate, they also help prevent stroke, and they can even help control eczema and arthritis. They are also thought to help fend off cancer.

It is important to eat fish two to three times a week, especially the darker fleshed fish because they are higher in the Omega-3 fatty acids. They are also richer in DHA, which is essential for pregnant women and women who want to become pregnant, because of the important role of helping to develop the baby’s brain and certain other parts of the nervous system.

The human body makes most of the fats it needs from scratch, using components from other fats. But the body is not able to make its own Omega-3 fats. Since these are essential fats, we must obtain them from other sources.

Omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated fats and are found mainly in fish. They can also be found in vegetable oils, walnuts, flax seed, flax seed oil, leafy green vegetables and even in the fats of grass-fed animals. Of course, you can also buy them in an over-the-counter supplement.

Sources:

Interplay between different polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease in men. Circulation. 2005; 111:157-64.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *