Possible benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for the brain?


Nutritionally savvy consumers know that the human body requires certain fats (also known as lipids) for proper health, just as it needs water or protein or vitamins. In particular, recent scientific research points to the use of a polyunsaturated fat called omega-3 as a good example of an oil with healing potential for joints, the heart, and skin tissue. What is not so well known is that omega-3 fatty acids show tremendous promise for promoting improved brain function, be it mood, attention, even IQ. Indeed, a growing number of scientists and doctors contend that when it comes to brain health omega-3 is the single most crucial supplement that we can take.

What are food sources of omega-3 fatty acids?

While a healthy and useful type of omega-3 called alpha linoleic acid (ALA) can be found in plant foods ranging from walnuts to hemp to perilla to chia to flax, the human body cannot use this plant-based form directly. Instead, much as travelers overseas must convert their dollars into the local currency before it can be spent, our bodies have to turn ALA into the same sort of omega-3 found in cold-water fish (such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines) so that it can be used for many essential biological functions. Since fish oil omega-3 is the most biologically active form, it is the one that most scientific research has focused on. It should also be noted that fish oil omega-3 is comprised of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA).

Unfortunately, modern diets tend to be very low in omega-3 fatty acids, due to shifts in contemporary preferences in food choices as well as in the modern, high-tech way that foods are processed. Some authorities claim that Americans consume only one-sixth the amount of omega-3 that we used to eat in the nineteenth century. This may help explain not only the increase in the rates of heart disease and cancer, but also of many brain-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD).

What are some possible benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for the brain?

On the most basic level, omega-3 fatty acids—which comprise about twenty percent of the total weight of the brain--help regulate cell membrane permeability, including brain cells such as neurons. The cell membrane controls not only the flexibility of the cell (for instance, a cell that is too stiff and brittle to function isn’t good for very much) but also determines what enters and leaves the brain cell, the idea being that nutrients should come in and waste material should be expelled. If cell membrane permeability is poor, cellular health suffers, and so does the health of the brain that is made up of those billions of cells--think of the trouble that a stuck garage door can cause and you have a pretty good idea of why membrane permeability is crucial to cell function.

Remember also that omega-3 fatty acids help fight inflammation, a key player not only in various “issues” such as arthritis and dermatitis, but also in Alzheimer’s. A number of studies in Norway and other Scandinavian countries suggest that the risk of Alzheimer’s and other types of age-related cognitive decline can be greatly reduced by the consumption of omega-3 rich foods such as oily coldwater fish, as well as supplemental fish oil capsules. Omega-3 also seems to help keep arteries clear and contributes to improved mental function in the elderly as well, thanks to the maintenance of healthy blood flow to the brain.

Just as intriguinging, abundant evidence exits that the use of omega-3 supplementation by pregnant women and nursing mothers may help promote higher IQ in children, perhaps by as much as five to eight points. Perhaps because of the need for DHA, one of the omega-3 fatty acids, for brain growth and development. Studies supporting these claims have been carried out in both Sweden and the University of Kentucky.

More and more parents, as well as therapists, scientists, and educators, have concluded that for children who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder as well as poor impulse control (bad temper, “acting out,” and so) omega-3 may help to normalize mood and improve emotional equilibrium while avoiding the risks associated with drugs such as Ritalin. This is consistent with a recent study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition involving several hundred school-age youngsters. The studies included proper behavioral therapies, enough exercise, and other dietary changes. Note that many pregnant women and nursing mothers avoid fish because of the potential for mercury contamination, thereby, in the opinion of many scientists and doctors, making the use of high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil capsules particularly advisable.

By now many studies have pointed to the usefulness of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids in cases of both bipolar disorder and severe to moderate depression. One theory holds that it is because the improvement that supplementation and proper diet can bring about in cell membrane permeability enables brain tissue to make better use of substances such as serotonin, a neurotransmitter important for proper regulation of mood. A number of psychiatrists and psychologists have begun to incorporate the use of fish oil into their practice. Of course, in all cases of depression and bipolar disorder, it is vital to get yourself evaluated by a properly trained healthcare profession, so that you can find the therapies that best meet your needs.

How can omega-3 fatty acids be taken?

Since the time of the American Civil War, the amount of omega-3 in our diets has decreased greatly, while the proportion of omega-6 has gone up

by the same amount. This is not only because our food preferences have changed, but also because livestock, which used to be grass-fed, is now corn-fed, thereby decreasing the amount of omega-3 it contains. Only now is awareness growing of the advisability of adding back to our diets at least some omega-3 fatty acids.

Many consumers take omega-3 as cold-pressed flax oil, often mixed with yogurt or made into a salad dressing. This form is especially favored by vegetarians, and is usually consumed in tablespoon amounts. Most people seem to like the nutty taste of flax oil, but for those who do not it can also be taken in the softgel form.

Please note that flax oil must be kept refrigerated once it is opened.

Others take omega-3 in the more body-ready fish oil form. Most people usually use it in softgel form, preferably as a pharmaceutical-grade, mercury-free supplement; although some take it as liquid fish oil, especially the traditional cod liver form, which has the additional advantage of being rich in vitamins A and D. For general good health people usually consume one to three capsules per day, with meals.

Are omega-3 fatty acids safe?

For the great majority of people, yes, although those people on the prescription blood thinner coumadin (AKA Warfarin) must consult with their doctor before using flax oil or fish oil supplements. Pregnant women and nursing mothers considering the use of omega-3 should, of course, do likewise.