OMEGA 3: what they are

Omega 3 fatty acids owe their name to the chemical structure that characterizes them: along the carbonaceous skeleton there are in fact double bonds, the first of which is placed between the third and fourth carbon starting from the terminal end (omega carbon). These double bonds determine the degree of unsaturation, and therefore the distinction into mono or poly unsaturated.

From a biochemical point of view they are among the elements considered "essential", for which the organism needs an external introduction due to the inability to produce and/or satisfy the ideally adequate quantities of these substances for maintaining the state of health.

There are many fatty acids belonging to this family, however, those of greatest interest for the physiological impact are three:

  • ALA (alpha-linolenic acid): consisting of a chain of 18 carbon atoms and 3 double bonds, it is considered the real essential fatty acid in the strict sense and represents the progenitor of the whole ω3 series, on which the action of specific enzymes (desaturases and elongases) leads to the production of the other elements belonging to the same family.
  • EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): consisting of 20 carbon atoms and 5 double bonds
  • DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): consisting of 22 carbon atoms and 6 double bonds

 

Functions

EPA and DHA exert the real physiological functions once obtained from the biosynthetic pathway:

  • They constitute the cell membrane, guaranteeing its correct flexibility and fluidity, an aspect which translates into a better development of the exchange and translation reactions of intra and extra cellular biochemical signals.
  • They have a strong cardiovascular action, positively modulating the inflammatory state typical of the microenvironment of atheromatous plaques, reducing platelet aggregation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  • They act centrally, participating in neurogenesis and the development of the neurocognitive apparatus.
  • They rebalance parameters such as the LDL/HDL ratio or positively modulate insulin sensitivity, significantly affecting multiple aspects of metabolism. They also participate in the phototransduction process, being structural components of the retina.

In short, real handyman elements!

Where are?

They do not share the same food sources or rather, they are found in different proportions within them.

We find alpha linolenic acid mainly in oil seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, pumpkin, canola), in the germ or in the oils deriving from them or in nuts. These foods also contain other types of fatty acids in association, such as omega 6 and 9, making them "hybrid" sources, but no less important for this.

As for Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids, they are mainly present in foods of animal origin, in the meat of fish from cold seas (salmon, cod), in various types of blue fish, in krill and some types of algae. Also in this case, some derivative products represent the most concentrated sources.

Omega 3 supplementation: why

Nature therefore seems to provide for everything and provides a wide choice of foods to draw from to ensure a correct introduction of these elements so precious for health. Is adopting a varied diet including these sources sufficient to meet the needs? Although the answer may seem intuitive and obvious, in reality there are a series of factors of various nature that together justify the use of specific supplements.

  • Calories: regardless of the food source, consumption brings a considerable amount of energy. Except for pure extracts, there is an introduction of other food components for which there is not always a need (we are talking about food matrices mainly of a proteo-lipid nature) which contribute to the caloric Energy of the food. This aspect is avoided through the targeted integration of the molecules under consideration.
  • Costs: often overlooked, this aspect is in my opinion the main one. Not everyone has the opportunity to regularly consume first choice foods, especially if we are talking about fish sources. Think of the cost of wild salmon, prohibitive for some people, if placed in an everyday context. The purchase of a food supplement compensates for the impossibility of regular consumption of primary sources, consequently limiting the expense.
  • Biochemical limits: so important, yet, in our organism the metabolism of omega 3 is strongly downregulated. The first stage of ALA conversion is in fact carried out by an enzyme (delta 6 desaturase) common to the metabolism of the omega 6 series. Per reasons of substrate competition together with poor enzymatic activity, the action on food ALA is reduced; lacking the primer, the entire biochemical pathway is compromised, with rather poor conversion rates to EPA and DHA. Products with a high concentration of these two fatty acids or alternative sources that "circumvent" this limitation due to their intrinsic characteristics (the lesser pearl herb is the main example) can be very useful.
  • Purity: food sources can be exposed to polluting factors, such as pesticides or heavy metals, as typically occurs in large fish in which mercury can accumulate, which is highly harmful to our body if consumed excessively .

 

How to choose a quality product

The market for omega 3-based supplements is very large and undoubtedly this can cause confusion in the consumer when comparing multiple products. Here are some tips to watch out for:

  • Find information about the origin of the sources used, for example wild fish and not subjected to intensive farming, which among many things alter the omega 3 content in meat in favor of the inflammatory omega 6 counterpart.
  • Pay attention to the methods used for production: omega 3 are in fact highly unstable molecules, for which processing requires absolute precision, from cold extraction to molecular distillation up to the final stages. However, these phases require expensive procedures that not all companies can guarantee. Hence the many price differences.
  • Given the easy degradation, make sure there is a good concentration of antioxidants (vitamin E, astaxanthin, etc.).
  • Form in which omega 3 are proposed. In order for them to be absorbed in the best way they must be presented as triglycerides and not in ethyl ester form.
  • Whenever possible, purchase iFOS certified products ("International Fish Oil Standards"), a declaration of quality and purity from contaminants issued by Nutrasource Diagnostic inc, an independent body considered the maximum guarantee for this type of product.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gammone MA, Riccioni G, Parrinello G, D'Orazio N. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Benefits and Endpoints in Sport. Nutrients. 2018; 11 (1): 46. Published 2018 Dec 27. doi: 10.3390 / nu11010046

Schwalfenberg G. Omega-3 fatty acids: their beneficial role in cardiovascular health [published correction appears in Can Fam Physician. 2006 Aug;52:952]. Can Fam Physician. 2006;52(6):734-740.

Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA. Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life. Adv Nutr. 2012 Jan;3(1):1-7. doi: 10.3945/an.111.000893. Epub 2012 Jan 5. PMID: 22332096; PMCID: PMC3262608.

Nichols PD, Petrie J, Singh S. Long-chain omega-3 oils-an update on sustainable sources. Nutrients. 2010;2(6):572-585. doi:10.3390/nu2060572

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