Back to Menu

Another alleged panacea:
Omega 3 fatty acids supposedly solve almost all health problems
(July 2005)

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in certain fish (particularly mackerel, salmon, herring, tuna - CLICK HERE for content of omega 3 fatty acids in various fish). They can also be found in certain plants and oils ( CLICK HERE for foods with a high content of omega 3 fatty acids). Flax and canola oils and flaxseed are by far the best sources. Omega 3 fatty acids get into cells and cell membranes and are an important part of some tissues.

The enthusiasm by some for the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids appears almost limitless. The following is a list of the alleged proven health benefits from omega 3 fatty acids in the diet and through supplements:

Protects against:

            severe abnormal heart rhythms

            heart attack

            stroke

            macular degeneration of the eyes (a major cause of blindness in older people)

            cancer

            Alzheimer's

Is effective in treatment of:

           inflammation

           cancer

           rheumatoid arthritis

           depression

           high blood pressure

Improves:

          lung function

          cystic fibrosis

          bipolar disorder (manic-depression)

Is important in:

          development of normal vision in infants

According to some authors, omega 3 fatty acids may also be effective in :

            preventing or treating asthma

            preventing emphysema

            attention deficit disorder

Lower blood levels may promote:

            schizophrenia

            depression

            violence

            suicide

            autism

Of course, these long lists represent, for the most part, a combination of hype and hope. What do we know for sure?

A good intake of omega 3 fatty acids will definitely protect against dangerous heart rhythms during a heart attack or even without a heart attack; and may provide some protection against a common, less dangerous heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. It is not clear whether good omega 3 intake actually prevents the occurrence of heart attacks or strokes, but, by preventing the severe abnormal rhythms, deaths from heart attack are significantly reduced. Thus, the total number of heart attacks may not be diminished, but the likelihood of dying from those heart attacks is lessened. There is pretty good evidence that omega 3 fatty acids can reduce morning stiffness and pain in the joints of those suffering with rheumatoid arthritis.

Eating oily fish (with good omega 3 content) looks very interesting in preventing, to some extent, memory loss as people get older and perhaps in lessening the occurrence of Alzheimer's. But, the studies are not consistent enough and we need several more studies before drawing any conclusion.

Everything else is uncertain and unproved, though worthy of further investigation.

Including omega 3 containing foods in the diet is important, is part of a prudent diet, and is health promoting.

For those getting their omega 3 fatty acids through fish, a portion of oily fish once or twice a week is adequate. For those who do not like fish, it is advisable to include omega 3 fatty acid-containing foods and use either flax oil or canola oil on salads. What about supplements? They probably are okay, but this has not been proved conclusively. Standardization is always an issue. There is also a potential disadvantage in that they may actually deplete fisheries even more than eating salmon and other oily fish. That needs to be carefully investigated and could be a critical issue since two-thirds of the world's fisheries are under siege.

So, omega 3 fatty acids are health promoting, but only a few of the many claims are actually well documented. The rest are, at present, wishful thinking, exaggeration or of dubious merit. Still, all the attention and research is warranted.