Omega 3 Benefits

Of all Omega 3 benefits, being anti-inflammatory is the most important. Skin and joint diseases can be greatly improved but most owners in my practice don't know how and why.

The health benefits of omega 3 are mostly caused by three facts in omega 3 omega 6 interaction:

• They compete for the same enzymes used in parallel pathways. If more omega 3 fatty acids is present compared to omega 6, they will use the enzymes instead of omega 6.
• Omega 3 can push away omega 6 from certain reactions.
Some inflammatory end products from omega 6 can be counteracted direct by the omega 3 end products.

Omega 3 Omega 6

Main Omega 3 Omega 6 fatty acids are:

• Alfa-Linolenic Acid (ALA)
• Eicisapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

EPA and DHA are the biological active ones. ALA can be transformed into first EPA and further into DHA. Or EPA/DHA can come from the diet and be used direct. This is the most effective.

• Linoleic acid

Linoleic Acid is the most important omega-6 acid. There are otheres. For example, Arachidonic Acid. Linoleic Acid can in many animals be transformed into another omega 6 fatty acid Arachidonic acid.

Arachidonic Acid Cascade

Arachidonid Acid (AA) is at the very top in this reaction. The AA Acid chain reaction is important in the inflammatory reactions of the body.

In the cell membrane the AA are used as one building block. When needed they are released and the AA Acid chain starts

The result is lots of different inflammatory eicosanoids. Important but too much can have negative health impact.

Omega 3 benefits

It's possible for other chain reactions than the AA cascade to happen. This is important for you to know to understand the health benefits of omega.

If other fatty acids than AA in the cell membrane are released other chemical reactions running as alternatives to the arachidonic cascade starts.

If the omega 3 fatty acid EPA is released it will result in less inflammatory end products (less inflamatory eicosanoides), compared to the on in the arachidonic acid cascade.

You see this on the picture above. The colour of the boxes indicate how "body irritating" the end products are. As you see the omega 3 pathway are far less irritating than the omega 6 pathway.

If you give too much omega 6 compared to omega three fatty acids in the food, you will "make an irritation". You will force the balance towards omega 6 reactions. On the other hand you can add extra omega 3 and change the balance towards omega 3 pathway.