Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful in boosting one’s well-being. They benefit the body and brain in more ways than one. Unlike most fats, which the body can make from other fats and raw materials, the body cannot make omega 3s from scratch. Instead, people must get them from food and other sources they will have to intake.
Omega-3s are essential nutrients people can get from food and supplements. They are keys to a healthy cell structure and help the heart, lungs, immune system, and blood vessels perform as well as they should. People commonly consume three major omega-3 fatty acids –ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). They are abundant in fish, shellfish, vegetable oils, leafy veggies, nuts, and seeds. These are also available in supplement form, like fish oils, primarily derived from fatty fish varieties like salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, and tuna. Fish oil supplements also usually contain vitamins A and D to provide even more advantages the body can use to maintain its fighting form against diseases.
Indeed, omega-3 fatty acids play an integral role in the body’s optimal function in every stage of life, delivering significant benefits, including the following:
Reduces Elevated Triglycerides Levels
One of the well-known effects of omega-3 fatty acids is how it reduces elevated serum triglyceride levels, a blood fat that could cause stroke and heart attacks.
High triglyceride levels can narrow the arteries, leading to heightened risks of heart disease. When people eat, the body stores calories it does not need right away into triglycerides or fat cells that are later released to provide energy between meals. Thus, eating more calories than one can burn results in elevated triglyceride levels. Experts blame lifestyle factors as the most common cause of this. When people are sedentary, have a poor diet, consume foods high in simple sugars, carbohydrates, and saturated fats, and drink too much alcohol, it may raise their risk for elevated triglycerides and the complications that come with it.
Although experts have yet to fully understand how omega-3 fatty acids lower triglyceride levels, they recommend using fish oil supplements for those at risk. Patients who are obese or overweight must supplement with fish oils as there is evidence that 4 grams of a daily prescription can reduce triglyceride levels. To make it even more effective, people should take it along with significant lifestyle changes and a food intake with more omega-3s.
