Re: Omega 6 vs Omega 3 Research Study

Hi,

 

After I sent out the email "Omega 6 vs Omega 3 Research Study" a few days ago, Laurie thought is was interesting but wanted a short explanation for what Omega-6 was. Here is some stuff that I pulled together to explain what these "essential fatty acids" are:

 

The below article is a good explanation from the Dr. Andrew Weil's website (http://www.drweil.com) that I found, although there are plenty more if you search the Internet. I also have a book called "The Queen of Fats" written by Susan Allport that explains the omega fats, if you are interested in a reading more.

 

Human fat is about 37% saturated fat, 50% monosaturated fat, and 13% polyunsaturated (and other) fats. The polyunsaturated fats are mostly made up of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. (As an aside, lard, which we have been told is bad for our body, is about 38% sat, 45% mono, and poly/other).

 

Most of the Omega-3s in our diets and tissues ultimately come from green leaves and other photosynthesizing organisms like phytoplankton in the oceans. Omega-6s on the other hand, derive mostly from seeds/grains. Animals in the food chain eat these vegetables and they make up certain fatty acids of the body in certain percentages/ratios.

 

The balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids has been getting a lot of attention recently. Over the last several decades modern animal husbandry and agriculture practices have created huge changes in our crops and the foods provided to livestock and farmed fish.  Many of the animals that used to eat O3 foods (like grasses) are being fed O6 foods (grains like corn and soy). This has caused a huge shift in what humans eat - the macronutrients and micronutrients we ingest - and what ultimately makes up our body composition.

 

Relating to the Omega fatty acids, scientists think that "paleo" humans probably had a O6:O3 ratio of around 1:1 to 4:1. I've seen research that puts today's western-diet human O6:O3 ratio anywhere from 15:1 to 40:1 - a huge difference.

 

 ------------- Dr. Weil's explanation of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids ----------

 

Omega-3 and omega-6 are types of essential fatty acids – meaning we cannot make them on our own and have to obtain them from our diet. Both are polyunsaturated fatty acids that differ from each other in their chemical structure. In modern diets, there are few sources of omega-3 fatty acids, mainly the fat of cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, black cod, and bluefish. There are two critical omega-3 fatty acids, (eicosapentaenoic acid, called EPA and docosahexaenoic or DHA), that the body needs. Vegetarian sources, such as walnuts and flaxseeds contain a precursor omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid called ALA) that the body must convert to EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are the building blocks for hormones that control immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as well as components of cell membranes.

 

By contrast, sources of omega-6 fatty acids are numerous in modern diets. They are found in seeds and nuts, and the oils extracted from them. Refined vegetable oils, such as soy oil, are used in most of the snack foods, cookies, crackers, and sweets in the American diet as well as in fast food. Soybean oil alone is now so ubiquitous in fast foods and processed foods that an astounding 20 percent of the calories in the American diet are estimated to come from this single source.

The body also constructs hormones from omega 6 fatty acids. In general, hormones derived from the two classes of essential fatty acids have opposite effects. Those from omega-6 fatty acids tend to increase inflammation (an important component of the immune response), blood clotting, and cell proliferation, while those from omega-3 fatty acids decrease those functions. Both families of hormones must be in balance to maintain optimum health.

Many nutrition experts believe that before we relied so heavily on processed foods, humans consumed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in roughly equal amounts. But to our great detriment, most North Americans and Europeans now get far too much of the omega-6s and not enough of the omega-3s. This dietary imbalance may explain the rise of such diseases as asthma, coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer, autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases, all of which are believed to stem from inflammation in the body. The imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may also contribute to obesity, depression, dyslexia, hyperactivity and even a tendency toward violence. Bringing the fats into proper proportion may actually relieve those conditions, according to Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., a psychiatrist at the National Institutes of Health, and perhaps the world's leading authority on the relationship between fat consumption and mental health. At the 2006 Nutrition and Health Conference sponsored by the University of Arizona's College of Medicine and Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Hibbeln cited a study showing that violence in a British prison dropped by 37 percent after omega-3 oils and vitamins were added to the prisoners' diets.

[You need to have] a healthy ratio of these fatty acids. In general, however, you can cut down on omega-6 levels by reducing consumption of processed and fast foods and polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, safflower, soy, and cottonseed, for example). At home, use extra virgin olive oil for cooking and in salad dressings. Eat more oily fish or take fish oil supplements, walnuts, flax seeds, and omega-3 fortified eggs. Your body and mind will thank you.

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Carl