Healthy fats have become such a common word used on social media. We’re often told to prioritize healthy fats for our hormones but what are healthy fats and why are they so important for us? Omega-3 fatty acids are a family of essential fats which means that the body cannot produce them on its own. For this reason, it’s especially important to consume omega-3s in your diet, to ensure that you’re getting an adequate amount. Omega-3 benefits include improved brain function, heart health, and mood support.

What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

While there are many fatty acids, omega-3s are one of two essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are the building blocks of fat in the foods we eat, just like how amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Because the body cannot produce them on its own, it’s important to be intentional in incorporating foods with omega-3s in your diet. Here, we’ll explore the many omega-3 benefits and simple ways to increase your intake, as well as when supplementation might be considered.

Why Omega-3s Are Important (Shahidi & Ambigaipalan, 2018)

  1. Involved in production and function of neurotransmitters that influence mood
    1. Omega-3 consumption can increase levels of important neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin 
  2. Supports immune system function (Mendivil, 2021)
    1. Omega-3s have anti inflammatory effects, regulate immune cells (i.e promoting migration of B cells to sites where there is an immune response)
  3. Positive effects on brain health and neuroplasticity (Watts, 2022)
    1. Higher omega-3 levels have been associated with larger hippocampal volumes (hippocampus is largely responsible for memory) and better performance in abstract reasoning
  4. Involved in emotional processing benefits  
    1. Because of the effect omega-3s have on neurotransmitters, they also are associated with positive effects on emotion regulation (Gow et al., 2013)
  5. Positive effect on cardiovascular health (Mozaffarian & Wu, 2011)
    1. Some specific ways include: Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, aid in blood pressure regulation, reduce plaque buildup in arteries

The Whole Body Impact Omega-3s Have

The positive benefits of omega-3s don’t just stop in the brain. The impact omega-3s have goes throughout your body because of how interconnected our systems are. Omega-3s benefit the heart, brain, inflammation, immune function, metabolic health and so much more. Recognizing how important omega-3 consumption is in your diet, you’re likely wondering what some actionable steps are for you to increase your omega-3 intake.

Action Steps to Increasing Omega-3 Consumption 

  • Increase fatty fish consumption (i.e wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies) 
  • Prioritize grass-fed meat, butter and pasteurized eggs 
  • Consider omega-3 supplementation 
    • While this isn’t necessary, it can be helpful if you aren’t getting a lot of omega-3s from your diet 

Gut-Brain Connection and Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that uses real-time brainwave monitoring to train your brain to function more efficiently. Because of the strong relationship between the gut and brain, improving brain health through omega-3 intake while doing neurofeedback could be highly beneficial. Omega-3s complement the goals of neurofeedback of optimizing brain wave patterns by improving attention, memory, and executive functioning.

Recap 

Omega-3 benefits extend beyond brain health, supporting everything from mood regulation and heart health to inflammation reduction. With the gut and brain being so heavily connected, focusing on nutrition can be really helpful in different mental health aspects such as increasing emotional resilience and regulating mood. Additionally, there are structural benefits to the brain with adequate omega-3 consumption, such as enhanced connectivity between neurons. Not only is it important for the brain directly, but by benefiting both the brain and the gut, the whole system is positively impacted. 

 

References 

Dighriri, I. M., Alsubaie, A. M., Hakami, F. M., Hamithi, D. M., Alshekh, M. M., Khobrani, F. A., Dalak, F. E., Hakami, A. A., Alsueaadi, E. H., Alsaawi, L. S., Alshammari, S. F., Alqahtani, A. S., Alawi, I. A., Aljuaid, A. A., & Tawhari, M. Q. (2022). Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Functions: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 14(10), e30091. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30091

Gow, R. V., Sumich, A., Vallee-Tourangeau, F., Crawford, M. A., Ghebremeskel, K., Bueno, A. A., Hibbeln, J. R., Taylor, E., Wilson, D. A., & Rubia, K. (2013). Omega-3 fatty acids are related to abnormal emotion processing in adolescent boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids, 88(6), 419–429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2013.03.008

Mendivil C. O. (2021). Dietary Fish, Fish Nutrients, and Immune Function: A Review. Frontiers in nutrition, 7, 617652. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.617652

Mozaffarian D, Wu JH. 2011. Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: effects on risk factors, molecular pathways, and clinical events. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 58:2047–67

Shahidi, F., & Ambigaipalan, P. (2018). Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits. Annual review of food science and technology, 9, 345–381. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Office of dietary supplements – omega-3 fatty acids. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/

Watts, E. (2022b, October 7). Omega-3 may boost brain health for people in midlife. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/omega-3-may-boost-brain-health-for-people-in-midlife-study