Lately, it seems that Fish Oil has become a hot topic.  Recently, I’ve had a lot of patients as well as many friends and family members ask the benefits of Fish Oil.

Let’s start by explaining what Omega-3 Fatty Acids are.  These are the good guys, good fatty acids that you want in your diet.  They are naturally found in cold-water fish, shellfish, grass-fed beef, plants, walnuts, pecans, and flaxseed to name a few.  The long chain omega-3 fatty acids that come from fish and algae (also called EPA and DHA) are the most beneficial.  There are many studies out there suggesting that omega -3’s may provide some benefits to a variety of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis, among others.

Here are some suspected benefits:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Good for the heart/arteries
• May decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease
• May reduce risk of Alzheimer’s
• May improve immune function

Now let’s explain Omega-6 Fatty Acids, the bad guys.  Most of us have way too many of these in our diet.  They are unsaturated fatty acids that can be found in poultry, eggs, avocado, grains/cereals, soybean oil, vegetable oil, etc.

Here are some suspected risks:

• Cause inflammation
• Poor heart/artery health
• May increase probability of depression
• May increase possibility of obesity
• May increase possibility of cancer

The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid is thought to be 4 to 1 or even lower.  This is a major problem when the typical American diet contains a ratio of 10 to 1 or even close to 30 to 1!  To counter the effect of having too much omega-6 fatty acids (the bad guys) in your diet, your doctor may recommend that you eat more fish or take a fish oil supplement.  A flaxseed oil would have the same effect if you couldn't take a fish oil supplement, for example, a vegetarian could take flaxseed.