Omega 3,6,9

Ouchette

Hi, I'm hoping someone can explain to me about the different omega stuff.

I take omega 3 supplements when I remember because I'm a vegetarian and so I don't get any fish in my diet. I went to the health food shop today to pick up a new box of them and now my usual one has switched to being Omega 3,6 and 9. I've never heard of 9 before and I thought 6 was actually bad. Healthfood shop lady reckons I need them all. Do I need them all?

Second bit of the question is that I was just reading on wikipedia that ALA omega 3 might not have any benefits after all. This brand (Vertese) only seems to contain the ALA type. Any thoughts on that? I'd just buy a different brand but I'm not sure if there are any vegetarian sources of DHA or EPA. Are those ones only in fish?

EileenG

I think the 3/6/9 thing is a bit of a scam. Omega 3 is the only one that's hard to get, 6 is in far too much food, and 9 is in olive oil.

Fish oil is a better source of 3 than ALA. ALA is better than nothing.

Ouchette

Cheers Eileen. That's much clearer now. I must be getting plenty of omega 9 already if it's in olive oil so in future I'll try to find a brand with just the omega 3. I've got a couple more shops I can try, so maybe they'll have more choice.

Shame that I won't be getting any of the DHA or EPA kinds though

El_Dangeroso

There is actually no plant source of DHA at all, you have to supplement or get it from fish, or bugs. Insects have a load of omega 3 FWIW

Transform

Ouchette wrote: »

Cheers Eileen. That's much clearer now. I must be getting plenty of omega 9 already if it's in olive oil so in future I'll try to find a brand with just the omega 3. I've got a couple more shops I can try, so maybe they'll have more choice.

Shame that I won't be getting any of the DHA or EPA kinds though

this will help clear it up -

http://thetransformationcatalyst.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/fats-that-heal-fats-that-kill/

Ouchette

Thanks for that, Transform. I read your link and it actually raised another question.

One of the comments there mentioned that your body can make DHA or EPA kinds from the ALA. Is that true? If so, I can just carry on taking my flaxseed oil and stop worrying

El_Dangeroso

ALA can convert to EPA, but the conversion rate varies wildly, and there's no way of knowing if any is converting at all. If you're a young female you seem to have the best rate of conversion. Men and older people not so much.

If ALA conversion to EPA is low, it's even lower for DHA,[ref] and according to new research DHA seems to do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to the benefits of omega 3.

It's also worth noting that most supermarket foods that say 'Enriched with omega 3' are enriched with ALA not the much more expensive (never mind fishy smelling) EPA and DHA.

Transform

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

ALA can convert to EPA, but the conversion rate varies wildly, and there's no way of knowing if any is converting at all. If you're a young female you seem to have the best rate of conversion. Men and older people not so much.

If ALA conversion to EPA is low, it's even lower for DHA,[ref] and according to new research DHA seems to do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to the benefits of omega 3.

It's also worth noting that most supermarket foods that say 'Enriched with omega 3' are enriched with ALA not the much more expensive (never mind fishy smelling) EPA and DHA.

what she said +2

Ouchette

But no other options. It's the ALAs or nothing if the others can't be got from vegetarian sources.

El_Dangeroso

Ouchette wrote: »

But no other options. It's the ALAs or nothing if the others can't be got from vegetarian sources.

In that case flax is better than nothing.

El_Dangeroso

Just found that you can get algae oil that is rich in DHA. It still won't be as effective as fish-derived DHA but it's better than flax:

http://www.v-pure.com/omega3/?gclid=CKjambGSz6ECFQE8lAod-iKtKA

Ouchette

Brilliant! Cheers Temple Grandin! I'm going to get myself some of that.