Omega 3, needed?

Tar.Aldarion

I have often seen omega 3 touted as necessary in prevention of certain things and good/necessary for our cardiovascular health, a recent paper/meta analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association says different.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22968891

http://nutritionfacts.org/2015/03/05/the-reversal-on-fish-oil/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1399986c03-RSS_BLOG_DAILY&utm_term=0_40f9e497d1-1399986c03-23253477

What do you guys think about it?

El_Dangeroso

Omega 3 doesn't really work for cardiovascular protection in the face of large intake of omega 6 (the kind found commonly in seed oils like sunflower, rapeseed and soybean oil) and we all eat too much of that.

You only need tiny amounts of omega 3 if you really work to minimise your exposure to omega 6 (easier said than done - it's in everything)

One thing I've seen omega 3 be really effective for is mood-improvement in those with mild depression.

Ole Rodrigo

It does tie in with the general recommendation of a healthy diet - fish, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds with moderate/small amounts of animal fat/ protein.

Yet fish - and consequently Omega3 - had never featured strongly in the Irish diet up until relatively recently and we didn't suffer. Maybe it is required in higher amounts to balance omega 6 in a protein rich diet?

I think as a general rule, healthy oils are a good thing - coconut, avacado, nuts, rapeseed, olive oil, fish oil etc..

anna austen

Omega 3 is needed because it help to lower blood pressure, reduce triglycerides, slow the development of plaque in the arteries, reduce the chance of abnormal heart rhythm, reduce the likelihood of heart attack and stroke and lessen the chance of sudden cardiac death in people with heart disease.