Omega-3 Fatty Acids From Fish Oil And Algae Oil: What Are The Benefits?

If fish is not your thing and you want to know how you can meet your omega-3 fatty acid requirements with fish oil or algae oil and which oil is the better choice for you, you will find out the answer here.

Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be produced by the human body, which is why a balanced diet is very important. This includes high-fat fish on your diet.

 

What are omega-3 fatty acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids and are considered to be "Good" fats. In nutrition, a distinction is mainly made between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The term refers to the positions of the double bonds in the fatty acid molecule.

Depending on where the double bonds are and how many double bonds there are, the fatty acid molecules have different chemical properties and different biological functions in your body.

What are fatty acids?

Fats consist of several fatty acids, which can be divided into three groups:

• gesättigte Fettsäuren
• monounsaturated fatty acids
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids

 

Saturated fatty acids

The body absorbs saturated fatty acids through food, for example in the form of butter, meat or coconut fat. The more saturated fatty acids a food contains, the firmer its consistency at room temperature. So you can easily see which fatty acids an edible oil contains.

 

Mono- and poly-saturated fatty acids

Monounsaturated fatty acids are generally better for health than saturated fats, with polyunsaturated fatty acids being said to have more health-promoting effects. They are ingested with food and some of them can also be formed by the body from saturated fatty acids. You can find unsaturated fatty acids in nuts and seeds, for example. For your cholesterol level, an intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids is better than saturated fatty acids.

Which foods contain omega-3 fatty acids?

Omega fatty acids 6 we normally get enough from food. We cover a large part of our requirements for omega-6 fatty acids with the following foods:

• Meat
• eggs
• dairy products

Omega fatty acids 3 however, are often neglected. Many plants contain the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, but according to current knowledge, the omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish are particularly valuable.

These include the omega-3 fatty acids:

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Since fatty fish is not regularly on everyone's menu in high enough quantities and cod liver oil and the taste of fish are not for everyone, many people much prefer to use omega-3 capsules with fish oil or to dietary supplements with oils that - unlike others Food sources do not have a fishy taste.

Function of DHA and EPA: This is how important the omega-3 fatty acids are

The two omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are found in the form of phospholipids in the cell membranes of various tissues. It is therefore not surprising that they are important for other organs apart from the cardiovascular system. Omega-3 fatty acids affect:

• Your brain
• Your immune system
• Your muscles

If the cell membranes and body cells lack polyunsaturated (long-chain) fatty acids, they become stiffer. This can severely limit the function of membrane proteins and the cells can no longer function properly with regard to:

• Signal forwarding
• Cell-cell contact
• Transport of substances

Effects on the brain

DHA is believed to play an essential role in brain development, while EPA appears to have more of an impact on behavior and mood.

Both omega-3 fatty acids form neuroprotective metabolic products. When combined, according to scientists, they could improve symptoms in ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, depression and a number of other mental illnesses. Researchers also see a connection between low DHA and EPA levels and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia or Huntington's disease.²

A study with healthy participants suggests that the intake of DHA and EPA using fish oil capsules could have a positive effect on the following conditions:

• trouble
• Anxiety
• fatigue
• Depression
• confusion

Attention, reaction time, learning, and memory performance could also be improved by taking fish or supplements containing DHA and EPA.^{2, 3}

DHA is said to strengthen certain membrane properties of nerve cells and is involved in the reading of genetic information and communication between nerve cells.^{2, 4} In experiments with rats, the administration of DHA could even help the brain to regenerate better after an injury.³ Studies also provide evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acids also put your neurotransmitter budget in order.⁵

Effects on the immune system

Metabolic products from EPA and DHA can counteract inflammation caused, for example, by metabolic products of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is one of the omega-6 fatty acids that the body also needs. The ratio of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids must, however, be right for the immune system to function optimally and the Strengthen the immune system can.⁶

 

Effects on the muscles

Scientists believe it is possible to improve muscle function and metabolism by increasing the intake of long-chain, polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.⁶

According to studies, there is a connection between a diet rich in high-dose saturated oils and their negative effects on the organism. Saturated oils are associated with pathological obesity and type 2 diabetes.^{7, 8}

A comparison with the traditional high-fat diet of the Inuit shows that this is not simply due to the high fat content of the food source. Because this is characterized by a very high content of polyunsaturated omega-3 fats and can still promote a healthy metabolism.⁶ The scientists also see a direct link to muscles, which benefit from a high-fat diet containing omega-3 fatty acids.

Symptoms of omega-3 deficiency

Omega-3 fatty acids are involved in many important functions in the human body, such as a healthy brain metabolism, memory and eyesight. The causes of a deficiency are mostly due to a lack of intake from the diet. On the other hand, an unbalanced ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can also be the cause.

Symptoms of an omega-3 deficiency:

• Muscle weakness
• Poor eyesight
• unrest
• fatigue
• Skin Problems
• concentration problems
• joint pain

In order to stay healthy and fit, you should ensure that you have a sufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids

You can get omega-3 fatty acids not only from fish or omega-3 capsules with fish oil, but also from plant-based and vegan sources.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids:

• Seaweed oil
• hemp oil
• walnut oil
• rapeseed oil
• chia seeds
• linseed oil
• Edamame
• Kidney beans

Plants increasingly contain the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, although microalgae (also known as marine fatty acids) mainly contain DHA and EPA.

The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3

The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is also important. Omega-6 fatty acids are often consumed in higher amounts because foods containing these fatty acids are consumed more often. Because the two fatty acids are metabolized in the same way. This can be problematic if you have consumed too much omega-6 fatty acids, so that the omega-3 fatty acids are blocked.

 

Often too many omega-6 fatty acids are ingested through food, which disrupts the ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It is estimated that the average western diet even achieves an omega-6 and omega-3 ratio of 20: 1.⁶ Excessive consumption of omega-6 fatty acids can have a negative effect on the development of the brain or on its structure and function.

The optimal ratio here is 5: 1 (Omega 6: Omega 3).

The daily requirement for omega-3 fatty acids should make up 0,5% of total energy.

 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: What Is Fish Oil?

Fish oil is obtained from sea fish or from particularly fatty types of fish, such as salmon in the form of salmon oil, and is therefore very rich in polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. The fatty acids in fish oil are mainly linked as so-called triglycerides. EPA and DHA make up a large proportion of the fatty acids in fish oil.

What are the benefits of fish oil?

Fish oil has already been researched quite well, which is why it can be said more precisely which dose can be expected to have which effect. That means more security and significantly better efficiency. In addition, fish oil is usually inexpensive. This is not least due to the fact that, due to the lower concentration of omega-3 oil, more capsules with other oils have to be taken in order to achieve a comparable effect compared to fish oil.

However, regardless of the fishing method or origin, fish is known to be frequently contaminated with heavy metals, pollutants and environmental toxins, and this also applies to the fish oil obtained from fish. However, this does not necessarily apply to every product with fish oil, as one study examined.¹⁰

 

How can fish oil help build muscle?

In particular, the two omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are said to have a positive effect on the protein metabolism of the muscles.^{6, 9} The eicosapentaenoic acid EPA is said to promote muscle building more than DHA. Likewise, the intake of food supplements with EPA, such as fish oil in the form of fish oil capsules, should be able to reduce muscle breakdown as a result of illness or injury.⁶

The exact mechanisms behind the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the muscles have not yet been adequately researched. Nevertheless, athletes in particular are advised to ensure they have an adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids - be it through natural foods or through omega-3 capsules for wellbeing.⁵

BASIS

If you don't like the fishy taste of fish - but still want to supply your body with omega-3 fatty acids, you should BASIS try out. BASIS does not have any fishy taste. The capsules contain a combination of EPA and DHA and are made by Vitamin D (Vitamin D3), and vitamin K2 supplemented by astaxanthin, which are among the natural Antioxidants for a trip to the Winterlude.