Mar 30, 2022
Omega-3 fatty acids have long been associated with various
health outcomes. A type of omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA) is found in various plant foods such as flax seeds or chia
seeds. Other omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found typically in marine food
sources such as oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel) and algae. And
while higher intakes of such foods have shown benefit, there has
been some confusion over the benefit of such nutrients due to some
large omega-3 supplementation trials reporting null findings.
So what should we make of the current evidence base? Does
supplementation lead to heart disease risk reduction or not? Do we
need direct sources of EPA and DHA in the diet? Does ALA have
unique benefits? What is an omega-3 index and why is it
important?
In this episode, fatty acid expert Dr. Bill Harris dives into each
of these questions and clarifies what the current evidence tells us
about the effect of these fatty acids on our health.
Overview:
- 04:02 - Fatty acid definitions/subtypes
- 09:14 - Omega-3 status & the Omega-3 Index (O3I)
- 20:03 - Omega-3 supplementation trials for CVD
- 41:15 - DHA, brain health, cognition in later life, development, etc
- 49:45 - Should we be concerned about omega-6 fatty acids?
Show note available at: sigmanutrition.com/episode432/
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