What makes up omega 3

Get the latest public health information from CDC. Have a question? This is a reader-friendly overview of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. For more details, see our health professional fact sheet on Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods, such as fish and flaxseed, and in dietary supplements , such as fish oil. ALA is found mainly in plant oils such as flaxseed, soybean , and canola oils. Therefore, getting EPA and DHA from foods and dietary supplements if you take them is the only practical way to increase levels of these omega-3 fatty acids in your body.

Omega-3s are important components of the membranes that surround each cell in your body. DHA levels are especially high in retina eye , brain, and sperm cells.

Omega-3s also provide calories to give your body energy and have many functions in your heart, blood vessels, lungs, immune system, and endocrine system the network of hormone -producing glands.

Experts have not established recommended amounts for omega-3 fatty acids, except for ALA. Average daily recommended amounts for ALA are listed below in grams g. The amount you need depends on your age and sex.

Omega-3s are found naturally in some foods and are added to some fortified foods. You can get adequate amounts of omega-3s by eating a variety of foods, including the following:. Omega-3 dietary supplements include fish oil, krill oil, cod liver oil, and algal oil a vegetarian source that comes from algae. They provide a wide range of doses and forms of omega-3s. A deficiency of omega-3s can cause rough, scaly skin and a red, swollen, itchy rash. Omega-3 deficiency is very rare in the United States.

Scientists are studying omega-3s to understand how they affect health. People who eat fish and other seafood have a lower risk of several chronic diseases. But it is not clear whether these health benefits come from simply eating these foods or from the omega-3s in these foods. Here are some examples of what the research has shown. Cardiovascular disease Many studies show that eating fatty fish and other types of seafood as part of a healthy eating pattern helps keep your heart healthy and helps protect you from some heart problems.

Foods high in Omega-3 include fish, vegetable oils, nuts especially walnuts , flax seeds, flaxseed oil, and leafy vegetables. What makes omega-3 fats special? They are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes. They provide the starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. They also bind to receptors in cells that regulate genetic function.

Likely due to these effects, omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions.

The strongest evidence for a beneficial effect of omega-3 fats has to do with heart disease. These fats appear to help the heart beat at a steady clip and not veer into a dangerous or potentially fatal erratic rhythm. Omega-3 fats also lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve blood vessel function, and, at higher doses, lower triglycerides and may ease inflammation, which plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis.

Several large trials have evaluated the effect of fish or fish oils on heart disease. In the more recent Japan EPA Lipid Intervention Study JELIS , participants who took EPA plus a cholesterol-lowering statin were less likely to have a major coronary event sudden cardiac death, fatal or nonfatal heart attack, unstable angina, or a procedure to open or bypass a narrowed or blocked coronary artery than those who took a statin alone.

Most Americans take in far more of another essential fat—omega-6 fats—than they do omega-3 fats. Some experts have raised the hypothesis that this higher intake of omega-6 fats could pose problems, cardiovascular and otherwise, but this has not been supported by evidence in humans.

Although there is no question that many Americans could benefit from increasing their intake of omega-3 fats, there is evidence that omega-6 fats also positively influence cardiovascular risk factors and reduce heart disease. Researchers are taking a hard look at a different sort of balance, this one between possible effects of marine and plant omega-3 fats on prostate cancer. However, this effect is inconsistent. Given the wide-ranging importance and benefits of marine omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to eat fish or other seafood one to two times per week, particularly fatty dark meat fish that are richer in EPA and DHA.

This is especially important for women who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant and nursing mothers. On the other hand, if you are okay with consuming seafood products but cannot find a way to regularly incorporate them into your diet, then cod liver oil is often available as a supplement.

There are other fish oils that people use in supplement form as well, including krill oil and green-lipped mussel oil. Krill oil is low in contaminants and a potential antioxidant. Its omega-3s are also well absorbed.