How much Omega 3 do I need? Do I really need to take a supplement?
With research coming out all of the time on the importance of Omega 3 fatty acids for brain function (and particularly for depression), quite a number of people have emailed me about how much Omega 3s they need. And the answer is: it depends.
What we do know is that we need an appropriate intake of Omega 3s to balance our Omega 6 intake. Many people in the U.S. consume fifteen or twenty times the amount of Omega 6s as Omega 3s (or more) – an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of over 15 to 1. It should be 4 to 1 or, ideally, even 1 to 1. A 1 to 1 ratio simply means you are consuming a gram of Omega 3s for every gram of Omega 6s.
How did we get so far from our ideal intake? The answer is at least another article if not an entire website, but the short answer is that our current diets of processed foods rely too much on high Omega 6 ingredients (most notably vegetable oils). Our meat supply has far lower levels too. Animals that eat grass have higher levels of Omega 3s in their muscles. As we have replaced a diet of wild game with meat from animals finished on feedlots, our own meat has less of the necessary Omega 3 fatty acid.
How Much Omega 3?
In a 2006 article by Hibbeln and colleagues Healthy Intakes of N-3 and N-6 Fatty Acids, researchers concluded that Americans should consume something on the order of 3.5 grams of EPA and DHA a day to reduce our risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, and homicide. In The Omega Connection, Andrew Stoll recommends 4 grams of EPA a day for those fighting depression.
These are very high intakes of EPA and DHA.
EPA and DHA, by the way, are specific long chain fatty acids found most abundantly in fish and seafood, though I have also provided articles here on a number of other foods:
* Beef liver and Omega 3
* Grass Fed Beef and Omega 3
* Eggs and Omega 3
* Wild fish and Omega 3
Such High Intakes for Depression?
The Stoll recommendation of 4 grams of EPA per day (and 4 grams of EPA + DHA per day for depression in pregnancy and postpartum) is very high but likely necessary to help fill what has probably been a life-long lack of long chain Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet.
Some people’s budgets are busted before they reach that 4 gram mark. Mine was. But some is better than none, particularly if you have consumed a diet high in vegetable oils and low in the Omega 3 foods listed above.
Such High Intakes for Quality of Life?
The 2006 study by Hibbeln and colleagues in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends we continue to consume three grams a day of EPA and DHA. But they make the point: “A healthy dietary allowance of 3.5 g EPA + DHA/d, which is based on the current per capita background available intake of n-6 fatty acids and ALNA in the United States could be reduced to one-tenth of that amount if the intake of n-6 fatty acids, in particular LA, can be lowered to <2% of total energy.”
And their point is that your consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids might not have to be as high as 3.5 grams per day if you reduce your Omega 6 intake. You might be able to get away with .35 grams everyday – an intake that could possibly be met with wild game and eggs and no seafood or fish oil supplements whatsoever.
Supplements Forever?
Whether you need to take an Omega 3 supplement for the rest of your life to achieve optimum health really depends on your diet. If you have enough in your diet you do not need to rely on a supplement.
I actually have a very favorable intake of Omega 3 fatty acids in my diet but I still keep a bottle of Nordic Naturals cod liver oil in my refrigerator. I take a couple of teaspoons a couple of times each week when I remember. When I am under stress and not eating as well, I take more.
The book, Rebuild from Depression, reviews the top seven nutrient deficiencies associated with depression. It reviews how to identify a deficiency, the best form of supplementation, and the best food sources. It is recommended by readers and experts. Read more about the book.
Both my parents need to take cod liver oil (or fish oil) but my Dad says it “comes up” for hours afterwards..he can taste it and it gives my mother indigestion. Why?
Could the gelatin capsule be at fault?
I emptied a capsule once and left it in the sink, it became huge and 24 hours later still hadn;t disintegrated !!!
I take pancreatic enzymes to help my digest fish oil and take it without reflux symptoms.
Some people have better luck with the liuid. You could give that a try.
Amanda
Twinlab makes a great emulsified cod liver oil that is certified free of heavy metals. The emulsification makes it easy to digest (if you have soy allergies don’t take this) and they add flavors like mint, orange, lemon… I like the orange better than the mint, but haven’t tried the lemon yet. I take a good Tablespoon of it early in the day and then eat something like grapenuts or something absorbant. It’s going to be burped up for a little bit but the benefits far outweigh the minor inconveniences of bad breath.
My kids come willingly for this oil when I call them to take it. It’s that good.
Hi, nice blog — I realize that it is now a couple of years since this post, but I wanted to comment – hope you see it. There is a product called Carlson’s The Very Finest Fish Oil that has more EPA & DHA than the cod liver oil for a cheaper price. You can find at Vitacost. The lemon flavor is also pretty manageable and burps are much less than with pills. Hope this info is useful to some people out there.
To determine the optimal dose of DHA, Lagarde and colleagues examined the effects of increasing doses of DHA on 12 healthy male volunteers between ages of 53 and 65. These men consumed doses of DHA at 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg per day for two weeks for each dose amount, with DHA being the only omega-3 fatty acid in their diet. Blood and urine samples were collected before and after each dose and at eight weeks after DHA supplementation stopped
I’ve been taking flax oil supplements recently, but I’m considering taking krill oil as well…both for variety and also because there are more omega 3s per pill than the flax oil. They are also much smaller to swallow.
I’m drinking flax milk too. 1,100 mg per serving of Omega 3. I have at least one serving per day with my coffee, and I add it to my cereal as well. I think it’s helping.