Omega-3: Compare Flaxseed Oil To Fish Oil

Omega-3 fatty acids are not only essential for human life, but research continues to show their health benefits for everything from cardiovascular disease to macular degeneration and cancer. Flaxseed oil and fish oil are the two main options for supplementing your diet with omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil is the best choice, because it is more easily utilized by the body.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that are required for human survival; thus they must be obtained in the diet. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the three main types of omega-3 fatty acids. ALA is found in plants such as flax and walnuts, while EPA and DHA are found in fish and meats.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is produced by pressing the seeds of the flax plant. The resulting flaxseed oil is a rich source of ALA which has no beneficial characteristics on its own. Only through the human body's conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is there a health benefit. Unfortunately, this conversion process if very inefficient.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is produced by extracting the oil from fish. The resulting fish oil is a rich source of EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are the two types of omega-3 fatty acids that are responsible for the triglyceride-lowering, anti-inflammatory and other health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. The presence of EPA and DHA is why fish oil is a better choice than flaxseed oil for an omega-3 fatty acid supplement.

Concerns about ALA

While the EPA and DHA found in fish oil have many health benefits, there are health concerns associated with the ALA found in flaxseed oil. According to The Center for Science in the Public Interest's October 2007 newsletter article entitled "Omega Medicine," intake of 1,500 mg of ALA daily may increase prostate cancer risk without providing the cardiovascular benefits of EPA and DHA.

Bottom Line

In order to ensure that you obtain the beneficial effects from omega-3 fatty acids, choose fish oil over flaxseed oil. Fish oil contains the beneficial EPA and DHA that are not found in flaxseed oil. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy people eat two servings of fatty fish per week and that people with heart disease take a supplement containing 1000 mg EPA plus DHA daily. Fatty fish include salmon, mackerel, sardines and lake trout.