Both omega-3 and omega-6 oils are considered essential fatty acids that are necessary components of a balanced, healthy diet. You should consume sufficient amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet, because your body cannot make them. If you're concerned about the amount of these fatty acids that you're getting from your diet and are thinking about taking supplements, consult your doctor first.
Benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce your triglyceride and cholesterol levels, which can also lower your risks of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions, says the University of Michigan Health System. Omega-3s may also thin your blood by decreasing your blood platelets' ability to form clots, ease depression symptoms and offer anti-inflammatory actions that could help treat rheumatoid arthritis, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for people with asthma, colitis, cystic fibrosis and schizophrenia, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Like omega-3s, omega-6 fatty acids can also offer anti-inflammatory effects and help to prevent or treat heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases by lowering your blood pressure. Omega-6 oil could help treat allergies, eczema, mastalgia, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, premenstrual syndrome, osteoporosis, diabetic neuropathy and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you're taking the breast-cancer drug tamoxifen, taking omega-6 oil could increase the medication's effects as well.
Sources
You can find omega-3 oil in English walnuts, as well as many types of fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Omega-3s are also found in smaller amounts in tofu, leafy green vegetables like spinach, flaxseed and canola oils, and other types of seafood like oysters, flounder and crab. Omega-6 fatty acids are also found in different vegetable oils, as well as meats, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Omega-6 fatty acids are also in nuts and seeds, MayoClinic.com notes.
Dosages
Although both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential to good health, you should consume a certain balance of the two in your diet. This means consuming fewer meats and more fish, as well as more olive oil, garlic, fresh fruits and vegetables. You should include at least 5 percent but no more than 10 percent of omega-6 fatty acids from the calories you consume each day, MayoClinic.com recommends. Your ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids should be between 2 to 1 and 4 to 1, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. You usually won't need to supplement omega-6 oil, because you likely get enough from your diet. If your doctor recommends an omega-6 supplement due to a specific medical condition like mastalgia, eczema or arthritis, you might take it in the form of evening primrose oil or gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. The typical recommended dose of omega-3s is 5 grams daily, which you can get from eating just 6 to 7 ounces of canned tuna, shrimp or another fatty fish, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Ask your doctor before taking omega-3 or omega-6 oil supplements.
Side Effects
The typical side effects of taking omega-3 oil supplements are skin rash, gas, stomach upset and back pain, says the University of Michigan Health System. You might have a fishy or foul taste in your mouth, diarrhea or nausea while taking omega-3s as well, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Omega-6 fatty acids can also cause nausea, loose stools and stomach upset, as well as headaches and stomach pain, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Warnings
Taking omega-3 fatty acids might not be safe if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have thyroid problems, diabetes or allergies to soy or fish, warns the University of Michigan Health System. You shouldn't consume alcohol while you're taking omega-3 supplements, because doing so can raise your triglyceride levels. Omega-3 oil supplements can interact negatively with certain medications like blood-thinners, beta-blockers, estrogens, NSAIDs and diuretics. Omega-6 oil supplements can potentially cause seizures in some people, stimulate labor or cause fetal distress during pregnancy, and promote the growth of prostate cancer cells. Like omega-3s, omega-6 oil supplements can increase your bleeding risks if you also take blood-thinners like Coumadin, as well as increase the effects of medications like chemotherapy drugs, ceftazidinme and cyclosporine, cautions the University of Maryland Medical Center. Omega-6 fatty acids can also interfere with phenothiazine-family drugs like Trilafon, Thorazine and Stelazine.
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