Omega-3 Facts

To maintain a healthy body, you need omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, an essential fatty acid that your body cannot make on its own. The ratio between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, another type of essential fatty acid, should range from 1:2 and 1:4, though the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, notes that many Americans consume 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids. Three types of omega-3 fatty acids exist in foods: alpha-linolenic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.

Benefits

Omega-3 fatty acids can help with different conditions. For example, omega-3 fatty acids may help with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, may lower blood pressure and triglycerides, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Omega-3 fatty acids may also help with mood disorders such as depression. These fatty acids may reduce inflammation, which can help with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Before taking omega-3 fatty acids for any condition, consult your doctor.

Sources

Several foods you eat contain omega-3 fatty acids. Sources of DHA and EPA include fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut. Vegetarian sources of DHA include seaweed. Alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, exists in soybeans, flaxseeds and walnuts. Several oils, such as canola oil, also contain omega-3 fatty acids. If you are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, you may try supplements. Fish oil capsules and flaxseed oil are different options. Dr. Frank Sacks of Harvard School of Public Health points out that food sources are the best source for omega-3 fatty acids because they contain other nutrients, but supplements are an option for those lacking omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.

Dosage

The amount of omega-3 fatty acids that you should take depends on whether you are taking it for a specific condition. Sacks recommends 500 mg per day of an omega-3 fatty acid supplement if you do not consume foods with omega-3 fatty acids. For high cholesterol, take 2 to 4 g of EPA and DHA a day, and for coronary heart disease, take 1 g of EPA and DHA a day, according to UMMC. Before starting an omega-3 fatty acid regimen, talk to your doctor about how much you should take.

Risks

Omega-3 fatty acids are not without their risks. The UMMC warns that taking more than 3 g of omega-3 fatty acid supplements may increase the risk of bleeding and should only be done under the supervision of a health care professional. If you use fish oil supplements, you may experience some side effects, such as diarrhea and abdominal bloating. While some fish have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and mercury, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes that fish oil supplements do not seem to have these contaminants in them.

Considerations

If you have a certain condition, you may not be able to use omega-3 fatty acid supplements safely. For example, if you have familial adenomatous polyposis, a hereditary condition in which you develop benign colon polyps, omega-3 fatty acid supplements may not be safe, according to eMedTV. Because large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids may increase your bleeding risk, use omega-3 fatty acids with caution if you have a bleeding disorder or use a blood thinner. Supplements may interact with some medications, such as those for diabetes and cholesterol.