It can be daunting, sorting your way through the barrage of new health information published in the daily news. If you're brain feels a bit foggy and you're having a hard time determining which supplements to take, you might want to start with omega fatty acids, which are known to affect brain function. Educating yourself about the different types of omega fatty acids can help point you in the right direction.
Omega Fatty Acids
Omega fatty acids are given numerical designations that indicate their molecular structure. According to Sabrina Candelaria of The University of Miami Health System, omega-3 is a fatty acid whose first carbon-carbon double bond is on the third carbon in the molecule. Omega-6 has its first carbon-carbon double bond on its sixth carbon molecule. Both omega-3 and 6 are essential fatty acids, meaning that your body cannot produce sufficient amounts of them on its own. You must obtain them from dietary sources.
Food Sources
Omega 6 is well represented in the typical American diet. In fact, it's over-represented. Omega 6 is found in all meat and animal sources, and as you've probably heard by now, Americans eat far more red meat than is healthy. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish and nuts. The typical Mediterranean diet is high in omega 3, according to Mayo Clinic, since those populations eat far more fish than Westerners do. As a result, those who eat in Mediterranean style experience a far lower risk of death due to heart disease.
Balancing the Omegas
Omega fatty acids are important in numerous aspects of cognition and brain function. Omega -3 and omega-6 have some qualities that counteract each other. Omega-6, for example, enhances inflammation, which is your body's immune response to injury and disease. Omega-3 has the opposite effect. It reduces inflammation. It's important that these two fatty acids are kept in a proper ratio, because unchecked inflammation has been linked to chronic disease.The average U.S. diet contains up to 30 times more omega-6 than omega-3, according to Candelaria. The ideal ratio would be between two and four times more omega-6 to omega-3.
Your Big Fat Brain
Your brain is mostly made of fat, according to the Franklin Institute, so it makes sense that fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 may have effects that impact brain function. Jan Whelan of the Department of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee says that DHA, one of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, makes up between 12 to 15 percent of your brain content and is crucial for brain development. Dietary deficits of omega-3 and excesses of omega-6 have been associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, as well as mental stability, depression and cognitive function. The Franklin Institute states that maintaining a proper balance of omega-3 to omega-6 may delay the onset of diseases that result in cognitive impairment, or reduce the effects of these diseases once they are present.
References
- The Franklin Institute: The Human Brain - Fats
- The Journal of Nutrition: (n-6) and (n-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Aging Brain: Food for Thought
- University of Miami Health System: Omega 3.6.9: What Does it All Add Up To?
- Mayo Clinic: Mediterranean Diet: Choose This Heart-Healthy Diet Option
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