Fats are an important part of your diet and play a vital role in human health. Some fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, can even help reduce your risk of having a heart attack and other health conditions, including heart disease and some conditions caused by inflammation. You can reap these benefits by eating foods with omega-3 fatty acids or by taking supplements.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease
Omega-3 fatty acids can affect your risk of developing cardiovascular disease in many ways. They lower your levels of triglyceride, which is a type of lipid that has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, a condition in which cholesterol builds up in the walls of the arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids can also lower your blood pressure and work as a natural blood thinner and prevent abnormal heart rhythms, the American Heart Association explains.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Inflammation
Omega-3 fatty acids can also have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, working in a number of different ways, according to a 2002 paper in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition titled "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases." This paper explains that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of chemicals that trigger inflammation, which can make omega-3 fatty acids useful for rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, lupus and other diseases caused by inflammation.
Types
There are three main omega-3 fatty acids. Two of them, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, also known as EPA and DHA, are commonly found in fish. The other main omega-3 fatty acid is alpha-linoleic acid, or ALA, which can be found in plant-based foods such as flaxseed, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils and legumes, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes. DHA and EPA appear to have the greatest effect on human health, but ALA can be converted by the body into EPA and DHA.
Considerations
Although omega-3 fatty acids can be found in different kinds of food, many people prefer to take supplements which contain these fatty acids, such as fish oil or flaxseed oil caplets. When taking supplements, make sure that you buy from established companies which can guarantee that their products do not contain heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and lead, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains. You should also be careful about taking omega-3 fatty acids with blood thinners because they can increase your risk of bleeding.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- American Heart Association: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition; "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases"; Simopoulos; December, 2002.
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