While you cannot spot reduce body fat, omega-3 fatty acids can have a positive effect on your metabolism. Omega-3 fatty acids can affect various hormones your body produces including leptin, which has an effect on your appetite. It is through the influence of omega-3 fatty acids on leptin that you may be able to burn extra body fat. Consult your physician before beginning any diet, exercise, or supplementation program.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids that include alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA. While it is possible for your body to synthesize a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids, the quantity is so small that they are still considered essential. Essential fatty acids affect the production of many hormones, and even play a role in muscle protein synthesis. For fat-burning, the most important role is their effect on the hormone leptin.
Leptin
Leptin helps regulate your appetite and metabolism. Leptin is a hormone that is adipose-generated, or produced by your body fat. Leptin signals your brain and limits your hunger. The lower your leptin levels, the easier it is for you to feel hungry. Leptin stimulation reduces the activity of neuropeptide Y, a neurotransmitter that can trigger the hunger reflex. High levels of neuropeptide Y can also decrease thyroid output, which can have a negative effect on your metabolism.
Omega-3 and Leptin
According to researchers at the University of Navarra of Pamplona, Spain, omega-3 fatty acids can directly decrease appetite through their effects on hunger levels. This is secondary to the increase in leptin levels. The subjects of the study, published in "Appetite" in 2008, who were fed a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids were not as hungry when dieting as the control group. Controlling hunger levels is a key part of dietary success.
Omega-3 and Diet
Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and herring are high in omega-3 fatty acids, as are walnuts and other nuts, seeds and flax. While loading up on these foods may make you feel less hunger, you will not magically melt away fat. This still requires attention to your diet and exercise. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are numerous, including controlling your hunger while you control your diet. But long-term success depends more on self-control than supplementation.
References
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Increases the Rate of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Older Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial; Gary I. Smith, et al.; February 2011
- "Annual Review of Nutrition"; Leptin--much More Than a Satiety Signal; R.B. Harris; 2000
- "Endocrinology"; Neuropeptide Y Has a Central Inhibitory Action on the Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid Axis; C. Fekete, et al.; June 2001
- "Appetite"; A Diet Rich in Long Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Modulates Satiety in Overweight and Obese Volunteers During Weight Loss; D. Parra, et al.; September 2008
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