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The History of Omega 3

Mar 28, 2011 | By Sharon Takiguchi
The History of Omega 3
Photo Credit Smiling eskimo man with child image by LoopAll from Fotolia.com

Omega-3 research goes back over the last four decades, but the British physiologist, Hugh Sinclair, first proposed that a deficiency in fatty acids might explain the increase in heart disease in Western societies in the 1940s, according to "Quarterly Journal of Medicine" in 2003. Epidemiological studies commenced in the late 1970s with studies on the Greenland Eskimos. Since publication of the first study in 1973, researchers produced hundreds of studies using many research designs on omega-3 fatty acid.

Cardiovascular Health and Omega-3

Epidemiological and experimental data on cardiovascular or heart disease is the area of study most comprehensively covered regarding the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid, according to "Circulation" in 2002. The Greenland Inuit Eskimos had significantly lower rates of heart attacks than subjects in Western societies. Epidemiological studies transpired in the 1970s and 1980s. Experimental and longitudinal trials followed the epidemiological studies. Studies identified eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA as the active ingredient of the omega-3 fatty acid in fish.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Guidelines 1995 and 2000

The fourth and fifth sets of Dietary Guidelines for Americans published in 1995 and 2000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture mentioned omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in relation to fish. The fat recommendations advocated using monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and no more than 30 percent of calories in the diet from fats. The guidelines make no suggestions about consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. They only said that the subject remains under study for a potential association with the reduction of heart disease.

American Heart Association Guidelines 2002

The American Heart Association, or AHA, in the journal "Circulation" in 2002, published the first dietary guidelines recommending the use of omega-3 fatty acid in healthy individuals and patients with heart disease. The guidelines recommend healthy individuals eat a variety of fish at least twice a week and foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid such as flax seed, canola and soybean oils. For patients with documented heart disease, the guidelines advocate consuming 1 g of EPA and DHA per day, preferably from oily fish such as salmon, trout and sardines. Patients considering use of fish oil supplements need to consult with their physicians.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Guidelines 2005

The U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines in 2005 continue to recommend replacing saturated fatty acids with mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids to reduce cardiovascular disease and obesity. The guidelines indicate polyunsaturated fats may come from sources of omega-3 fatty acids from fish or plant sources. The guidelines state that there is incomplete evidence to imply a connection between ingestion of fatty acids in fish and a lower death rate from heart disease.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and American Heart Association Guidelines 2010

"Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care" in 2010 reports the American Heart Association recommends fish twice a week for individuals without heart disease to meet requirements for omega-3 fatty acid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines in 2010 for the first time recommended omega-3 fatty acids in the form of 8 oz. of fish per week to reduce cardiac death. The 8 oz. of fish per week provides an average of 250 mg per day of EPA and DHA. More than 30 years transpired before omega-3 fatty acid reached mainstream use in American diets.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Mar 28, 2011

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