Usually when people think of the word "metabolism," they think of how fast calories are burned. But metabolism is a much larger concept involving how the body "burns" hundreds of chemical compounds found in foods and uses them as fuel to keep every function of the body running. Omega-3s are found to help a variety of metabolic processes including lipid oxidation, glucose uptake and lipoprotein transfiguration.
Lipid Oxidation
"Lipid oxidation" is the scientific term for fat burning, and omega-3s are well studied as a potential weight-loss aid. Research reported in the April 2006 issue of "Physiological Research" put a group of 20 obese women on a very-low-calorie diet for one week. Half were supplemented with 2.8 g of omega-3s and the other half with placebo. The researchers reported that the omega-3 group lost 25 percent more weight than the placebo group and attributed the difference to enhanced rates of lipid oxidation. They further reported that the omega-3s reduced the conversion of glucose to fat.
Fat Loss and Muscle Gain
Supplementing 4 g of omega-3s produced very positive results for 44 healthy men and women enrolled in a study investigating omega-3s effects on body composition. The study is reported in the October 2010 issue of the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition." The subjects ingested two 1-g fish oil capsules at breakfast and dinner for six weeks. A control group took a placebo dose on the same schedule. The omega-3 group enjoyed a significant increase in lean body mass and a significant decrease in fat mass, as compared with the placebo group.
Glucose Uptake
Glucose uptake is a major concern for diabetics, and many of the omega-3 studies were performed to explain its effects on blood sugar. "Glucose" is the medical term for sugar that's been digested and transported to the blood stream for uptake into muscle, liver and fat cells for energy storage. Some studies have shown that omega-3s impair glucose metabolism in diabetics and others that omega-3s help to prevent diabetes. A review of the major studies published in the April 2007 issue of "Diabetes Care" concluded that omega-3s may increase fasting glucose levels in diabetics but reduce the same in non-diabetics.
Lipoprotein Transfiguration
Lipoprotein transfiguration is the scientific description of the metabolic process that turns dietary fats into cholesterol and triglycerides. Researchers reporting in the July 2011 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" studied the effects omega-3s have on lipoprotein transfiguration in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Sixteen patients were randomly assigned to either a diet high in omega-3 or high in omega-6 fatty acids for a total of seven weeks. The researchers found that the omega-3s significantly improved production of good cholesterol and lowered triglyceride levels. They concluded that the lipoprotein benefits outweigh any possible complications from impaired glucose metabolism.
References
- "Physiological Research"; The Influence of N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Very Low Calorie Diet During a Short-Term Weight Reducing Regimen on Weight Loss and Serum Fatty Acid Composition in Severely Obese Women; Marna Kunesova, et al.; April 2006
- "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition"; Effects of Supplemental Fish Oil on Resting Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, and Salivary Cortisol in Healthy Adults; Eric Noreen, et al.; October 2010
- "Diabetes Care"; N-3 Fatty Acids in the Treatment of Diabetic Patients Biological Rationale and Clinical Data; Raffaele De Caterina, et al.; April 2007
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Fatty Fish in the Diet of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Comparison of the Metabolic Effects of Foods Rich in N-3 and N-6 Fatty Acids; Brita E Karlström, et al.; July 2011
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