Diet and
lifestyle play a huge role in the development of chronic diseases. Risk factors
including inflammation, high cholesterol and insulin resistance can lead to
diabetes, heart disease and obesity. With the prevalence of these diseases in
the United States slowly increasing, it is important to focus on minor
nutrition upgrades in your diet to help lower your risk of chronic disease. A recent study looked at the benefits of omega-3
fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce systemic inflammation and provide
a multitude of other benefits.
A randomized,
controlled study assessed the impact omega-3 fatty acids would have on
biomarkers of fatty acids, triglycerides, HDL/LDL and total cholesterol levels,
markers of inflammation including C-reactive protein and glucose/hemoglobin
A1C. Fifty-nine adults with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome were included in
this 8-week study. Each participant was provided supplements containing
polyunsaturated fatty acids. The participants received corn oil, botanical oil
or fish oil supplements. The botanical oil was rich in alpha-linolenic (ALA)
fatty acids and the fish oil supplement in eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
(DHA) acids.
The results
indicate that supplementation with botanical oil and fish oil has the ability
to improve disease biomarkers in adults with type 2-diabetes and metabolic
syndrome. Specifically, fish oil supplementation increased blood levels of
omega 3 fatty acids, decreased triglycerides, increased HDL (good) cholesterol,
and reduced hemoglobin A1C and C-reactive protein levels. Botanical oil
decreased total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol. The patients that
received supplementation with corn oil did not show any significant changes in
disease markers from baseline to post-supplementation treatment.
Bottom Line:
Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid, which means the body cannot make it -- we
must get it from our food. Walnuts, flax seeds and leafy vegetables are sources
rich in ALA omega-3 fatty acids. Oily fish is rich in EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty
acids. It is recommended to consume two servings of oily fish per week for
healthy adults, equating to approximately 500 mg of EPA and DHA. If you do take
a fish oil supplement, check that it contains EPA and DHA fatty acids.
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