Featured Articles | Physicians & Healthcare
Am I getting enough omega-3 fatty acids from my diet?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions about omega-3 fatty acids, and it naturally begs the question "what is enough?" Although the answer is and will continue to be the subject of intense investigation, in 2004 an important paper was published that will help define "enough." Harris and von Schacky proposed a new blood test called "the omega-3 index," and presented a case for why it should be considered as a new risk factor for fatal coronary heart disease.
Omega-3 fatty acid benefits for different patient populations
Omega-3 fatty acids are notable for their protean physiological effects, including regulation of eicosanoid production, cell membrane physiology, gene expression and translation, and metabolism. Such diversity of action allows omega-3 fatty acids to be investigated as potential therapy in a variety of disease states. In fact, there is active omega-3 research in many disparate medical fields.
Omega-3 fatty acids and heart disease
Though omega-3 fatty acids are being applied to a variety of disease states; arguably, the most prominent and extensively investigated is in the area of cardiovascular illness. Such research began in the early 1970s with the discovery that Northern European Eskimos, whose food intake was limited primarily to omega-3 fatty acid rich fatty animal meats and fish, had substantially lower levels of blood lipids and lower rates of heart disease than their European counterparts, who consumed a less fatty, more "balanced" diet (1). Since then, omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to salutary cardiovascular effects.
What you need to know about omega-3 fatty acids before recommending them to your patients
Although the putative benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are frequently addressed in the lay press and the medical literature, confusion and misperceptions remain. Before recommending omega-3 fatty acids to patients beyond the dietary sources supported by the Institute of Medicine and Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there are some points that clinicians should be familiar with.
Will omega-3 fatty acids interact with medications?
While the long chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are derived from dietary (primarily marine) sources, they are still theoretically capable of interacting with other pharmacologic compounds to alter bioactivity. Click on the link to see what data are available on omega-3 fatty acids and drug interactions.
Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in kidney disease patients
Individuals with kidney disease offer a unique group in which to study the potential benefits of marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids, especially given their inadequate dietary intake1 and numerous complications. However, research in this area is still in its early stages.
Highlighted Articles
- Am I getting enough omega-3 fatty acids from my diet?
- Will omega-3 fatty acids interact with medications?
Physicians & Healthcare
Learn more about the physicians & healthcare section of the website and what type of information you can expect to find here.
Food Product Database
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Make sure that you sign up for our newsletters. We have three different newsletters, designed for consumers, physicians and veterinarians that will give you bimonthly information on omega-3 fatty acids. These uniquely designed newsletters contain information about nutrition, family health, food products, pet food products, and new discoveries in health maintenance and diet-related disease risk.