omega 3

Omega-3s Can Fight Depression and Anxiety

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the world.

Symptoms include sadness, lethargy and a general loss of interest in life (1, 2).

Anxiety, also a common disorder, is characterized by constant worry and nervousness (3Trusted Source).

Interestingly, studies indicate that people who consume omega-3s regularly are less likely to be depressed (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

What's more, when people with depression or anxiety start taking omega-3 supplements, their symptoms improve (6, 7, 8Trusted Source).

There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA and DHA. Of the three, EPA appears to be the best at fighting depression (9Trusted Source).

One study even found EPA as effective against depression as a common antidepressant drug (10).

SUMMARYOmega-3 supplements may help prevent and treat depression and anxiety. EPA seems to be the most effective at fighting depression.

2. Omega-3s Can Improve Eye Health

DHA, a type of omega-3, is a major structural component of the retina of your eye (11Trusted Source).

When you don't get enough DHA, vision problems may arise (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

Interestingly, getting enough omega-3 is linked to a reduced risk of macular degeneration, one of the world's leading causes of permanent eye damage and blindness (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

SUMMARYAn omega-3 fatty acid called DHA is a major structural component of your eyes’ retinas. It may help prevent macular degeneration, which can cause vision impairment and blindness.

3. Omega-3s Can Promote Brain Health During Pregnancy and Early Life

Omega-3s are crucial for brain growth and development in infants.

DHA accounts for 40% of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in your brain and 60% in the retina of your eye (12Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).

Therefore, it's no surprise that infants fed a DHA-fortified formula have better eyesight than infants fed a formula without it (17Trusted Source).

Getting enough omega-3s during pregnancy is associated with numerous benefits for your child, including (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source):

• Higher intelligence
• Better communication and social skills
• Fewer behavioral problems
• Decreased risk of developmental delay
• Decreased risk of ADHD, autism and cerebral palsy

SUMMARYGetting enough omega-3s during pregnancy and early life is crucial for your child’s development. Supplementing is linked to higher intelligence and a lower risk of several diseases.

4. Omega-3s Can Improve Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Heart attacks and strokes are the world's leading causes of death (21Trusted Source).

Decades ago, researchers observed that fish-eating communities had very low rates of these diseases. This was later linked to omega-3 consumption (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

Since then, omega-3 fatty acids have been tied to numerous benefits for heart health (24Trusted Source).

These benefits address:

• Triglycerides: Omega-3s can cause a major reduction in triglycerides, usually in the range of 15–30% (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).
• Blood pressure: Omega-3s can reduce blood pressure levels in people with high blood pressure (25Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).
• “Good” HDL cholesterol: Omega-3s can raise “good” HDL cholesterol levels (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
• Blood clots: Omega-3s can keep blood platelets from clumping together. This helps prevent the formation of harmful blood clots (32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).
• Plaque: By keeping your arteries smooth and free from damage, omega-3s help prevent the plaque that can restrict and harden your arteries (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).
• Inflammation: Omega-3s reduce the production of some substances released during your body’s inflammatory response (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).

For some people, omega-3s can also lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. However, evidence is mixed — some studies find increases in LDL (39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

Despite these beneficial effects on heart disease risk factors, there is no convincing evidence that omega-3 supplements can prevent heart attacks or strokes. Many studies find no benefit (41Trusted Source, 42Trusted Source).

SUMMARYOmega-3s improve numerous heart disease risk factors. However, omega-3 supplements do not seem to reduce your risk of heart attacks or strokes.

5. Omega-3s Can Reduce Symptoms of ADHD in Children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity (43Trusted Source).

Several studies note that children with ADHD have lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids than their healthy peers (44Trusted Source, 45Trusted Source).

What's more, numerous studies observe that omega-3 supplements can reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

Omega-3s help improve inattention and task completion. They also decrease hyperactivity, impulsiveness, restlessness and aggression (46Trusted Source, 47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source, 49Trusted Source).

Recently, researchers observed that fish oil supplements were one of the most promising treatments for ADHD (50Trusted Source).

SUMMARYOmega-3 supplements can reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children. They improve attention and reduce hyperactivity, impulsiveness and aggression.

6. Omega-3s Can Reduce Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions.

It includes central obesity — also known as belly fat — as well as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high triglycerides and low “good” HDL cholesterol levels.

It is a major public health concern because it increases your risk of many other illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes (51Trusted Source).

Omega-3 fatty acids can improve insulin resistance, inflammation and heart disease risk factors in people with metabolic syndrome (52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source, 54Trusted Source).

SUMMARYOmega-3s can have numerous benefits for people with metabolic syndrome. They can reduce insulin resistance, fight inflammation and improve several heart disease risk factors.

7. Omega-3s Can Fight Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural response to infections and damage in your body. Therefore, it is vital for your health.