Rhonda Patrick: Don't Sleep on the Omega-3's

In a recent FoundMyFitness Clip, Rhonda Patrick discusses the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids, the Omega-3 Index, wide-spread deficiency, where Omega-3’s come from, their relationship with Omega-6 fatty acids, among many other topics.

The main takeaway is that Omega-3’s are vital for longevity and overall health, yet many are deficient and overlook these relatively easy to supplement fatty acids.

What are Omega-3’s?

With regards to human physiology, the three main Omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found in plants, especially nuts and seeds, such as flaxseed and walnuts. Whereas ALA comes from plants, EPA and DHA mostly originate in marine algae and phytoplankton which accumulates in some fish.

All three types are important for various functions, including the immune system, brain function, endocrine system, and the heart.

Humans can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but not very efficiently, and there is a large amount of genetic variation.

…there’s widespread genetic differences with respect to that conversion so some people are great [at it], they have an alteration in the desaturase gene that does the conversion of ALA into EPA quite well. I would say the majority of people are not so great at it.

See the video here: