Omega-3 fatty acids are capable of improving brain health in a wide variety of ways. Omega-3 may be able to help improve cognitive function, support brain development, and reduce depression in some cases. Even other conditions, such as memory loss and other minor symptoms of various mental illnesses, can be alleviated by omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in a wide variety of foods, mainly various types of seafood, including sardines, salmon, and mackerel to name a few. Omega-3 may be able to help with a large number of health issues, including skin and heart health. This article will specifically focus on how the consumption of omega-3, including foods with omega-3 and omega-3 supplements, can help to support brain health in both children and adults.
How Omega 3 Impacts Brain Health
Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA are essential for healthy brain development and function throughout life. These fatty acids also are essential for the long-term maintenance of the brain. Omega-3 is prevalent in brain cell membranes, and it helps keep the brain healthy while also making it easier for brain cells to communicate with one another. Omega-3 supplements can be extremely useful for older adults who are experiencing cognitive decline, and also for children who can rely on omega-3 to boost their brain development. However, Omega-3 is crucial for everyone, regardless of their age. Luckily, most people can consume enough omega-3 naturally in their diet through careful planning, while omega-3 supplements may be more useful for older people or people with serious health issues. According to WebMD, a diet rich in omega-3 can help to slow down the aging process of the brain, and potentially reduce the risk of dementia.
A lack of omega-3 in your diet can damage your brain’s performance and make you more susceptible to other types of physical illnesses. Several neurological disorders and mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia, can sometimes be improved by these essential fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids may also assist in lessening the onset and severity of anxiety. Appropriate EPA levels have even been shown in research to protect against post-traumatic stress disorder.
Omega-3 and Prenatal Vitamins
As we have mentioned before, prenatal supplementation is an excellent option for women who are pregnant and want to support their child’s cognitive health. Many, but not all, prenatal vitamins already contain omega-3, which can be beneficial for child cognitive development later in life. Furthermore, younger children can also benefit from taking omega-3 supplements or consuming a diet that contains an abundant amount of omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA play critical functions in a baby’s brain development. Studies have found a link between pregnant women’s fish consumption and their children’s IQ and brain function tests in the early years. Other studies have also shown that DHA consumption during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of early premature birth and low birth weight.
Protection from the Impacts of Aging
One of the most common physiological and chemical changes that occur as we get older is our brain’s capacity to retain information. We also lose some of our brain’s flexibility and the levels of the fatty acid omega-3 drop. Omega-3 is able to reduce inflammation in the brain and oxidative damage, which can help to offset some of these negative symptoms that grow as we age. Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids are able to raise levels of BDNF and enhance insulin signaling. These health benefits are connected to a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids also help to keep the brain’s blood flow healthy. Increased blood flow in specific regions of the brain has been linked to greater performance in a variety of cognitive activities. Blood flow is also essential for improving memory and potentially preventing dementia and other serious neurological conditions.
Some studies have revealed that the consumption of seafood and omega-3 fatty acids slow down the aging process through improving memory and the ability to learn and absorb further information. People with dementia who ate two or more portions of seafood per week showed less cognitive deterioration than people who ate less seafood per week. Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, critical for healthy brain development and function. Therefore, omega-3 supplementation is a very practical way for older people to help preserve their neurological health and it may even be able to help with serious neurological conditions in some cases.
Improving Mental Health
People who suffer from depression or a moderate decrease in cognitive function may benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. Numerous types of nutraceutical products that help protect the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation have been found to also help to improve mental health. Consequently, omega-3 supplementation could be useful as one of several types of treatments for mild depression or anxiety. However, a lot of clinical studies that have examined omega-3 have focused on groups that are already taking antidepressants.
Depressive disorders have been related to an excess of the neurotransmitter’s dopamine and serotonin. A higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids may help cure depression by better regulating serotonin or dopamine transmission. Omega-3s can also help to reduce depression by reducing inflammation in the brain. Omega-3 may be one of several nutraceutical products that can help with depression.
Omega-3 Food Versus Supplements
Most people can naturally get enough omega-3 by eating a diet abundant in seafood and nuts. In general omega-3 supplements may only be necessary for older people who have underlying health conditions and could benefit from increasing omega-3. The following foods are the best sources of omega-3: fish and other seafood ( salmon/tuna/sardines), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and fortified foods ( eggs/yogurt/juice). If you are planning to take omega-3 supplements, it may be useful to talk to your doctor, as there are several negative side effects, including bleeding and weakened immune responses.
About NutraProse
NutraProse focuses on providing content marketing services for smaller nutraceutical companies. NutraProse provides a variety of services, including copywriting, blog posts, copy editing, localization, logo designs, and social media management. Click here to learn more about our content marketing services.
