A complete oil strategy for getting your omega

Paul Varnas August 15, 2023

DEPENDING ON WHO YOU READ, people should be eating omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids at a ratio of 1:1.

Some actually think the ratio should be 3:1, with more omega-6 fatty acids being consumed. Americans consume far more omega-6 fatty acids, with the ratio being in excess of 16:1.1 You can make the argument that we are not consuming enough omega-6 fatty acids, either, because the refined vegetable oils so many of us consume have no nutritive value, and do not even contain omega-6 fatty acids.

Because of this, when you read the literature, it looks like omega-3 supplementation is a panacea. There are literally too many studies of it to be listed here. Studies show they reduce inflammation2,3,4 (to list a few). They protect from vascular inflammation linked to atherosclerosis.5 Other cardiovascular benefits have also been studied; for example, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids helps lower LDL and triglycerides.6,7

We see studies that recommend omega-3 supplementation for other conditions as well. Studies have shown that patients with ADHD benefit from omega-3 fatty acid supplementation.8,9,10Many of these patients have low levels of omega-3 fatty acid.11-12 Severe symptoms have been associated with low omega-3 fatty acid status.13 There are also studies that show omega-3 supplementation helps with glycemic control in patients with insulin insensitivity or type 2 diabetes.14-15 It has even been found to be useful for women with gestational diabetes.16

Because of these studies, it is tempting to use fish oil like a drug. Use it to curtail inflammation, control blood sugar, treat ADHD, and even use it for patients with chronic pain. In the short term, you can accomplish a lot. I do, however, have some concerns about fish oil, and using it long-term may be a bad idea (some practitioners have even stopped using it short-term).

First, and most obvious, is that the oceans are full of dioxin and mercury. From the time I first used it, I cautioned patients about buying fish oil commercially because you cannot trust the quality. I used fish oil from companies that tested for mercury and other toxins. One company was very proud of the fact that their fish oil was obtained from small fish in the Southern Hemisphere, and was therefore cleaner. That, however, may not be good enough.

No one tests for plastic. There is an area of plastic waste in the ocean that can be seen from outer space; it is about the size of Texas. That plastic is being broken down into tiny plastic particles called microplastics, which are found almost everywhere on earth.

In a paper published in Environment International, researchers found plastic in the blood of 17 of 22 of study participants, or about 77%. Fish oil may be a source of microplastics. It is hard to say, because no one tests for them in fish oil.

While fish oil is a more “active” omega-3 oil, almost all of the research supporting it supports short-term use. Most Americans eat a ratio of anywhere between 15: to 30:1 omega-6 to omega-3 oils (and much of the oils are refined and toxic). This is way out of balance; it should be 1:1 according to some authors, and others recommend 3:1, favoring omega-6. So, a strong omega-3 oil gets favorable results quickly. The problem is that long-term use of fish oil may be harmful.

The chemicals that create and suppress inflammation are oil soluble. The type of fat in the diet can either promote or suppress inflammation.

Avoid hydrogenated oils, trans fats and highly-refined vegetable oils. Use extra virgin olive oil for cooking and for salads. Studies have shown that taking vegetable-sourced omega-3 fatty acids, like linolenic acid from flax seeds, will reduce inflammation as well as improve blood sugar control.17-25

Other oils are healthy as well. Linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid, has also been shown to reduce inflammation.26-27 The tendency for some practitioners to think, “Omega-3 good/omega-6 bad” may come from the idea that the dead vegetable oils sold in the supermarket contain omega-6 fatty acids. Olive oil, which is an omega-9 fatty acid, also has health benefits.28 These oils are beneficial and should be part of the diet. It is a better strategy to use a balanced approach rather than loading up on just fish oil.

PAUL VARNAS, DC, DACBN, is a graduate of the National College of Chiropractic and has had a functional medicine practice for 34 years. He is the author of several books and has taught nutrition at the National University of Health Sciences. For a free PDF of “Instantly Have a Functional Medicine Practice” or a patient handout on the anti-inflammatory diet, email him at [email protected].

Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct;56(8):365-79 The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids

Brain Behav Immun. 2012 Aug;26(6):988-95 Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation in healthy middle-aged and older adults: a randomized controlled trial

Ren Fail. 2010;32(9):1031-5. Effects of omega-3 on lipid profile and inflammation markers in peritoneal dialysis patients

Atherosclerosis. 2010 Oct;212(2):580-5.

Atherosclerosis. 2021 May;324:27-37 Omega-3 fatty acids ameliorate vascular inflammation: A rationale for their atheroprotective effects

Eur J Nutr. 2019 Jun;58(4):1615-1624 A low-fat spread with added plant sterols and fish omega-3 fatty acids lowers serum triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in individuals with modest hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia

Diabetologia. 1997 Jan;40(1):45-52. Effect of omega 3 fatty acid on plasma lipids, cholesterol and lipoprotein fatty acid content in NIDDM patients

J Lipids. 2017; 2017: 6285218 Do Omega-3/6 Fatty Acids Have a Therapeutic Role in Children and Young People with ADHD?

Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016; 12: 1869–1882 Critical appraisal of omega-3 fatty acids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment

Transl Psychiatry 9, 303 (2019). High-dose eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) improves attention and vigilance in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and low endogenous EPA levels

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in youths with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials and biological studies. Neuropsychopharmacology 43, 534–545 (2018).

Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 62, 761–768 (1995).

Delay aversion, temporal processing, and N-3 fatty acids intake in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Clin. Psychol. Sci. 4, 1094–1103 (2016).

Pediatr Diabetes. 2013 Aug;14(5):377-83 Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce insulin resistance and triglycerides in obese children and adolescents

Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2014 Jun;58(4):335-40. Effects of supplementation with omega-3 on insulin sensitivity and non-esterified free fatty acid (NEFA) in type 2 diabetic patients

J Clin Lipidol. 2017 Mar-Apr;11(2):459-468 The effects of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid co-supplementation on glycemic control and lipid concentrations in patients with gestational diabetes

Br J Nutr. 2011 Feb;105(3):417-27. High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects

Holist Nurs Pract. 2015 May-Jun;29(3):151-7 The effects of flaxseed on menopausal symptoms and quality of life 140 menopausal women who were divided into 4 groups. The menopausal symptoms decreased and the quality of life increased among the women who used flaxseed for 3 months.

Lancet. 1994 Jun 11;343(8911):1454-9 Mediterranean alpha-linolenic acid-rich diet in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease

Nutr. Res., 33: 367-375.2013. Daily flaxseed consumption improves glycemic control in obese men and women with pre-diabetes: A randomized study.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Nov;74(5):612-9 Relation between dietary linolenic acid and coronary artery disease in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study

N Engl J Med. 1997 Nov 20;337(21):1491-9 Dietary fat intake and the risk of coronary heart disease in women

Circulation, 2005 Vol 11, #22 – Am Heart Assoc Dietary linolenic acid is inversely associated with calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries

Brain. 2021 May 7;144(4):1152-1166. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid links reduced intestinal inflammation to amelioration of CNS autoimmunity

J Pak Med Assoc. 2016 Mar;66(3):280-4. Anti-inflammatory effects of conjugated linoleic acid on young athletic males

BMC Med. 2014 May 13;12:78 Olive oil intake and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the PREDIMED Study

Filed Under: Health, Wellness & Nutrition, issue-13-2023 Tagged With: oil intake, omega-3 fatty oil, omega-6 fatty oil