Do You Need Omega 3 Supplements?

omega 3

14 Dec Do You Need Omega 3 Supplements?

Posted at 04:56h in Supplements by

Omega 3 essential fats are one of the most well researched and beneficial nutrients. From nourishing the skin to promoting heart and brain health, their positive effects seem endless.

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WHY ARE OMEGA 3 FATS SO IMPORTANT?

Every cell in the body requires omega 3 to function normally. These fats exert powerful anti inflammatory effects and are essential for healthy brain function. They are necessary for heart health, maintaining healthy blood pressure and normal levels of blood triglycerides. Omega 3 fatty acids are also essential for healthy, glowing skin – whenever I see clients who are suffering with dry skin I always assess their intake of omega 3 fish oils. In many cases their skin improves noticeably in just a couple of weeks of supplementation.

We are constantly learning more about the seemingly endless beneficial effects of omega 3 fatty acids.

DO WE GET ENOUGH OMEGA 3?

A recent study revealed that the majority of Americans have insufficient omega-3 fatty acid levels in their blood. Researchers analysed EPA and DHA measurements from over 1.1 million individuals across all 50 states from 2000 to 2023. The average omega-3 index, which measures EPA and DHA in red blood cells, was only 5.28%, significantly lower than the 8% target linked to improved health outcomes. Although oily fish is the primary dietary source of EPA and DHA, achieving optimal intake through diet alone is often difficult, meaning that supplementation is necessary in many cases to reach optimum levels.

WHERE DO I GET OMEGA 3?

The best dietary source of omega 3 is oily fish such as anchovies, salmon, mackarel and sardines. A small number of vegan foods such as flax seeds and walnuts contain omega 3 but they are not present in the active forms – EPA and DHA. Therefore we rely on our body to convert vegan sources of omega 3 to their active forms.

Unfortunately eating oily fish alone is often not enough to provide optimal levels of omega 3. For an average healthy person to consume an optimal amount, Omega 3 expert and author Dr Barry Sears estimates they would have to eat the equivalent of (per week):

15 servings of salmon or

25 servings of cod or

75 servings of lobster

In addition to regularly eating oil fish, taking a quality supplement is one of the best ways to guarantee your intake of omega 3.

DO WE REALLY NEED TO SUPPLEMENT?

Some people feel that swallowing capsules is not a natural way to ingest omega 3. Interestingly, omega 3 expert Dr Ricardo Pina points out that given the levels of harmful contaminants (such as mercury, DCBs and dioxins) in the fish we eat today, taking a purified fish oil that’s had contaminants removed could be argued to be more natural than eating toxin laden fish.

It’s understood that our ancestors in Paleolithic times were able to consume a far greater quantity of Omega 3 from the fish they ate. When the earth was cooler, animals needed to protect themselves from the cold. To do this, fish retained higher levels of fat as insulation and therefore when humans ate the fish, they benefitted from this significant Omega 3 intake. Today our earth is warmer and so fish don’t need to hold onto their body fat in such high quantities to survive.

Another factor to consider is that much of the fish in supermarkets today is not wild, but farmed. What a fish is fed contributes significantly to the levels and types of fat they contain – cheap feeds often skew the normal, healthy ratios of fat in fish, reducing the omega 3 content significantly.

One final benefit of taking omega 3 as a supplement is that specific high quality fish oil supplements are enteric coated. This protects them from potential degradation by the stomach meaning they are optimally absorbed once they enter the gut.

HOW MUCH OMEGA 3 SHOULD I TAKE?

Based on research collated and carried out by Dr Barry Sears, the recommended doses are as follows:

For healthy individuals: 2.5g per day

For obese individuals or those with diabetes or heart disease: 5g per day

To treat chronic pain: 7.5g per day

To treat neurological disease: >10g per day

It is worth seeking advice from a qualified and experienced nutrition practitioner who can advise you on the right dose for you.

It’s also important to note that certain medications, particularly blood thinning medications, are contraindicated with Omega 3. If you are in any doubt consult your doctor before you start taking Omega 3 supplements.

HOW DO I FIND A GOOD QUALITY OMEGA 3 SUPPLEMENT?

The best way to know that you’re taking a high quality fish oil supplement is to check the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) website. A five star rating ensures that your fish oil contains a high concentration of omega 3 fats and the absolute lowest levels of oxidation and harmful contaminants.

I recommend Bare Biology Omega-3 Fish Oil Daily Capsules.

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LINDA ROBINSON

Linda is our Practice Coordinator, helping to keep the clinic running smoothly.

 

Originally from Texas, Linda completed her MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan. Linda has worked as a Strategy Consultant across multiple industries globally in cities including Kyoto, Paris, Chicago and San Francisco. She developed an interest in nutrition whilst volunteering for an organisation that provides cooking and nutrition education to children and families.

Linda is now settled in London with her husband, two children, and her very bouncy, sociable dog.

SARAH LAW

Sarah has worked with hundreds of clients over the past decade to help them live in a healthy body that they feel confident in.


Sarah spent a large part of her teens and 20’s as a professional dancer battling with orthorexia and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body. This created a desire to understand the human body more so she could finally cut through the confusion and end the cycle of yoyo dieting. This fuelled her passion to help other women do the same.

 

Sarah specialises in supporting women who are struggling to lose weight due to underlying health issues. She’s helped many women manage their weight during and after the menopause, as well as clients with thyroid disease and immune system dysfunction. Sarah loves food and sharing healthy recipes with her clients. Her aim is to ensure that clients don’t feel deprived and instead, achieve their weight loss and health goals in a positive and sustainable way.

 

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Ailsa is one of our most experienced practitioners. She specialises in helping clients to lose weight, develop a healthy relationship with food and finally feel comfortable in their skin. Ailsa’s mission is for everyone she works with to enjoy the journey and that working with a nutritionist should not be a punishment, but your access to a new possibility.

 

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Working with Ailsa you will be comprehensively supported, not only in improving your nutrition and lifestyle, but also your eating habits and your relationship with food. When you work on all these elements together, the results can be truly astonishing.

 

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Test Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team of practitioners and heading up the day-to-day running of the business. Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, coming from a strong business background in town planning. A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 with her husband and two children.

NIKKI ANDRIANI

Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team and heading up the day-to-day running of our clinic.

 

Coming from a background in town planning, Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, continually ensuring we are delivering the very best service to our clients.


A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 where she lives with her husband, two children, and her rescue dog Skyy.

STÉPHANIE ACHAR

Stéphanie is a skilled nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, disordered eating and obesity. She believes that working towards both physiological and mental health is key in achieving optimum wellbeing.

 

Stéphanie’s personal experience of emotional eating and the ongoing struggle to find the right support led her to combine the science of nutrition with behavioural coaching to motivate and empower her clients. She specialises in helping people who struggle with their weight and their relationship with food. She helps them develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

 

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INNA WEARN

Inna is passionate about supporting women on their journey to improved health and wellbeing. She believes that the solution to effective weight loss does not lie in ever more restrictive diets, but a more sophisticated approach that optimises health and vitality, as well as promoting effective weight loss.

 

Working with Inna you will benefit from her in-depth knowledge of female health and hormones. She will support you in developing a healthy diet, lifestyle and mindset that ensures you reach your ideal weight and maintain it in the years to come.

 

Inna is passionate about food with a wide repertoire of delicious healthy recipes and meal ideas to ensure your weight loss journey is as enjoyable as possible!

 

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ANIA MASON

 

Ania is a firm believer that improving your health and losing weight should be a positive, empowering journey, not one centred around deprivation.

 

After being diagnosed with two autoimmune conditions in her twenties, Ania spent several years educating herself on the power of food and nutrition. She put it all into practise and changed her diet and lifestyle, reversing her endometriosis and thyroid disease. After experiencing such a significant improvement in her health, Ania had a big desire to help others. She embarked on a four year journey to study nutrition, graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition with distinction.

 

Ania specialises in autoimmunity and works with clients who have underlying health issues preventing successful weight loss. Her expertise enables her to successfully support our clients with conditions such as hypothyroidsm (underactive thyroid), PCOS and diabetes. 

 

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