Omegas are a common area of concern, and it’s not just vegans and those following a plant-based diet who need to be mindful of getting sufficient healthy fats.
Most of us are getting way too little omega-3 in our diets- fats that are associated with anti-inflammatory properties and that support our brains, hearts, joints, mood, immune system and even the gut microbiome. As well as too little omega-3, most people are getting far too much omega-6 in proportion, and this imbalance of fats can drive inflammation in the body, which we know is an important risk factor in many diseases. It’s important to acknowledge that omega-6 is still necessary though, and some omega-6s including omega-6 GLA have well-known benefits for women’s hormones and skin.
The only two biologically “essential” fatty acids are omega-3 ALA and omega-6 LA. This doesn’t mean that the other omegas aren’t important, just that our bodies can make the other omegas from these “building blocks”. Not everybody does this efficiently though, and that’s where thinking about supplementation comes in. We can get omega-3 from foods like flax and chia but they need to be ground preferably used right away, or stored in an airtight container and not exposed to heat. Depending on your overall diet, and your genetics, the omega-3 found in these plant foods may not be sufficient to provide adequate long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA.
Plant-based supplements like Ahiflower provide omega-3 SDA, as well as ALA, which allows it to convert to EPA up to four times more effectively than flax, and biosynthesise in key tissues like the brain and liver almost as much as a marine DHA source. Omega-3 ALA converts to EPA at around 5-6%, with better conversion in pre-menopausal women, those eating a plant-based diet and not supplementing with algae, whereas omega-3 SDA converts to EPA at 30-40%. Hemp contains omega-3 SDA at around 2%, though the highest known natural plant source of omega-3, Ahiflower, provides 8-10x more of this omega-3.
Algal sources provide just the long chain omegas, and are typically more skewed towards DHA. Getting enough DHA is critical, but when we take it directly (as in fish or algae), we downregulate our body’s natural omega-3 metabolism pathway. Algal may be a wise choice to supplement during pregnancy, breastfeeding and in the case of traumatic brain injuries, but may be best accompanied with flax, chia or Ahiflower so that you get all the benefits of the entire family of omega-3.
