The human body is made up of millions of cells that undergo wear and tear regularly. Cells break down and form back up again as a part of the Cell Regeneration and Degeneration process.
Old cells are replaced by newer cells, and this is a healthy body-functioning aspect. Certain nutrients are essential to make new cells, and one of the many nutrients needed for healthy cell generation and upkeep is Omega 3.
Omega 3 is often missed out on a diet, and therefore, Omega 3 supplements are prescribed by doctors to help patients with omega 3 deficiency balance it out. Omega 3 is a type of good fat or lipoprotein that is not made by the human body itself and therefore relies on diets for its absorption and use.
If there is a lack of Omega 3 in the diet, a deficiency is caused that starts to affect the normal functionality of the organs and overall health. This is balanced by consuming Omega 3 Supplements in the form of capsules or Tablets.
What is Omega 3, and What are its Functions?
Omega 3 is a Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid and is an essential type of fat in the body. Omega 3 helps in the cellular wear and tear and healthy regeneration of cells in the body. Omega 3 is essential for maintaining the cell membranes in the body in every single organ and body part.
It also plays a vital role in the cell receptors important for neural communication. Omega 3 is not produced by the body naturally, and therefore, it relies on outside supplementation via diet.
Many foods are rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, such as Whole Nuts, Whole Cereals and seeds, Natural Fatty oils and most importantly, fish. Omega 3 is of 3 different kinds: Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), and Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA).
All these three types of Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for the body, and where EPA and DHA are commonly found in animal sources, EPA is majorly found in plant sources such as seeds and nuts. Omega 3 acids are important for health as it helps in reducing inflammation in the cells and especially in controlling heart diseases in the human body because of inflammation.
Omega 3 Fatty acid is important for the functioning of the cells in the most important systems in the body, which includes the Cardiovascular system, immune system, endocrine system and Pulmonary systems. The component called Eicosanoids which is a signaling molecule that is present in these organs is primarily made by Omega 3 Fatty acids.
Supplementing Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Not much Omega 3 is present in the foods humans consume regularly. Although Omega 3 is essential and important to daily nutrition, very few foods are rich in these acids. This is why Omega 3 Fatty Acids are usually consumed as supplements.
They are densely available in Fish oils; therefore, fish oil supplements are the primary way to keep up with the Omega 3 requirement in the body. Omega 3 supplements in the vegetarian or vegan form are also available in the form of chia seed, flax seed and seaweed.
