Omega 3 fish oil capsules

Why are Omega 3 capsules important?

It has been known for many decades that omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the body. This means that we have to consume them through food in order to survive at all, as the body cannot produce these fatty acids itself. It was originally known from animal research that the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, is essential.

In humans, it is a little more complex: In order for the omega-3 fatty acids to have their essential effect in the body, alpha-linolenic acid must be lengthened (via "elongase") and double bonds ("desaturase") must be inserted so that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are created. In the human body, these enzymatic steps are slow and inefficient, so that only a small part of the alpha-linolenic acid is converted into the bioactive DHA and EPA. As a result, humans are dependent on a sufficient supply of DHA and EPA - possibly through omega 3 capsules. In the body, DHA and EPA are converted into so-called docosanoids and eicosanoids, which act as important regulatory messengers and, as natural counterparts to omega-6 fatty acids (e.g. arachidonic acid), modulate inflammatory processes, among other things.

DHA and EPA, on the other hand, are found almost exclusively in animal, mostly marine, creatures. The only exception is DHA-containing microalgae such as Schizochytrium sp.. How high the amount of these fatty acids must be in order to be optimally supplied is the subject of research. What is certain is that the local intake of around 50-200 mg per day is too low. A large part of the world's population consumes less than 100 mg of DHA per day. Research by leading omega-3 researcher Prof. William Harris, who (co-)developed the so-called Omega-3 Index, suggests that an optimal intake is in the range of 1-2 g per day.