Why Omega-3?
The cell membrane of nearly every cell in the human body is made up of cholesterol (cholesterol is good for you, by the way, not bad for you) and phospholipids (essential fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahaexanoic acid (DHA)).  For example, the brain is made up mostly of fatty acids; the synapses (the connections) between neurons (brain cells) are 80% fatty acids.

Sugar impairs your brain function, memory and cognitive ability. Omega-3 deficiency makes it worse. [Read abstract] [Journal article]

So, not only are essential fatty acids critical structural components of our cells, but much of the body’s physiologic function is dependent upon having sufficient essential fatty acids in general and omega-3 in particular. Combined with the importance of these essential fatty acids is the fact that our modern culture is terribly deficient in omega-3 essential fatty acids. Because we eat grains and vegetable oils, and because we eat domesticated grain-fed animals, we eat waaaayyyy to much omega-6 fats. The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in most people is so imbalanced it causes people to be unhealthy, very unhealthy. You can’t say this too much. The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in most people is so imbalanced it causes people to be unhealthy, very unhealthy.

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The O-3 : O-6 Ratio
Research has shown that the human body is healthy when our dietary intake of essential fatty acids is a ratio of 1:2 between omega-3 and omega-6. Current research shows that people today are eating a diet style of processed foods (which contain vegetable oils high in omega-6), and grains (which are high in omega-6), and finally, grain fed animals, creating average ratios of 1:30, even 1:50 in people today.  This gross imbalance of essential fats is resulting in many disease processes among modern cultures.

Inflammation and Omega-3
When the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 gets too high, dangerous inflammation results, causing many diseases, including:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• High Cholesterol
• Depression
• Autoimmune diseases (Lupus)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriasis
• ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• Strokes
• Premature and low birth weights
• Neurodegenerative dementia diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases
• Crohn’s disease
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

References:
Kremer, Joel M. n-3 fatty acid supplements in rheumatoid arthritis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), January 2000, pp. 349S-51S

Cullen, Paul. Evidence that triglycerides are an independent coronary heart disease risk factor. American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 86, November 1, 2000, pp. 943-49

Stoll, Andrew L., et al. Omega 3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 56, May 1999, pp. 407-12 and pp. 415-16 (commentary)

Calabrese, Joseph R., et al. Fish oils and bipolar disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 56, May 1999, pp. 413-14 (commentary)

Stark, Ken D., et al. Effect of fish-oil concentrate on serum lipids in postmenopausal women receiving and not receiving hormone replacement therapy in a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 72, August 2000, pp. 389-94

Fortin, Paul R., et al. Validation of a meta-analysis: the effects of fish oil in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Vol. 48, 1995, pp. 1379-90

Cleland, Leslie G. and James, Michael J. Fish oil and rheumatoid arthritis: antiinflammatory and collateral health benefits. Journal of Rheumatology, Vol. 27, October 2000, pp. 2305-06 (editorial) 

Arnold, L. Eugene. Alternative treatments for adults with ADHD. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 931, June 2001, pp. 310-41

Burgess, John R., et al. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), January 2000, pp. 327S- 30S 

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), January 2000, pp. 171S-175S

Hu, Frank B., et al. Fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease and total mortality in diabetic women. Circulation, Vol. 107, April 15, 2003, pp. 1852-57

Grundy, Scott M. N-3 fatty acids: priority for post-myocardial infarction clinical trials. Circulation, Vol. 107, April 15, 2003, pp. 1834-36 (editorial)

Rivellese, Angela A., et al. Long-term effects of fish oil on insulin resistance and plasma lipoproteins in NIDDM patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Diabetes Care, Vol. 19, November 1996, pp. 1207-13 

Olsen, Sjurour Frooi and Secher, Niels Jorgen. Low consumption of seafood in early pregnancy as a risk factor for preterm delivery: prospective cohort study.British Medical Journal, Vol. 324, February 23, 2002, pp. 1-5

Carlson, S.E. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and development of human infants. Acta Paediatr Suppl, No. 430, 1999, pp. 72-7

Cunnane, Stephen C., et al. Breast-fed infants achieve a higher rate of brain and whole body docosahexaenoate accumulation than formula-fed infants not consuming dietary docosahexaenoate. Lipids, Vol. 35, January 2000, pp. 105-11 

Mayser, Peter, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid-based lipid infusion in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Vol. 38, April 1998, pp. 539-47

Escobar, S.O., et al. Topical fish oil in psoriasis: a controlled and blind study. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, Vol. 17, 1992, pp. 159-62 

Wu A, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F Docosahexanoic Acid Dietary Supplementation Enhances the Effects of Exercise on Synaptic Plasticity and Cognition. Neuroscience 2008; 155(3):751-9.

Chytrova G, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F Exercise Contributes to the Effects of DHA Dietary Supplementation by Acting on Membrane-Related Synaptic Systems Brain Research 2010 Jun 23;1341:32-40

Jouris K, McDaniel J, Weiss E. The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Inflammatory Response to Eccentric Strength Exercise Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 2011;10:432-438.

Bailes J, Mills J. Docosahexanoic Acid Reduces Traumatic Axonal Injury in a Rodent Head Injury Model Journal of Neurotrauma. 2010; 27:1617-1626.
Guilliams T. The Use of Fish Oil Supplements in Clinical Practice: A Review”. Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association. 2005; 8(1).

Gomez-Pinilla F, Ying Z Differential Effects of Exercise and Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid on Molecular Systems Associated with Control of Allostasis in the Hypothalamus and Hippocampus Neuroscience 2010;168(1): 130-7.

Antonio J, Kalman D, Stout J, Greenwood M, Willoughby D, Haff G Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements. 2008;268-270.

Kris-Etherton P, William H, Appel L Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease Journal of The American Heart Association2002; 106:2747-2757