July 15, 2026Wellness

Omega 3- Introduction Type, Sources, benefits

What exactly is Omega 3? Let’s find out its types, sources and science behind these essential fatty acids

Significance of Omega 3 in the current scenario

Obesity is a worldwide disease known to affect majority of people and the main reason behind high-risk obesity in men and women is accumulation of SFA or saturated fatty acids in the cells causing lipotoxic damage. But, not all fats are unhealthy; we have a wide range of poly unsaturated fatty acids with multiple physiological advantages. Moreover, in contrast to saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids have been reported to neutralize SFA induced cellular damage (Liu et al., 2023). The 2 major classes of these fatty acids are the omega 3 and omega 6. Let’s understand where these names come from, diving deep into organic chemistry. PUFAs consist of long chains of carbon atoms and are usually differentiated from saturated or MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) by the presence of 2 or more double bonds between the carbons present in the fatty acid chain. Omega 3 has a C-C double bond and thus often referred to as n-3s while Omega -6 fatty acids have a C-C bond which is 6 carbon atoms away from the methyl end of the fatty acid chain and hence this nomenclature. These omega 3 fatty acids could be further differentiated into alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) where ALA has 18 carbon atoms while EPA + DHA are considered long chain omega 3s as EPA has 20 carbon atoms while DHA has 22.  

The Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio

One such important concept is the omega 6: omega 3 ratio. The amount of omega 3 needs to be higher than omega 6 for overall health benefits. An imbalance in the omega 6: omega 3 ratio promotes the pathogenesis of various disorders like cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In scientific language, consumption of high Omega 6 sources increases the rate of conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid resulting in inflammation. On the contrary Omega 3s alone causes improvement in many physiological responses involving the arteries, blood and heart improving cardiovascular health elevating overall health outcomes. High amounts of PUFA leads to high omega6-omega 3 ratio mainly found in western diets where the ratio is usually 15:1. Moreover, studies show that currently the diet of most people contain omega 6 rich food and the consumption of food rich in omega 3 are lowest calling for external supplementation through heart health supplements as well as brain health supplements. Omega 6 intake should be reduced as they are pro-inflammatory while omega 3 s are anti-inflammatory and should be incorporated more for a balanced meal.   

Omega 3 deficiency:

Omega 3s are essential fatty acids and their deficiency in our diets can lead to chronic physiological changes depriving our body of crucial Omega-3 benefits. Deficiency of Omega 3s causes scaly and rough skin as well as dermatitis. Moreover, the plasma as well as tissue concentrations of DHA decrease during omega 3 deficiency causing more issues. High omega 3 levels are connected to reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases hinting at heart risks due to deficiency.

Moreover, if our body lacks omega 3 there are some visible and obvious signs and symptoms which could be summarised as follows:

Sensitive, dry skin with unusual increase in acne

Increased skin sensitivity to UV light

Depression due to lack of neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of Omega 3

Dry eye syndrome, eye discomfort, disturbances in normal vision

Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, stiffness

Changes in texture, quality, density of hair leading to low hair quality

Sources of Omega 3 fatty acids:

What should we incorporate in our diet to avoid Omega 3 deficiency and related co-morbidities?

Omega 3s are found in many food sources naturally and their daily intake would help us avoid any deficiency disorders which call for EPA DHA supplements if intake is not met. The most important and highest amount of omega 3 bearing food source is fish. Fish and other seafood contain high amount of omega 3 compared to other sources like chia and flaxseeds. Moreover, best fish oil comes from cold water fatty fishes like salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, sardines which have good omega 3 content at optimum fish oil dosage. Apart from fishes, best Omega-3 for heart and brain health comes from nuts as well as seeds like flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and their oil including soyabean and canola oil. The next category consists of fortified food like certain egg brands, yoghurt, milk, juices, soy-based beverages, or infant formulas which contain the desired amount of omega 3s needed by our body. Omega 3 as dietary supplements usually come from fish oil like mackerel, anchovies, cod liver oil as well as algal oil providing a wide range of dosage and forms of the Omega-3 fatty acids.