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What are omega 3? What are their benefits? How to choose them? When and how to take them? Nutrimuscle answers your questions.
What are omega 3?
Omega 3 essential fatty acids are lipids mainly derived from fish fats. Cod liver oil is probably the best-known source of omega 3. “Fatty” fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, etc.) are richest in omega 3.
The active omega 3s are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). As they cannot be synthesized by the body, it is imperative that they be provided by our diet.
The minimum intake recommendations for health are 250 mg of EPA and 250 mg of DHA per day.
On the other hand, a large imbalance has been observed in our modern diet between omega 6 and omega 3. In fact, we do not eat enough omega 3 and too much omega 6. Hence the interest in Omega 3 supplementation to restore a good balance (one omega 3 for every five omega 6).
What are the differences between fish omega 3 and plant omega 3?
Most omega 3 in the form of dietary supplements comes from fish oil. There are omega-3s from vegetable oils (rapeseed oil, linseed oil), but their assimilation rate is lower.
At an equal concentration of EPA and DHA, the latter are better absorbed with the fish form of omega 3 compared to the plant form. Therefore the quantities of EPA and DHA in the body will be greater in the case of fish omega 3 supplementation.
The other advantage of fish omega 3 is that it does not contain omega 6 as is the case for omega 3 from plant sources. However, the benefit of supplementing with omega 3 is to restore the balance between omega 3 (deficiency) and omega 6 (surplus).
What are the benefits of omega 3 for athletes and sedentary people?
Omega 3 has benefits for both health and sports performance.
Considerable health benefits
Omega 3:
- Promote cardiovascular health;
- Strengthen bones;
- Protect nerve cells from neuroinflammation;
- Help fight against depressive states (significant omega 3 deficiencies are generally found in depressed people);
- Serve as a building material for the cell membranes of the eye.
The best natural anti-grease
During a low-calorie diet, supplementation with essential fatty acids is essential. Omega 3 provides the following benefits:
- Reduced appetite. Omega 3 increases the secretion of appetite-suppressing hormones such as leptin. During a meal, the intake of essential fatty acids is evaluated by sensors which are placed in the digestive system. If omega 3 intakes are insufficient, the brain encourages us to eat more to supplement these intakes.
- Increased fat burning. Omega 3s are thermogenic micronutrients. They stimulate the metabolism and thus make it easier to burn calories.
- Inhibition of adipose growth. Good intakes of omega 3 have a slimming action by taking the place of saturated fats which promote the expansion of adipose tissue.
A reduction in muscle catabolism
Regular intake of omega 3 helps reduce inflammatory reactions caused by cytokines (produced by muscles during intense contractions). Thus, omega 3 reduces the intensity of aches and promotes recovery, which allows the athlete to carry out training sessions less spaced apart from each other.
Anabolic action with better muscle protein synthesis
Omega 3 doubles anabolism when amino acids and insulin are present in the blood. This anabolic stimulation by omega 3 is explained by the activation of an enzyme called mTOR (mammalian Target of Rapamycin). This enzyme has a role in increasing muscle mass. Thus, by promoting the activity of the mTOR enzyme, omega 3 allows faster muscle gain.
Improved cardiovascular health
Omega 3 helps the heart beat more regularly, helps reduce heart rate and blood pressure. They also improve the fluidity of blood circulation.
For athletes, the advantage of omega 3 is to reduce cardiac stress caused by repeated training. Daily intake of omega 3 helps reduce heart rate during intense exercise. Thanks to this reduction, omega 3 helps delay heart fatigue and therefore optimize sports performance.
How to choose the right omega 3
Which omega 3 to choose? We guide you by telling you what crucial information you need to know to judge the quality of omega 3.
Many people are deficient in omega-3. Indeed, unless you consume wild fish at least three times a week, the human body requires a good intake of omega 3.
The downside to fish is that it is often expensive and contains heavy metals. The larger the fish, the higher the level of heavy metals, which can poison the body.
The advantage of omega 3 in the form of a food supplement is that it addresses these issues. However, it is important to check its origin.
Check extraction method
To move from fish to fish oil, the fatty acids that contain omega 3 must be extracted by removing protein and water. There are several ways of disposal:
- Cooking at high temperature, this process is inexpensive, but it degrades some of the omega 3.
- Cold extraction, this method is similar to that used for olive oil extraction. However, for fish oil, this process is not very effective.
- Extraction at low temperature (less than 100°). This process eliminates microbes while preserving omega 3.
- Nutrimuscle has chosen quality, our omega 3 is extracted at low temperature.
Ethyl esther or triglycerides?
In their natural form, omega 3s are triglycerides, that is to say, three molecules of omega 3 are coupled with one molecule of glycerol. But, in order to concentrate polyunsaturated fatty acids, producers remove glycerol molecules and replace them with ethyl esters to crowd out other forms of lipids.
After this concentration phase, there are two possibilities: leave the omega 3 as is, or remove the ethyl esters and put back the glycerol to obtain omega 3 in the form of triglycerides. The second option, more expensive, is the best for obtaining quality omega 3.
Nutrimuscle omega 3 is linked to triglycerides, in natural form and not in the form of ethyl esters.
What expiration date?
Pay attention to the expiry date of your omega 3, if it is strangely close to the date you bought them, it means that they come from a batch of questionable freshness.
At Nutrimuscle, we source the freshest batches possible. We publish the producers' certificates of analysis on our product sheets to attest to the freshness of our omega 3.
The EPA/DHA balance
Some omega 3 supplements contain mostly EPA while others contain more DHA. This is not good because each has different benefits, making them both complementary.
Nutrimuscle omega 3 respects the EPA/DHA balance in order to obtain a complete intake.
The TOTOX quality indicator
The main quality index for omega 3 is called the TOTOX (TOTal OXydation) index. It measures the total oxidation of omega 3, that is to say their degradation. The higher the TOTOX index, the poorer the quality of omega 3. The maximum TOTOX level is set at 26.
A high TOTOX means that a large part of the omega 3 will oxidize easily and therefore be destroyed before even being consumed. Worse still, oxidized molecules which are toxic will take the place of healthy omega 3 molecules. In short, if the TOTOX of your omega 3 is high, you will consume a lower dose than indicated on the label and you absorb poor quality omega 3.
The TOTOX index of Nutrimuscle omega 3 is 2 for the lot currently on sale, therefore well below the maximum limit of 26. In addition, our omega 3 are stored in cold rooms.
When and how to take Nutrimuscle omega 3
We advise you to take Nutrimuscle omega 3 preferably with meals. This will allow you to distribute the doses of omega 3 over the day, which is better for the digestive system and also better for maximizing the benefits on cardiovascular health.
We recommend taking 2 to 4 g of omega 3 daily. We recommend taking Nutrimuscle omega 3 with a meal that itself contains fat, in order to ensure optimal absorption.
