What:Fats (FAs), in addition to providing energy for your body, are what every cell uses as the structure of their fluid membrane. You can see why a diet high in essential FAs (EFAs), is necessary to maintain optimal fitness.
FAs also serve as precursors to hormonal agents, and help your immune system function properly. Certain FAs provide a powerful anti-inflammatory effect when taken in the right amounts and in the correct ratios to other FAs. This is important for recovering quickly from intense exercise or tension caused by poor diet or other environmental and way of living stressors.
One properly-designed research study found that 4 grams of a specific FA per day was sufficient to promote muscle protein synthesis in healthy males and women who were physically active. The anabolic effects of the EFA supplement were greater when blood insulin and amino acid levels were higher than those experienced with the insulin plus [4].
You will be happy with the result: EFAs not only provide amazing benefits by themselves but also make other nutrients perform even better.
What:Omega-3 s are essential types of EFAs and should be supplemented often. They occur in higher concentrations in fish than in plants. Docosahexaenoic (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) are also found in fish-derived omega-3s.
If you are looking for omega-3 supplements, make sure to look for those that contain the FAs in natural triglyceride or completely free fat. Other popular options include ethyl esters, focuses or “pharmaceutical-grade” types. These are required in higher dosages to provide equivalent blood levels to the naturally occurring type. The ethyl ester is not as effective or as frequent as omega-3s, which are free of fats. [5,6]
How to:To support healthy inflammatory action to work-out and other types of physiological tension, as well as to support state and mental health, and promote a healthier heart and skin, consume a minimum of 2.8g each day of combined EPA/DHA in a 1.75 to 1.00 ratio.
You will also notice a shift towards omega-6s as you consume more processed grains, better vegetable oils, eggs, red meat, pork products, cheese, and other dairy products. To achieve a healthy ratio between omega-6 and omega-3, this will increase the need for omega-3s. A ratio of 1:1 to 4 is optimal; the common Western diet plan does not exceed 18:1 omega-6s: omega-3. [7]
