Omega-3 has four main types of fatty acids. Each of them is responsible for different parts of the body and has a different chemical composition. Accordingly, these Omega 3 fatty acids are found in various foods and oils. Some of them can be got from everyday foods, but not all, that’s why usually this is not enaugh to our health. So, sometimes we need to eat such exotic products, like fish oil.
One of the most famous and important omega 3 fatty acids is DHA – docosahexaenoic acid. It is an integral part of the tissue of our nerves, brain and eyes. Maternal breast milk contains this acid, and now baby food manufacturers often include this feature in their products. Also one of the DHA-containing products is harp seal oil.
Another vital Omega 3 acid called eicosapentaenoic acid, abbreviated as EPA. Having five double (unsaturated) bonds, EPA can actively convert to a substance, resisting chronic inflammation and spasm of blood vessels. Thanks to this, it is used for treating hypertension. eicosapentaenoic acid is also very important in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, especially in women during menopause.
In a healthy body all alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) turns to the EPA, and considering that the ALA is found in abundance in green plants, most of people do not feel a shortage of this vitamin. Severe deficiency of EPA observed only in children with diathesis (atopic eczema) and adults with atopic dermatitis.
A unique omega 3 fatty acid, named DPA (docosapentaenoic acid), is synthesized in significant quantities only by marine mammals. DPA is not involved in direct regulation of human body functions. However, it’s hard to overestimate the benefits, brought by it. The reason for it is in the unusual structure of DPA molecules.
Docosapentaenoic acid is transitional between the EPA and DHA (it has 22 carbon atoms, as in DHA, but only five of unsaturated bonds, as in EPA). Because of this, our body can convert DPA in EPA or DHA, without spending much energy.
Having fallen in the body, DPA quickly transforms into the required form of omega 3. This invaluable feature enables DPA drugs, made of marine mammals tissues, to “adapt” to the individual needs of man. Accuracy compensation of fatty acids deficit in the human body makes drugs, containing DPA, extremely effective.
And the last, alpha linolenic acid, also known as ALA, is the ancestor of all the other omega 3 fatty acids. Probability of ALA deficit in the body is minimal, because it is synthesized by all gree plants on our planet.
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