Issue #22: Brain Fuel - Omega-3 🐟
Good morning. It's Wednesday, September 14th. We're continuing our journey through Core Supplements - today we're talking Omega-3. Before we get into today's issue, wanted to ask you - what do you do today when it comes to vitamins & supplements?
“Once we were able to access the coastal food chain in Africa—far more rich and reliable than inland sources of fish—brain and cultural evolution exploded.”
The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the 1930's compared to now (thanks to all the vegetable oils in our current diet).
This shifting ratio is causing just about everything bad in our health - including inflammation and an increased risk for chronic diseases.
The Nutrient of the Sea
Humans took over the world thanks to omega-3.
Ok - that’s not entirely true.
But, there are numerous books, studies, and theories on why our ancestors in East Africa evolved into modern humans and became the dominant species when it wasn’t apparent they had any evolutionary advantage over competing hominins (always a fun word to say).
The theory goes that when early humans made their way to water the new diet of shellfish and finned fish led to massive development in brain size and complexity.
Our brains are 70% fat and 60% of that is DHA (an omega-3).
So even if this theory explains only a tiny portion of our evolution, it stands to reason that DHA (and EPA) are essential for our ability to thrive.
Brain Health 🧠: A study showed that the hippocampus - which controls memory & mood (remember that from Issue #17?) - was healthiest in people with the highest levels of omega-3.
And, research now shows we can produce up to 700 new brain cells/day and omega-3 is one of the key facilitators of this growth. Plus, people with a high DHA in their blood are 49% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Heart Health 💓: Recent analysis found that omega-3 may lower blood pressure and research has been sufficient that the FDA now accepts health claims that consuming EPA and DHA in food or dietary supplements may reduce the risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease.
The Great Neutralizer 😀: We put our body through a lot of stress. Omega-3 has been shown to offset the negative effects of this stress - in fact, taking 2,500mg omega-3 showed a 33% decrease in cortisol levels (proxy for stress).
Bonus Fact: A study out of Harvard found that low omega-3 levels causes over 80k deaths/year - one of the highest rates of preventable deaths.
Fish Tacos for Dinner
3% - YES, only 3% of Americans have adequate levels of omega-3.
Similar to Vitamin D, our bodies don’t produce Omega-3 so we need to get it from our diet or environment.
So what should we eat?
The best source of omega-3 is seafood.
But as much as I love fish tacos, there is no way I’m getting three (3) servings of seafood every single week of the year. And neither are 80-90% of all Americans.
So what are the best menu options?
Dr. Mark Hyman calls out the “SMASH” fish - these are small, cold water fish that don’t have a lot of mercury (sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, herring).
PRO TIP: The entire fish should fit on your plate - if it's too high up the food chain (e.g., tuna, swordfish), it could be high in mercury, plastic and all the other crap in the ocean these days.
Feeling adventurous? Some more seafood options to get that omega-3 - hake, sea cucumber, manila clam, cockles, bottarga (roe of the gray mullet), caviar (sturgeon), and fish roe (salmon).
Not into seafood?
Some plants have omega-3, such as hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and green vegetables.
But there’s a catch. Without getting too much in the science, unlike seafood which is made up of DHA & EPA, plant-based omega-3 is ALA (alpha-linolenic acid).
The quick story is ALA needs to be converted to DHA and EPA and most of us can’t do that very well. We typically only convert 15% of ALA and some studies show the conversion rate is even lower, depending on your FADS1 and FADS2 genes.
Testing & Supplements
I recently had my Omega-3 test when I ordered my blood panel. This isn't a standard test and you'll probably need to request it from your doctor, but it's available!
The test results suggest a minimum of 3.2% EPA + DHA in your red blood cells.
As an alternative, Dhru Purohit shared a company that offers in-home testing - Omegaquant.*
You just order a test online, receive it in the mail in 5-7 days, prick your finger, send it off, and then get results in 2-4 weeks. There are multiple assessments, but the basic test is currently $49.95.
*Thrive25 has no affiliation
Most experts agree that you should take between 1,000-2,000mg omega-3 - that includes both DHA and EPA.
Product Recs
As we've said all week - finding a high quality supplement is key and it's really essential for omega-3. Many brands have contaminated fish, filler ingredients, or very low potency.
While we aren’t promoting specific brands, I personally take the Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega. The brand has a great reputation, is reasonably priced, and I would never know that it comes from fish. Some other options:*
Dutch Harbor Omega - this is the cod liver oil that will also provide Vitamin D
Bulletproof Omega Krill Complex - krill oil is a great option and this one is sustainably sourced
Performance Lab Omega-3 - algal oil if you are looking for something that is plant-based or vegan
*Recommended by Dhru Purohit.
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
You are What You Eat: Using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) researchers found the strongest association with depression was with those deprived of nutrients. Not bulletproof, but makes a pretty strong call to action - we need the right amount of nutrients or we aren’t our best self.
In Your Face: Nutrition info is more available than ever - with calories making a push to menus (helps use decide between the Burrito or Lifestyle bowl at Chipotle). The government is considering front-of-package nutrition labels. Will it work? In Chile some companies have been forced to reformulate their products to avoid warnings.
And The Bear Snores On: Scientists at the University of Maryland discovered why small mammals live such long lives: hibernation. The study found DNA methylation changes in genes regulating the metabolism of big brown bats during hibernation vs. active states. The jury’s still out on what this could mean for humans…I guess hibernate?
Wednesday Weights
This week's focus = legs and shoulders! Be ready for a little burn in just 2 rounds as you pretty much are going to keep a squat for the full 5 minutes.
Click HERE to view the workout on our YouTube channel.
Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts on Playbook!
Wednesday Logic Puzzle (LP)
2 riddles for you today -
Two fathers and two sons walk into a sporting goods store. They each buy a pair of shorts for $50. The total for all the shorts was $150. How is this possible?
Max and Ryan are playing tennis. The winner of each game gets $1. Ryan wins 3 bets and Max wins $5. How many games did we play?
Inspiration: Brainzilla
**For answers, see tomorrow's issue
Thanks for joining us today! Hope you enjoyed it - tomorrow we'll be sifting through our microbiome.
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.