I’m a Scientist is like school science lessons meet the X Factor! School students choose which scientist gets a prize of $1000 to communicate their work.
Scientists and students talk on this website. They both break down barriers, have fun and learn. But only the students get to vote.
This zone is the Organs Zone. It has scientists studying health and disease in various parts of our bodies. Who gets the prize? YOU decide!
There are actually three types of fatty acids that are collectively referred to as omega-3’s: ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Besides being hard to pronounce, they are extremely important to your health. Omega-3’s are “essential” fatty acids, because they are necessary for health and must be included in your diet (because the human body cannot manufacture them on its own). But what exactly are they used for, and what do they do for human health?
Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fats reduce inflammation, helping to prevent inflammatory diseases like heart disease and arthritis. In addition to warding off inflammation, omega-3’s are also essential to the brain, impacting behavior and cognitive function, and are especially necessary during fetal development.
omega-3’s may also:
Improve artery health by helping to reduce plaque buildup and blood clots in arteries that lead to the brain.
Improve cholesterol by lowering triglycerides and elevating HDL (good cholesterol) levels. These benefits come primarily from DHA and EPA. Learn more about fats that fight cholesterol.
Improve joint health by reducing joint tenderness and stiffness associated with arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Improve bone health by positively impacting the body’s calcium levels, reducing the incidence of bone loss.
Improve mental health by helping to insulate nerve cells in the brain, allowing these nerve cells to better communicate with one another. People who are deficient in omega-3’s may suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and ADHD.
Improve skin health by helping to alleviate symptoms related to skin disorders like acne and psoriasis.
Improve bowel health by reducing inflammation of the bowels, helping alleviate symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Improve lung health by reducing inflammation in diseases like asthma. To read more on this topic, click here.
Improve menstrual health by reducing the pain associated with PMS and menstruation.
Help prevent cancer. Colon, breast, and prostate cancers have all been correlated with low intakes of omega-3’s.
There was some very recent research in June this year that said that maybe they weren’t as helpful to the brain as we first thought, but to think the jury is still out on that one!
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Hannah has all the detail covered by the looks of things (well done)
What I’ll add is:
Yes, they work, and they are very useful. Such supplements are there to help those that may not be getting enough “whatever” (in this case Omega 3 fats) from their diet. As with everything, too much does not mean better! If you take too many, you’re wasting the additional tablets/oil as they would just go through your body without being absorbed, and may result in both diarrhea as well as other less-favorable things to happen to your body.
Best to see a doctor (or even a nutritionist) to discuss whether you need any supplements before popping pills though blustrawberry!
Hope that helps 😀
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Omega 3 is a pretty interesting fatty acid. How does it achieve all these incredible things in the body?
Our cells are surrounded by a fatty lipid membrane. Just like the oil in the bottom of your frying pan doesn’t dissolve in the washing up water unless you add detergent, cell membranes repel water. This is really useful because cells can tightly regulate their internal environment by using channels to select how much water, chemical ions and energy molecules come in and out.
Omega 3 is a fat and can slot into the membranes, making them work more efficiently. I take fish oil tablets regularly — the research shows they can help.
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