If you’re a woman, especially over age 40, and you’ve been to a doctor anytime in the recent past, you’ve undoubtedly been urged to increase your calcium (with supplements and/or dairy products) for bone health and osteoporosis prevention.
Now of course, there’s nothing wrong with recommending calcium! Your bones do need it, after all.
But what IS wrong is the fact that many women are led to believe that calcium is ALL that matters and the fact is, it’s just a drop in the bucket of nutrients that are crucial to women’s health.
And there’s one nutrient in particular that I’d bet my bottom dollar your doctor hasn’t mentioned to you, but it’s crucial not only to your bones, but a plethora of other health concerns.
Omega-3 essential fatty acids!
Here’s the scoop—we’ll start with:
Understanding the basics of omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 essential fatty acids are called “essential” because your body can’t make them on its own—you must obtain them from your diet or supplements.
There are 3 predominant omega-3 fats—EPA and DHA (found in fish) and ALA (which comes from plant sources like nuts and seeds). Here’s what the acronyms mean and what each is mainly known for:
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): Helps with heart and mood support.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): Absolutely crucial for brain, eye and nervous system health.
ALA (alpha-linolenic acid): ALA acts as a precursor to EPA and DHA, but only a small fraction of what you take in (typically less than 10 percent and sometimes as low as 1 percent) converts to EPA or DHA in the body. This is why many nutrition experts contend that marine sources of omega-3 fats are superior to plant sources—it’s merely a matter of numbers.
But how can they support women’s health?
Glad you asked. We’ll start with the #1 most popular women’s health concern—bone health and osteoporosis prevention.
Bone and joint health
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help keep bones healthy, likely due to their natural anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, a study conducted earlier this year found that women who consumed more omega-3s had a lower risk of osteoporosis.
I’m living proof of this. After challenging my body with 23 years in the martial arts and 33 years of running, I recently had a back x-ray that showed I have the spine of a healthy 30-year-old with no signs of degenerative disease. (Not bad for 63.) I firmly believe my regular intake of omega-3 fats is largely responsible for that.
Additionally, a 2023 study found that supplementation with omega-3s can help ease pain and improve joint function in women with osteoarthritis.
Brain health
As I mentioned above, omega-3s—especially DHA—are crucial for brain health. DHA is a major structural component of the brain and is essential for maintaining cognitive function throughout life.
One study in particular found that, in addition to supporting brain function, omega-3s help reduce inflammation and cell damage, and play a role in slowing changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease!
Studies have also supported omega-3 benefits for memory, focus, mood regulation, and even reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Heart health
Many people don’t realize this, but cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of both men AND women, accounting for approximately one in every three female deaths.
Historically, women’s heart health has not been studied as often as men’s, and according to the Yale School of Medicine, women’s heart disease still remains underdiagnosed and undertreated.
There are also biological differences at play here:
- Women’s hearts are about 25 percent smaller than men’s, so they have to work harder to pump the same amount of blood;
- Decreases in hormone levels during menopause means women lose the protective cardiovascular effects of the hormones estrogen and progesterone;
- Autoimmunity (which disproportionately affects women) increases CVD risk.
But the good news is omega-3s have long been praised for their protective effects against cardiovascular disease! And they’ve been found to help compensate for the reduced heart-protective effects of estrogen in menopausal women.
Hormone help
Research has shown omega-3 fats can help improve fertility by supporting pregnancy and fertilization rates, including support for women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
They have also been shown to help women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) by lowering testosterone levels and regulating menstrual periods.
Healthy Mom, healthy baby
Omega-3 fats also can support a healthy pregnancy by helping to lower the risk of preterm birth and postpartum depression.
And they have also been shown to help encourage healthy fetal eye and brain development, which makes sense when you consider the brain and eye-protecting effects of DHA.
Immune health
Regular consumption of omega-3 fats can help boost your immune system, protecting you against common illnesses like colds, infections and the flu.
Omega-3 fatty acids bolster the immune system by impacting the activity and number of inflammatory cytokines present in your body.
Ladies, get what your body needs!
Although all omega-3 fatty acids support your health in some way, the superstars—EPA and DHA--are only found in animal (marine) sources—specifically fish oils.
In addition to incorporating more oily fish into your diet (be sure to choose only fresh, wild-caught varieties and NEVER farmed fish!) the best way to ensure you have health supporting levels of EPA and DHA is to take a purified, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil formula like VitalMega-3.
Every 2-capsule serving of Vitalmega-3 delivers a soothing optimal dose of 1,200 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, including 600 mg of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and 400 mg of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), which is in the desired 3:2 ratio recommended by health experts to provide the most benefits.
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
