Omega 3 - Why is it important
Omega-3 Fatty Acids — Why They Matter
Omega-3 fatty acids are among the most talked-about nutrients — and for good reason. They are essential for life, yet the body cannot produce them on its own. That means we need to consume them daily, for life, through our diet.
What Omega-3 Does in the Body
Fatty acids are the building blocks of every single cell. The two marine omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in particular keep cell membranes soft and permeable — allowing nutrients to enter cells and waste products to be transported out. With around 70 to 100 trillion cells in the body, this mechanism has an enormous impact, affecting the heart, brain, eyes, skin, immune system, and every tissue.
The Healthy Cell — and “Silent Inflammation”
A helpful analogy is fresh grapes versus raisins:
Healthy cell: plump, soft, and flexible like a fresh grape — nutrients are absorbed well, waste products fully eliminated.
Damaged cell: shrivelled and rigid like a raisin — nutrients barely penetrate, waste products accumulate and cause further damage.
When omega-3 is chronically lacking, the body can no longer fully “switch off” inflammation. The result is so-called silent inflammation — a chronic, smouldering process in the background that often goes unnoticed for years. Common signs include chronic fatigue, strong exhaustion after meals, frequent infections, or recurring complaints such as joint issues.
The Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio
What matters isn’t just the amount of omega-3, but its balance with its counterpart, omega-6. Simply put: omega-6 fuels inflammation, omega-3 dampens it. The body needs both — it must be able to start and stop inflammatory processes. A ratio of around 4:1 or lower is considered balanced. In today’s Western diet, however, the average is 15–17:1, and in some individuals even 25:1 or higher. Our bodies evolved for a ratio of roughly 1:1 — such a severe imbalance overwhelms the system and promotes inflammatory processes.
Where to Find Omega-3 — and What Matters
Natural sources include:
Plant-based sources such as flaxseed oil, walnuts, or chia seeds (primarily provide ALA, which is only converted to EPA and DHA in small amounts)
High-quality fish or cod liver oils, or vegan algae oils as targeted supplements
Fatty wild-caught fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, or sardines
Realistically, meeting daily requirements through diet alone is difficult. Those who supplement should prioritise quality: one key indicator is the TOTOX value, which measures how oxidised (i.e. rancid) an oil already is. It should be well below 10 — many cheaper products exceed this threshold and burden the body rather than benefiting it.
Test, Don’t Guess
Perhaps the most important point: without testing, nobody knows their actual omega-3 status. Experience shows that most people have levels that are too low — this is now more the norm than the exception. Two values are particularly meaningful:
Omega-3 Index: the proportion of EPA and DHA in red blood cells. Values of 8% or above are associated with the best health outcomes.
Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio: shows how balanced the interplay between “ignition” and “brake” is.
Testing is straightforward with a simple at-home test kit: a small drop of blood from the fingertip is enough, and an independent laboratory handles the analysis. This makes progress measurable — in one example, a baseline value of 3.5% improved to over 9% after around five months, and the ratio shifted from approximately 25:1 to 3:1.
Conclusion
Omega-3 is far more than a supplement — it is a building block for healthy, flexible cells and a foundation for wellbeing, recovery, and prevention. The first step is always the same: test, don’t guess. Knowing your omega-3 status allows you to take targeted action. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to have your personal levels measured and receive tailored advice.
Further link: Eqology Pure Arctic Oil
Article by our partner: Dr. Swaantje Barth, Naturopath in Germany. Health Scientist and Naturopath — 0172 56 30 160 — Swaantje.Barth@gmail.com
Based on: efsa.europa.eu/efsa.journal
