High Omega-6 to Omega-3 Fat Intake Tied to Inflammation and Depression
In a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers at Ohio State found that individuals with the highest blood levels of Omega-6 fats relative to Omega-3 fats were more likely to suffer from depression and to have higher levels of inflammation-promoting compounds in their bodies.
Specifically, as depressive symptoms increased in the study participants, higher Omega-6/Omega-3 ratios were associated with higher levels of inflammatory cytokines (immune system messengers) TNF-alpha and IL-6. Conversely, Omega-3 fats help promote the production of anti-inflammatory substances, such as prostaglandin PGE-3, and are linked to lower rates of depression.
Omega-3 fats are found primarily in fish oil and flaxseed oil (although only fish oil has the Omega-3 fats EPA and DHA in their final bioavailable forms). Omega-6 fats are found primarily in the diet in vegetable oils, such as soybean, corn, sunflower, and safflower oil, and also in the form of arachidonic acid in meat, dairy, and eggs.
* An exception to the primarily pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fats is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is found in borage, evening primrose, and black currant oils, and helps to promote the production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandin PGE-1.
Changing Fat Intake Patterns & Implications
Historically, people eating a hunter-gatherer type of diet consumed about 2 to 3 times the amount of Omega-6 fats relative to Omega-3 fats. Today, in most Western diets, largely as the result of higher intake of refined vegetable oils in packaged and restaurant-prepared foods, that ratio is more like 15 to 20 to one.
The pro-inflammatory state that results from eating such a diet has negative implications not only for conditions such as depression as highlighted in this study, but also for many other conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, allergies and asthma, prostate cancer, skin disorders, and more.
Diet-wise, this imbalance in Omega-6/Omega-3 fat intake is likely one of the biggest factors contributing to chronic disease. Taking a fish oil supplement that has been tested for contaminants and reducing the consumption of foods prepared using vegetable oils are two ways to help improve this balance and restore a more normal immune response.
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May 21st, 2007 at 12:21 am
[…] Interestingly, researchers found that high consumption of arachidonic acid (AA) was associated with a 54% increase in wet AMD risk. AA is an omega-6 fatty acid found in high quantities in red meat, dairy, and egg yolks, as well as metabolized from vegetable oils, such as corn and soybean oils commonly used in processed, packaged, and restaurant-prepared foods. This finding once again suggests that it is important to not only ensure adequate omega-3 intake, but also to moderate omega-6 intake, in order to manage inflammation. I addressed this topic in an earlier post. […]
June 30th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
[…] As discussed in an earlier post, a higher omega-3 / omega-6 fat intake tends to promote the production of anti-inflammatory immune system modulators (e.g., prostaglandin PGE-3), while a high omega-6 / omega-3 fat intake tends to promote the production of pro-inflammatory substances (e.g., prostaglandin PGE-2 and cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha). […]