Dietary omega-3s have become well-known for their benefits related to general heart health, but you may not know that omega-3s offer specific benefits for women. Omega-3s can make a great addition to your daily nutrient intake as they support several bodily systems for holistic health.
Adding these nutrients to your diet can support your overall health and healthy aging in multiple ways. At iwi life, we want to help you understand all the potential benefits omega-3s have for women and why they matter.
What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated acidfound in cells throughout the body. They make up cell membranes, play an important part in providing you with energy, and support healthy growth and development.
There are two significant types of omega-3 that you should strive to obtain through your regular diet or supplementation — docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). A third type of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), is a short-chain fatty acid that acts more as a precursor to longer forms.Â
ALA can be converted into DHA and EPA in the body, but only in very small amounts, so it is important to be mindful about receiving a steady daily intake of DHA and EPA through diet or supplementation.
What Are the Health Benefits of Omega-3 Supplements for Women?
A steady intake of omega-3 can contribute to several important functions in the body, making them a highly beneficial addition to your diet. Omega-3s can provide many benefits during adulthood and as you age. These omega-3 fats can help do the following.
1. Maintain Heart Health
Everyone should take steps to maintain a healthy heart and support the motor that keeps you going. For women, it is no different. Regularly taking omega-3s is a great way to do so, offering several key benefits for your heart health. EPA has an important influence on the body, serving a supportive role that helps the body maintain healthy functioning, especially concerning the cardiovascular system.
For example, a healthy intake of EPA omega-3 fatty acids helps support a healthy heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels already within the healthy range. Maintaining healthy blood pressure can support healthy circulation, which has many additional benefits.
2. Soothe Discomfort During Menstruation
The uncomfortable symptoms associated with monthly periods can get in the way of daily life for many women. Although it is not a miracle cure, there is some evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may be able to provide temporary relief for menstrual discomfort by supporting overall wellness.
Consult your doctor to see if including more omega-3s in your diet is right for you.
3. Support Cognitive Function
The brain keeps you going, so you should work to support it however you can. Omega-3s may help you do just that, as they may have several benefits for your cognitive and emotional wellness. EPA is associated with general emotional wellness. The combination of DHA and EPA can also support cognitive functioning.Â
These omega-3s may support memory, concentration, and motor skills. This support is especially helpful throughout aging, so these nutrients are great for helping you stay sharp!
4. Maintain Bone and Joint Health
Women have an increased risk of developing issues with bone density and joint problems compared to men, especially throughout aging, as estrogen levels decrease. As a result, it is helpful for women to receive extra support for their bones and joints wherever possible.Â
Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in supporting bone strength and density as well as proper calcium absorption. These essential nutrients can also help support healthy joints with the potential to soothe discomfort and stiffness.
5. Support Healthy Pregnancy
Omega-3 fatty acids are invaluable for pregnant women, as they offer multiple important benefits for a growing child and the mother’s health.Â
DHA is found in brain and eye cells, as it is an integral building block of these organs. Therefore, a healthy intake of DHA during pregnancy and throughout breastfeeding is highly beneficial to supporting the baby’s visual acuity and neurological development. Deficiencies in this important nutrient can have several harmful risk factors.
Because DHA is vital to a baby’s development, women should increase their intake during pregnancy and nursing to compensate for the extra amount the baby needs during development. This extra use may reduce some of the other health benefits women can receive from omega-3s as the body works to support the baby. As a result, taking extra DHA can help keep omega-3 levels in the body healthy.
It is important to maintain a healthy intake of omega-3s since they help support the health of the mother in addition to the health of the baby during pregnancy. Pregnancy can be emotionally and mentally taxing on the mother, so it is important to have extra support. EPA omega-3 intake is a good idea as it helps support emotional wellness throughout pregnancy.
How Can I Obtain Omega-3?
Receiving an appropriate amount of omega-3 is important for maintaining the healthy function of several bodily systems. Women should receive between 250 and 500 mg of combined EPA and DHA daily, according to general guidelines. Be sure to consult your doctor about the potential benefits of increasing your omega-3 intake.
The omega-3 precursor ALA is abundant in many plant-based food sources, like nuts, chia seeds and flaxseed, and plant oils. Because it is so abundant in foods, experts do not recommend the need for additional supplementation of ALA, instead highlighting that your focus should be on obtaining DHA and EPA through diet or supplementation. These two fatty acids are much less common in a standard American diet and are more important.
DHA and EPA are called marine omega-3s because they are abundant in seafood. The most well-known sources of DHA and EPA are fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel, as well as fish oil supplements. However, there are some drawbacks to these sources.
For example, many people have concerns about contaminants in seafood, like mercury, and their potentially negative health effects. This is particularly concerning for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. People who follow a plant-based diet may also experience challenges receiving the necessary omega-3s since fish is figuratively and literally off the table.
Fortunately, there is a solution for both of these concerns! Algae is a plant-based source of both DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids, making it a great addition to any lifestyle. Algae is one of the most effective sources of these two omega-3s, and an algae-rich diet is why fish are so rich in omega-3s.
iwi life allows you to cut out the middle fish and makes supplementation easy with an algae-based omega-3 supplement. iwi life’s omega-3 supplement is also a wonderful way to provide you with some peace of mind, as our algae is farmed in ponds of salty water in the desert, far away from any potential marine contaminants.
Experience the Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that everyone should strive to obtain. These omega-3 fats also have several positive effects that specifically support women’s health. Here at iwi life, our goal is to provide you with an easily accessible and effective source of essential omega-3s, which is why we are proud of the power of our algae-based omega-3 supplement.
Our supplement is complete with DHA and EPA omega-3s, helping you get the daily recommended intake of these two necessary long-chain fatty acids. iwi life’s omega-3 supplement is an excellent way to obtain your daily intake of these two essential fatty acids in just two daily softgels to provide women with helpful support.
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Sources:
Omega-3 fatty acids and blood pressure
[Painful menstruation and low intake of n-3 fatty acids]
Health benefits of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) | PubMed Central
The mothers, Omega-3 and mental health study | BMC Pregnancy and ChildbirthÂ
Omega-3 fatty acids in pathological calcification and bone health
