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Omega-3 Deficiency​

This common nutritional deficiency makes you tired, sad, and anxious. Left unchecked, it can lead to severe cognitive impairment. Let's prevent that.​

Way, way back in human history, one of your ancestors did something that changed the future: he moved to the coast and discovered that the ocean is full of food. Catching fish was easier than chasing land critters. That's all he knew. What he didn't know was that he was setting something into motion that changed the course of history: brain expansion.

It's called the Aquatic Ape Hypothesis. It may or may not be correct, but the general idea makes sense: This new food source was rich in DHA, one of the most important omega-3 fatty acids, along with EPA. Your body can't make these essential fats; you have to eat them, and DHA is literally brain food.

Your ancestor got a little DHA from other sources, and he converted ALA from plants into DHA/EPA. Unfortunately, the conversion rate is terrible (2 to 5%), especially for males. But migrating to the coast changed all that. Now your ancestor's brain was saturated in DHA. As the generations came and went, human brain development went into hyperdrive. Cognitive function skyrocketed. Mankind flourished and today we have pocket computers and spaceships.

It's a good story, but it's not over. These days, despite all our advancements, we're at risk of cognitive "de-evolution." Our brain machinery is dry and rusty: it's overheated, misfiring, and sending mixed signals.

It sounds melodramatic, but medicine has a new term for it: omega-3 deficiency.


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Omega-3 Deficiency: What Does It Do to Me?​

Lack of omega-3s, particularly DHA, cause or exacerbate several brain-related issues:

• Mood Problems: Increased anxiety, more depression, and mood swings. Omega-3s are involved in neurotransmitter regulation (serotonin and dopamine), critical for mood stability. Without omega-3s, the brain gets inflamed, leading to depressive symptoms and anxiety.
• Fatigue: Lack of energy or a feeling of generalized tiredness.
• Poor Memory: Difficulty concentrating or recalling information.
• Very Bad Things: At the extreme end, but not uncommon, omega-3 deficiency is associated with ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and dementia (including early-onset Alzheimer's, affecting people between 30 and 50).

In short, a lack of "brain food" is causing rampant cognitive impairment, general unhappiness, and what could be deemed a diet-related form of stupidity.

How Can I Avoid or Correct Omega-3 Deficiency?​

According to the literature, moderate to severe deficiencies require a consistent intake of just over 1000 mg per day (about half that works for a mild deficiency).

However, more focused research on things like depression and mood points to a much higher intake. You'd need to consume a whole lot of salmon and mackerel daily to get enough. And then you'd need to start worrying about heavy metal contamination and microplastics.

Supplements are the smart choice, but the average grocery-store fish oil contains roughly 360 mg of combined DHA/EPA per capsule. Sadly, most of that is EPA, and the powerhouse brain food is DHA. Prepare to swallow a lot of capsules.