Most people are familiar with the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but what about omega-3s lesser-known cousin—omega-6? Is omega-6 worth taking, or are omega-6 fatty acids dangerous and hazardous to your health?
While research indicates that omega-6 fatty acids do offer some health benefits, they also come with a series of drawbacks and side effects that raise serious concern.
5 Potential Benefits of Omega-6
- Aids Metabolism
- Strengthens Bones
- Reduces Heart Disease
- Maintains Skin and Hair
- Supports the Reproductive System
Omega-6 fatty acids are part of a healthy diet that provides the body with energy more than anything else. However, omega-6 is also needed for skin and hair growth, maintaining healthy bones, regulating metabolism, and maintaining the reproductive system.
While omega-3 fatty acids come from cold-water fish, omega-6 fatty acids primarily come from seeds, nuts, and a variety of oils. Most unhealthy snacks (fast food, cookies, chips, and processed foods) contain omega-6 in the form of vegetable oil.
Safety and Side Effects
It’s easy to consume too much Omega-6 if you eat fast food and processed food. If you overeat junk food with limited nutritional value, a high number of calories, and too much fat, this will negatively affect your health.
While omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of heart disease, omega-6 is not so forgiving. If you consume foods that contain too much omega-6, you can develop high blood pressure, blood clots, and increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
There are people out there that consume 50 times more omega-6 than omega-3s. This overconsumption can lead to nutritional imbalances, disease, autoimmune problems, asthma, depression, obesity, and even some forms of cancer.
High doses of omega-6 can also lead to inflammation that can cause a person’s health to spiral out of control. Ultimately, a diet high in omega-6 is inflammatory, and a diet rich in omega-3 is neutral. As a result, increasing your omega-3 intake as you reduce your omega-6 intake reduces inflammation in the body.
Recommended Dosage
According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine, adults aged 19–50 should consume at least 17 grams of omega-6 for men and 12 grams of omega-6 for women each day.
If you can keep your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 closer to 4:1 or even 3:1, you will reduce inflammation in your body and improve your overall health in the process.
If your ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is out of whack, then you are leading yourself down a road to self-destruction. If you eat a lot of soybean oil, corn, and sunflower oil, you should cut these foods out of your diet as these foods contain large amounts of omega-6.
Effectiveness of Omega-6
You need omega-6 for energy, but consuming too much omega-6 will have the opposite effect if you’re not careful. If you consume a diet that is heavy on the side of omega-3 and light on the side of omega-6, you’re already well on the way to a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Omega-6 supplementation is not required unless you are in total control of your diet. As a result, you should only consider omega-6 supplements when your diet is so clean you have no omega-6 fatty acids in your body.