Slimming down and staying in shape: help from Omega 3 fish oil

The marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are good for the heart, brain, skin, fight inflammation and more.

Research adds another entry to the list of known benefits: omega-3s help you lose weight! This is not a catch phrase, but the result of several studies conducted on laboratory mice and also in the clinic, on humans. Animal experiments make it possible to gather a great deal of information about the effect of a given substance at the cellular, metabolic and genetic levels. 

The findings may not always apply to humans, but they are still useful pointers since mammalian functioning is similar. In this case, researchers analyzed the effect of adding fish oil (with a high concentration of DHA) to a high-fat diet. The results were surprising: mice treated with Omega-3 slimmer than those given the same food but with other oil, and this effect was even more pronounced when combined with a moderate diet.    

In addition, these mice tended not to regain lost weight even when they could return to unrestricted eating. Further studies then revealed a reduction in the number of fat cells, and increased fat oxidation due to the activation of certain mitochondrial genes. 

Simply put, it's a bit like Omega-3s can "talk" to fat cells and convince them to burn energy instead of storing it as fat deposits. Great news for those looking for natural remedies for obesity? It seems so: a study conducted in a clinic on a group of 27 obese women on a low-calorie regimen showed good results. The group given Omega-3s lost 20% more weight than the placebo control group after only 3 weeks. 

From the blood analysis, the researchers concluded that the mechanism of action is probably the same as that suggested by the animal model, namely, an increase in fat oxidation to generate energy. 

Obesity and overweight are the result of excess calories, but not only that: what we eat has an effect on DNA, and can stimulate the expression of genes that mediate fat accumulation. 

An approach to weight loss that does not take this factor into account cannot be effective. In this sense, omega-3s could be used as adjuvants in weight loss, as part of a strategy that acts on the causes of overweight and does not stop only at calorie reduction, an approach that is often frustrating for both those who propose it and those who put it into practice.