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Fertility Science

Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio: are your kinky fats balanced?

7/21/2022

 
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If you were to peek through a microscope at the omega-3 and omega-6 fats, you’d see some pretty funky shapes, which are the manifestation of ‘kinks’ in their fatty acid structure. These kinky little fats don’t just look groovy, their kinked structure make them vital for health and proper brain, eye, cell, and immune system function (1). They also play an important role in early reproductive events including oocyte maturation and embryo implantation. So yeah, they’re a pretty big deal.
 
The caveat: our bodies cannot ‘kink’ the omega-6 and omega-3 fats themselves, so we must obtain them from our diets, which is why we call them essential. You may have heard them called essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (essential PUFAs for short).
 
Our bodies function optimally with a 4:1 or lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 kinky fats in our cell membranes (3,5). With the foods we often consume today, particular in Western cultures,  omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is much higher at 10:1 to 50:1 (2,3). That’s a whole lotta omega-6 and a whole little omega-3.

his is problematic, because omega 6 fatty acids have a strong pro-inflammatory effect, while omega 3 fatty acids are potent anti-inflammatories (4). In short, the further away your omega 6: omega 3 balance is from the optimal ratio, the more inflamed your body.

Can Optimal Omega-6:Omega-3 Balance Improve my Fertility?

Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with infertility. Optimal omega-3 dietary intake dampens markers of inflammation and supports better sperm quality, is associated with improved egg health and increased pregnancy rate (6).

Meanwhile, low intake of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the chance of pregnancy (7, 8). Dietary omega-3 also has prebiotic effects on the gut microbiota, increasing the abundance of microbes that produce compounds supporting gut health (9), which we know is great for fertility !

What is My Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratio?

These days finding out your omega-6:Omega-3 ratio is simpler than it’s ever been. Laboratories have developed test kits that you can complete in the comfort of your own home.
 
Generally, the procedure looks something like this:
  • Wipe your finger with an alcohol wipe (very important – we don’t want the lab test to pick up on contaminates, such as fats from your moisturiser or your last meal).
  • Stimulate blood flow to your finger by rotating your arm a few times.
  • Prick your finger with a finger-pricker (these come in the test kit).
  • Allow a few drops of blood to drip onto the test patch (avoid touching your skin to the patches – we want blood only sent into the lab, not skin cells).
  • Leave your test to dry for 10 minutes.
  • Pop the test into the envelope, stick on a stamp, and post it.
  • Wait 10-20 days and enter your unique test code into the lab’s website to access your results.
  • Interpret your results with an Accredited health professional. 
​

My Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratio is Higher Than the Optimal 4:1… What Do I Do?

While your ratio might be higher than expected, you now have greater insight  into your body. With this knowledge you can move towards an optimal omega-6:omega-3 balance for health and fertility. 

Some positive steps you may take include:
 
1. Increase your intake of omega-3 rich foods, particularly those from marine sources.

Animal and Marine Sources: fatty fish (herring, wild-caught* salmon, rainbow trout, sardines), tuna, shrimp, yellow tailed king fish, cod, snapper, trevally, barramundi, dhufish, bream, whiting, squid, rock lobster, mackerel, seabass, mussels, scallops, crab, octopus, oysters, seal oil, omega-3 eggs, marine algae

(*farmed salmon is also rich in omega-6, so this source alone may not provide you with the optima balance of omegas)
 
Plant Sources: flaxseeds (linseeds), chia seeds, walnuts, spinach, brussels sprouts, blueberries, hemp seeds, kidney beans, tofu

These plant sources are weaker sources of omega-3 compared to animal sources and marine algae, as the body’s ability to process them is inefficient. If you are vegan or vegetarian, we recommend supplementing with a quality marine algae oil – read step 3 for a definition of ‘quality’.

2.  Lower your intake of omega-6 rich foods that aren’t balanced with some Omega-3s.

High levels of omega-6 are found in cooking oils such as vegetable, safflower, sunflower, corn, soy bean, sesame and  palm oil; fast food and ultra-processed foods are generally cooked in, and/or include an abundance of these oils. 

3.  Consider supplementing with an omega-3 + polyphenol blend

Sometimes it’s just not possible to consume sufficient omega-3 intake from the diet, especially if wild caught fish is not accessible to you. In these instances, an effective, good quality supplement can be an excellent solution. 

Is My Omega Supplement Effective? 

In nature, omega-3 fatty acids are packaged with compounds called polyphenols. Omega-3 supplements containing polyphenols have been shown to enhance absorption of the omega-3 fatty acids by the body and preserve the anti-inflammatory properties of the supplement in addition to enhancing the antioxidant properties of the polyphenols (10).
 
The presence of polyphenols also stops the omega-3 fats from going rancid (kinky fats have a very short shelf life). If you are going to take an omega-3 supplement, make sure it the source is good quality and it is packaged with polyphenols for optimal outcomes.

It's All About Balance

A body able to effectively regulate inflammation supports fertility. Testing your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio provides valuable insight into inflammation and looking forward to healthy pregnancy progression. The World Health Organisation recommends an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 4:1 or less. 
 
If you would like to find out your omega-6, omega-3 kinky fat ratio, and receive personalised guidance and support for restoring balance, we would love to see you online or welcome you in the clinic!


Written by Emily Hahn, APD

References

  1.  Jump, DB (2019) Essential Fatty Acids. Linus Pauling Institute >> Micronutrient Information Center. Accessed 19/07/2022. Essential Fatty Acids | Linus Pauling Institute | Oregon State University
  2.  Simopoulos, AP (2011) Evolutionary Aspects of Diet: The Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio and the Brain. Molecular Neurobiology. 44, pp203–215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-010-8162-0
  3.  Fabozzi, et al (2022) Personalized Nutrition in the Management of Female Infertility: New Insights on Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation. Nutrients. 14, p1918. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091918
  4.  DiNicolantonio, JJ O’Keefe, JH (2018). Importance of maintaining a low omega–6/ omega–3 ratio for reducing inflammation. Open Heart. 5, e000946. doi:10.1136/ openhrt-2018-000946 
  5.  Simopoulos, AP (2008). The Importance of the Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio in Cardiovascular Disease and Other Chronic Diseases. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 233(6), pp674-688. doi:10.3181/0711-MR-311
  6.  Safarinejad, MR et al. (2010) Relationship of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with semen characteristics, and anti-oxidant status of seminal plasma: a comparison between fertile and infertile men. Clinical Nutrition. 29(1), pp 100-5.
  7.  ​Hammiche, F et al. (2011) Increased preconception omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake improves embryo morphology. Fertility & Sterility. 95(5), pp 1820-3.
  8.  Chiu, YH et al. (2018) Serum omega-3 fatty acids and treatment outcomes among women undergoing assisted reproduction. Human Reproduction. 33(1), pp 156-165.
  9.  Vijay, A Astbury, S Le Roy, C Spector, T D Valdes, A M (2020) The prebiotic effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation: a six-week randomised intervention trial. Gut Microbes. 13(1), e1863133.
  10.  Mendez, L & Medina, I (2021) Polyphenols and Fish Oils for Improving Metabolic Health: A Revision of the Recent Evidence for Their Combined Nutraceutical Effects. Molecules. 26(9).    

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