Do omega-3s also help you lose weight?

Losing weight and staying fit: help from Omega 3 fish oil.

Marine-derived Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are good for the heart, brain, skin, counteract inflammation, and much more. Research adds another benefit to the known list: Omega-3 helps with weight loss! This is not a catchy phrase, but the result of several studies conducted on laboratory mice and also clinically on humans. 

Animal experiments allow the collection of a large amount of information on the effect of a certain substance at the cellular, metabolic, and genetic levels. Discoveries cannot always be applied to humans, but they still provide useful indications since mammal functions are 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 lost weight compared to those given the same food but with other oil, and this effect was even more marked when combined with a moderate diet.    

Additionally, these mice tended not to regain lost weight even when they could return to eating without restrictions. Further studies then revealed a reduction in the number of fat cells and increased fat oxidation thanks to the activation of some mitochondrial genes. In simple terms, it’s as if Omega-3 could "talk" to fat cells and convince them to burn energy rather than store it as fat deposits. 

Great news for those looking for natural remedies for obesity? It seems so: a clinical study on a group of 27 obese women on a low-calorie diet showed good results. The group given Omega-3 lost 20% more weight compared to the placebo control group after only 3 weeks. From blood tests, researchers concluded that the mechanism of action is probably the same suggested by the animal model, namely an increase in fat oxidation to generate energy. 

Obesity and overweight result from excess calories, but not only that: what we eat affects DNA and can stimulate the expression of genes that mediate fat accumulation. A weight loss approach that does not consider this factor cannot be effective. In this sense, omega-3 could be used as an aid in weight loss, within a strategy that addresses the causes of overweight and does not stop only at calorie reduction, an approach often frustrating for both those who propose it and those who follow it.