Omega-3 fatty acids are gaining wide spread attention for there numerous health benefits, including uses in cancer, cardiovascular diease, anti-inflammatory activity, ADHD, ASD, cognitive aging, and many others. There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids involved in human physiology: a-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
ALA, EPA, and DHA are essential for normal metabolism in mammals. Humans cannot synthesize these molecules on there own, however we can convert the shorter ALA into EPA and DHA, but we lose this ability with aging. Thus you must obtain them from your diet.
Normal aging leads to stiffer arteries which contributes to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. It has been shown through numerous publications that daily supplementation of omega-3 capsules (at least 465mg EPA and 375mg DHA twice daily) can decrease arterial stiffness in the older population. This decrease in arterial stiffness greatly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in our aging population.
