nutrition and health

Omega 3 and Benefits for Sight

What are Omega 3s?

The group of so-called omega three includes three different fatty acids, called respectively: alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

These nutrients are defined as essential, since the organism is not able to produce them independently and must therefore extract them from food. However, to be precise, the only one of the three to be totally essential is the ALA; from this, in fact, the body is able to extract EPA and DHA. However, this is a capacity that can result

poor or compromised, which is why the diet should contain all 3 in adequate quantities.

The omega 3s require different vital and / or necessary functions to maintain the general state of health.

The tasks of the omega 3s are quite numerous but, in this article, we will focus on the role they can play in supporting the visual function.

Omega 3 for Vista

Omega 3s are essential nutrients for the eyes, therefore for the eyes.

The link between sight and omega 3 is rather complex:

  • The omega three participate in the birth and development of the tissues that make up the eyes, as well as in their subsequent maintenance.
  • The eyes are abundantly vascularized by a dense capillary network; the omega three play a vasodilator role and favor capillary elasticity.
  • The omega 3s oppose the damage caused by chronic hyperglycemia, among which visual impairment is very common.
  • It has been hypothesized that the omega three may have a significant importance in the prevention of certain pathological degenerative forms typical of old age.

Omega 3 and Development

Several studies have shown that omega 3s are necessary for infantile visual function. In particular, docosahexaenoic acid is considered a very important nutrient for nervous and ocular development.

The role of DHA for growth is so considerable that in the latest revision of LARN *, SINU * recommends taking an additional amount of this fatty acid compared to previously recommended levels.

DHA assumes primary importance in fetal development and in pregnancy it is recommended to take omega 3 supplements.

According to a study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition", the supplement with DHA from the fourth month of pregnancy until childbirth has decreased the probability that the unborn children had a visual acuity lower than normal.

This omega 3 is required in higher amounts even in the diet of the infant and child up to the second year of life. Keep in mind that the concentration of omega 3 in breast milk is quite affected by the diet and it may be advisable to correct the diet or use a food supplement.

According to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, healthy premature babies fed a formula rich in DHA develop superior visual acuity than infants who have been fed a normal formula.

A Canadian study states that dietary supplementation with DHA supports the growth of children up to the twelfth year of life.

Omega 3 and Third Age

It has been hypothesized that omega three may have a positive role on macular degeneration (AMD) and dry eye syndrome. The in-depth studies on this subject have been discordant and the role of omega-3s in these conditions is still not entirely clear.

It is also possible that these essential fats favor a correct drainage of the intraocular fluid, decreasing the risk of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. The statistics (collected in an experimental European) indicate that these effects are more evident in those who follow a diet rich in fatty fish; the role of supplements is misunderstood.

It is believed that omega 3 can exercise all these functions especially in people who have been following a diet that is naturally rich in essential fats throughout their lives.

On the other hand it must be kept in mind that in the third age the organism loses, albeit partially, the ability to obtain EPA and DHA from the ALA; this requires a more careful structuring of the diet and suggests the use of a food supplement based on EPA and DHA.

Omega 3 and Capillaries

Omega 3s have a vasodilator effect and promote blood fluidity.

This favors the blood circulation, particularly the capillary one.

It is logical to think that the omega three can have a potentially beneficial effect for all the conditions in which this function is compromised.

Microcirculatory alterations also appear among the complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus; the eyes undergo this effect more than relevantly.

A diet rich in omega 3 and any supplement with omega 3, EPA and DHA types, could have a positive effect preventing or reducing the severity of these complications.

What to do?

In infants, children up to the second year of life, pregnant women, nurses and the elderly at risk of eye diseases, it is recommended to increase the intake of omega 3 in the diet, in particular EPA and DHA.

The organism is normally able to produce EPA and DHA starting from ALA, but in some circumstances this function remains compromised.

To avoid the lack of all omega 3, it is advisable to follow some advice:

  1. Promote the intake of foods rich in ALA (of vegetable origin)
  2. Promote the intake of foods rich in EPA and DHA (fishery products)
  3. Evaluate the use of a food supplement that mainly supplies DHA (fish oil, krill oil, seaweed oil, squid oil, etc.). NB . These products require impeccable conservation and are very sensitive to light, heat and oxygen.