Benefits of Omega-3 for Your Pet Health
When it comes to health “buzzwords”, Omegas seem to be fairly high up the list – and rightly so. But what is an omega - 3 or 6 (or even 7 or 9) – and what does it do?
Lipids are a class of nutrients that include fats, oils, waxes, some vitamins, polar -and phospho- lipids and glycerides; variants include saccharolipids and lipoproteins.
The common factor is a chain of carbon atoms with a carboxyl acid group (COOH) at one end. By nature of its synthesis, where pairs of carbon atoms are added to the chain, fatty acids have an even number of carbons and are generally of chain length of C:8 to C:24. Plant fatty acids tend not to be longer than C:18, but algae and animals can synthesise up to C24. These are called fatty acids.
Within fatty acids, there are two variants. In organic chemistry, a carbon atom can make 4 covalent links with other atoms. Two are used to connect the caron chain, and for fatty acids, two are linked with hydrogen atoms. This means the carbon atom is saturated (no links available for other connections). However, the carbon can share one of its links with a neighbouring carbon (double bond), leaving one free for hydrogen; the link has the potential for a future link and is known as unsaturated:
Figure 1. Saturated (left) vs unsaturated (right) links in a fatty acid chain.
A further difference is that, for unsaturated links, the hydrogen can either be on the same (pictured) or opposite sides – cis vs. trans.
Animals cannot synthesise unsaturated fatty acids and can only achieve this by eating unsaturated sources (plant or algae oils). As algal oils tend to have a higher carbon chain length, sources that feed off them – Green-Lipped Mussel, Salmon, etc. -contain significant levels.
Depending on the chain length, a fatty acid may have one (monounsaturated) or more (polyunsaturated) bonds. The nomenclature shows this after the carbon chain length, e.g., C18:3 – 3 double bonds for an 18-chain fatty acid.
So the final piece in this nomenclature is “Omega”, sometimes called η. The nomenclature of polyunsaturated fatty acids is the siting of the first unsaturated, double bond from the carboxyl group. If it is at the 3rd carbon, it is omega-3; at the 6th, omega-6 and so on. As the chain length increases, double bonds may also increase. For example, ALA ( - α linolenic acid - c18:3 n-3) has 3 double bonds, EPA has 5, and DHA has 6. The positioning of these bonds may affect the fatty acid characteristics.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are synthesised in plants, where the number of carbons in a chain is mainly up to 18. This means that ALA and GLA ( ϒ linolenic acid) are the longest chains found in significant levels. Animals can synthesise longer chains by adding paired carbon units and so achieve EPA & DHA. At the same time, the siting of the omega bond can be changed through biochemical pathways:
Figure 2 Representation of fatty acid synthesis (Innis, 2003)
But what does this mean for the animal? The common perception of omegas is that omega-3 is anti-inflammatory whilst omega-6 is pro-inflammatory and is, to all intents and purposes, almost totally wrong!
Simplistically, omega 3 fats are involved in the production of IGF, whilst omega 6 is that of PGE2; these are hormone-like factors that, between them, help regulate anabolic processes and the associated inflammation cycle. As with all biochemical functions, balance mediates optimum performance. In terms of biochemical function, omega-3, for example, helps regulate bone formation, omega-6 regulates bone resorption, and omega-3 helps regulate anti-inflammatory processes, whilst omega-6 mediates this relationship. In terms of ratios, it is generally accepted that a dietary balance of 4 units of omega-6 to 1 unit of omega-e is optimal. However, many lipid sources, especially plant origin, are heavily biased towards omega-6, and supplemental omega-3 is advised.
But what is the best source of omega-3, and are we looking at DHA & EPA or possibly plant sources? Data does show that dietary inclusion of fatty acids is mirrored in the body of monogastric animals; higher levels of DHA, for example, result in greater deposition in the mitochondria – energy-generating sites in the cells - of the brain, heart and liver. ). It is also thought that DHA & EPA help with the ageing process,
At the same time, fatty acid profiles in the heart and brain shifted towards omega-3 fatty acids from omega-6 (C20 chain length) from both linseed and salmon oils, but not others such as olive or primrose. It has been shown that a source rich in ALA, flax oil, compared to salmon oil, had a more beneficial effect on bone microarchitecture and plasma osteocalcin levels, intimating improved bone density.
Regarding fertility, work has shown that high levels of ALA, a precursor of the steroid E2, improve uterine receptivity whist for growing animals, and increasing levels of DHA are beneficial to canine neural and retinal development.
When forming regulatory messengers, such as IGF and PGE, the biochemical stasis between ALA and arachidonic acid generates the omega-6 or omega-3 route. In that case, fatty acids such as EPA & DHA and their omega-6 counterparts will be broken down to arachidonic acid.
The above shows strong interactions between different fatty acids and their omega status. Biochemical reactions are dependent on stasis; if, for example, DHA is excess to requirement, the biochemical pathway will move reactions away from this component, and when there is a deficit, the reaction will be back towards DHA.
Finally, skin and coat condition. The fat layer under the skin tends to be especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They are linked to the skin surface via specialist glands that secrete a substance, sebum, that forms a thin layer over the skin surface and the hairs of the coat. Whilst sebum can contain bioactive substances (present in Lillidale supplements), the base of sebum is triglycerides and free fatty acids that lubricate the skin and form a barrier against external irritants such as pollen, dust and mites.
Despite the “headlines” of anti-inflammatory omega-3 and DHA & EPA being the best option, the ratios between omega-3 & 6 and the carbon chain length dictate where the benefits are best served. As such, the formula of ProJoint & ProHealth reflects this with different ALA to DHA/EPA ratios to help fulfil their functions. A more significant impact on joint/bone integrity for ProJoint and a more rounded approach to cardiac/cognitive, reproductive and skin/coat health.
To summarise:
Omega Fatty Acids: Essential for overall health, particularly Omega-3 and Omega-6.
Anti-inflammatory & Pro-inflammatory Balance: Omega-3 helps regulate anti-inflammatory processes, while Omega-6 influences pro-inflammatory responses, both necessary for optimal health.
Bone Health: Omega-3 aids in bone formation, while Omega-6 supports bone resorption; maintaining a balance is key.
Heart, Brain, & Liver Health: Omega-3 (DHA & EPA) promotes cell energy production, especially in mitochondria, and supports brain, heart, and liver health.
Ageing Process: Omega-3 helps mitigate ageing effects by improving cell function and longevity.
Bone Microarchitecture: Omega-3 from flax or salmon oil positively impacts bone density and plasma osteocalcin levels.
Fertility & Development: Omega-3 (ALA) supports uterine receptivity in females and aids in neural and retinal development in growing animals.
Regulation of Hormone-like Factors: Omega-3 and Omega-6 work together to regulate IGF (growth) and PGE2 (inflammation).
Skin & Coat Health: Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to skin hydration, barrier protection, and coat health by influencing sebum production.
Balanced Ratios in Supplements: ProJoint and ProHealth offer optimised ALA to DHA/EPA ratios for joint, bone, cardiac, cognitive, reproductive, and skin health.
Take care of your pet’s health by ensuring they get the right balance of Omega fatty acids. A balanced diet can support their overall well-being, keeping them active and healthy for years to come!
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