Why is an extra daily intake of EPA and DHA necessary?
The body cannot generate EPA and DHA by itself. It needs to derive the materials necessary to produce EPA and DHA from a diet that is rich in omega-3. Unfortunately, a typical Western diet lacks omega-3 fatty acids. That has not always been the case. Historically, we have evolved from a diet that contained approximately as much omega-6 as omega-3 fatty acids. However, our current diet contains approximately twenty times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids. Commonly used vegetable based oils (corn oil, sunflower oil,…) and processed foods consist almost exclusively of omega-6 fatty acids and hardly any omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, taking EPA and DHA supplements is a conscious choice you can make to achieve a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
