17 grams of Omega-6 = Minimum

JFHenault

In Cronometer, there is minimum value of 17 grams for Omega-6. I did not find studies linked with this recommandation. Does someone have links to suggest?_

Thank you

JFHenault

Good links I've found :

http://longevitypost.com/the-omega-6-myth/

http://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/essential-fatty-acids/essential-fatty-acids/intake-recommendations.html

Still hope to get your opinions/links on this question.

Susan_RD_101

Hello,

The recommendation for omega 6 is an "AI" or adequate intake, rather than an "RDA" or recommended dietary allowance. An AI is set when there isn't enough research available to establish exactly the amount of a nutrient that is needed for maintaining health. In the case of omega 6, the recommended intakes are based on the median (middle) intake of individuals of different ages and gender in the U.S.

Omega 6 is an essential nutrient, in that our bodies can't make it. If we get too little omega 6, we can get scaly skin, dermatitis, and in children, inadequate growth.

I also wrote a blog post about omega 6/3 if you are interested: https://cronometer.com/blog/understanding-cronometers-nutrient-ratios/

Hope this helps!

JFHenault

That's what I was looking for. I read your blog post too. Very interesting.

From your point of view, what is the maximum grams of Omega-3 one should take daily from all sources?

Does 8 grams of omega-3 daily is too much? I take Life Extension Fish oil : 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening plus the omega-3 from my hemp hearts (which is supposed to be less bioavailable than fish oil). I do this 5 days/week.

The 2 other days, I take 2 fish oil pills in the morning and eat 1/2 can of Antartic sockeye salmon later in the day. I also eat 2 avocados daily since 2 years and my lab tests are good. It may sounds too much to some but I'm not sure if that is that bad.

Thank you.

JFHenault

That's what I was looking for. I read your blog post too. Very interesting.

From your point of view, what is the "maximum" grams of Omega3 one should take daily from all sources?

Does 9-10 grams of Omega3 daily is too much? I take Life Extension Super Omega-3 Plus (750 EPA - 510 DHA each softgel). 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening (2.6g Omega3 from supplement) plus 6.3g the Omega3 from my hemp hearts (ALA doesn't seems to convert well to DHA-EPA). I do this 5 days/week.

The 2 other days, I take 2 Omega3 softgels in the morning and eat 1/2 can (100g) of Antartic sockeye salmon later in the day. I also eat 2 avocados daily since 2 years and my lab tests are good. My Omega ratio is about 3:1 (30g Omega6 - 10g Omega3).

Finally, I take enough antioxidants since it is supposed to mitigate the pro-inflammatory effects of Omega6 and oxidative damage of polyunsaturated fat...

It may sounds too much to some but I'm not sure if it is that bad. I mean, compared to processed foods, unbalanced Omega ratio, trans fats that people eat, this kind of "diet" (Omegas in bigger quantity than normal) should be kind of good, I think.

What's your point of view?

Thank you.

Oops. My previous post has worked.

Susan_RD_101

Hi @JFHenault ,

Great question! There is a lot about omega 3 that we still don't know. Therapeutic recommendations to treat elevated triglycerides using fish oil supplements are 2-4 g per day. Most health authorities caution against a higher intake due to fear that it could increase risk of bleeding.

However, I wouldn't include any of the omega 3 that comes from plants in this limit since the conversion rate is so low.

Your intake doesn't concern me, however, it may be slightly more than you need. If you wanted, you could drop it by 1 supplement per day and still receive all the benefits.

Kind regards,

JFHenault

It is a pleasure to receive your suggestion. I'll probably drop 1 supplement daily as you said. Thanks for your knowledge and balanced point of view.

Kind regards

chilly

On a related note, why is the Omega3 to Omega6 ratio roughly 1:10? Such high ratios (or higher) are only measured in industrial populations and are at least one cause for obesity. Populations which eat mostly unmanufactured, natural food usually have a ratio of 1:4 or lower. When we evolved the ratio was even 1:1 but no matter which diet-setting I choose for the macronutriant targets, cronometer always shows 1.6g omega3 and 17g omega6 as a minimum.

According to this recent study from 2016, the ideal ratio to prevent obesity should be 1/1-2 o3/o6: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808858/

With a minimum of 1.6g omega3 I think 3.2g would be the healthier setting for omega6.

Hilary

@chilly check out this great blog post written by our favourite blogger @Susan_RD_101!
https://cronometer.com/blog/understanding-cronometers-nutrient-ratios/

chilly

@Hillary in that blog post Susan writes exactly the same what I wrote, just much more indepth. The recommended ratio is 4:1 or lower and not 10:1 as pre set in cronometer, which defaults to 17g om6 and 1.6g om3. To quote from the post:
The exact ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 needed for disease prevention/treatment is unknown. Most health organizations recommend a ratio of 4:1, however, a ratio of 2-3:1 may be beneficial for those with certain diseases, such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis (13)

With 1.6g omega3 I think the default minimum should be adjusted to something around 3.2g and maximum at 6.4g for omega6 or people might feel they need to up their omega6 intake drastically.

Susan_RD_101

@chilly

Thanks for commenting!

I definitely agree with you but unfortunately, nutritional recommendations released from the Institute of Medicine have yet to define what the minimum intake for the long-chain omega 3 fats - DHA and EPA - are. Until we know the minimum amount that should make up our diet, we are unable to set nutrition recommendations that would help people to achieve the 1:4 ratio.

However, I would keep aiming to achieve a ratio of total omega 3 to omega 6 of 1:2-1:4 for ideal health.

Kind regards,

charlie3

I just checked my Omega 6-3 ratio. Until just now I had no idea about a good ratio. Mine is almost exactly 4:1. The body is pretty good at sorting things out for itself.

Capt_Bill69

I just started using cronometer 3 weeks ago. I obtained huge insights on day one as I discovered I was under eating. Re: the omega 3 - 6 info. in pro cronometer: I am looking at my omega 6 registering very low from the way I am eating. I also noticed how a few extra Omega 3 supplements create a noticable imbalance. I am wondering about one posted opinion: "With 1.6g omega3 I think the default minimum should be adjusted to something around 3.2g and maximum at 6.4g for omega6 or people might feel they need to up their omega6 intake drastically." ... In Cronometer, I think the minimum value for Omega-6 is 17 grams? I am wondering about this piece.

As a 68 year old, decent shape, keto diet newby @ 5' 11" / 155 lbs; heading back to 160 lbs: I am trying on hemp seed oil (which looks like a nice balance of omega 3 - 6); and sunflower seeds for some extra omega 6, as I explore what I can adjust for healthy Omega 3 & 6 targets. I think wild salmon a couple of days per week might be my best bet, and maybe healthy meat choices (which I low key lately), along with omega 3 supplements will help me with my omega 3 vs 6 target details. Glad to find this forum and the info. links while aiming to better dial in my Omega 3 -6 targets and balance for health & longevity.

Capt_Bill69

Adding to my post above: I discovered: adding Wild Salmon or Grass Fed Beef to my cronometer diary does very little the omega 6 data (possibly a fluke of cronometer? ... as I read elsewhere grass feed meats were a source of omega 6. ... Experimenting with diary entries: I see Avocado adds the most to the Omega 6 target, followed by Hemp Seed Oil, and then Sunflower Seeds (from what I selected to try). For my concern about (possibly) being too low on Omega 6 in relationship to cronometer's min omega 6 target, I just read: "White meats including chicken and pork are especially high in omega 6 fats."

I will be researching more, and learning more, all the time.

Susan_RD_101

@Capt_Bill69

It's best to choice generic foods as often as possible to ensure that you capture the full picture of a food's nutrient profile. Both of those foods mentioned contain some omega 6 so if it's showing blank, this could be the reason why.

Kind regards,

Capt_Bill69

Thank you for the feed back Susan.
In researching my questions about the low value of Omega 6 showing in cronometer (while wondering about accuracy of this specific crono-feedback), along side my desire to make sure I intake a healthy omega 3 to 6 ratio:
I found a supplement I just started taking has 25 mg of omega 6 (listed as "Omega-6 Fatty Acids Total 25 mg"). That supplement is Vitacost Synergy Superior Kill Oil (SKO) ... & it not in your data base yet, that I can find. I believe that even a half serving dose (one softgel ) would fill the Omega -6 column in cronometer to near 100% . My question and request for cronometer: Can someone enter that supplement into your data base, plus make sure it shows up properly in the Omega 6 micro nutrient column? ...or how can that be done?

This might be more important to me than others: I am 68 years old and just dialing in a Keto Diet; at 5" 11" -155 lbs aiming to gain weight to 160 before leaning in some fasting cycles (for further health benefits). I think I am not currently eating many foods with omega 6. Kind of taking a break to re-dial my habits to match my health goals for the next 30 years. Still riding my motorcycles with quick reflexes.

Wondering if you might have a reason to tell me not to worry about cromometer showing my omega 3 vs 6 being out of balance with too much omega 3s. ???

Susan_RD_101

@Capt_Bill69

I think you might find some of the answers you are looking for in this blog post.

https://cronometer.com/blog/understanding-cronometers-nutrient-ratios/

Kind regards,