Personal Trainer Asks: Can You See The Difference: How Omega-3s Affect Eyesight

Optimum health is very dependent on Omega-3 fats. One less known area that omega-3 fats benefit you is in the area of eyesight! Here is how this works...

But did you know that they also improve something many Singaporeans are concerned about today. Their eyesight?

Seems unlikely? Let me explain.

Firstly, let's take a quick look into some basic biology of how our eyes and brain work together:

Our eyes act like cameras, they take in visual information like color from our surroundings.

The brain uses this information to help us tell the differences in shapes, colors, depth and even recognize faces.

Keeping this in mind, then it could be safe to say that part of the problem with how things appear to us, may very well be linked to a poorly functioning brain. This is where Omega 3s comes in.

Omega 3s are from the group of Essential Fatty Acids. Also known as EFAs. The "Essential" in "Essential Fatty Acids" really does mean essential -- you cannot do without.

One reason why we need them is how they're used in the brain. Our bodies take what we consume on a daily basis, digest it and utilize it in various ways, integrating it into our cells, tissues and organs. In essence, you are what you eat.

If you use a lesser oil like peanut oil, this oil will be used to repair or form parts of the (brain) cell membrane.

This isn't ideal because it stiffens up the 'flexible' (or 'fluid' for the more scientifically inclined) structure of the cell membranes found in the brain. When this happens, it's like taking the elastic out of a trampoline: It simply won't function properly.

Low-quality oil = low-quality fuel for cellular repair and formation = Low-quality brain function!

Hence, decosahexanoic acid (DHA), eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), the star members in the Omega 3 family, help to make sure that the cell membranes stay 'flexible' and thus, healthy. This makes for optimal brain function.

When our brains work better, we see better, hypothetically. The brain is like a translator. Imagine the poorly-translated signs, from Mandarin to English, that you often see in China.

This is an example of how a brain that is not fully functional will interpret the signals and information from our eyes.

Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D. has experimented with dosages of fish oil approaching 30 g and noticed increased visual acuity within 8-12 hours. He describes colours as more "vivid" than usual.

From my own experience, you don't have to consume so much to reap the benefits.

Although there is nothing wrong with doing so... in fact our ancestors, because of their improved nutrition, ate 300-400g of omega-3s each week! So 30g a day is not a super high dosage!), however it does take longer for it to accrue.

Based on my daily intake of about 8g of DHA/EPA (from fish oils), my eyesight did not deteriorate even though I was spending long hours at my computer desk.

"What if I don't notice any benefits?" You may ask. Well that means you just have to take more. Simple as that. Omega 3s(DHA/EPA, especially Fish Oil) is that good.