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Omega 3 And High Cholesterol

Omega 3 and high cholesterol are often closely linked and seen as very similar, as both omega-3s and cholesterol are types of fat. However, while they are structurally quite similar, they are very different and serve dramatically different purposes.

Most people know that high cholesterol is a bad thing, as it is an issue on the rise in modern society, as estimates show roughly 40% of the world’s population suffers from it. However, many people have no idea how to fix the issue, and even fewer would ever think taking omega-3s could be the answer.

That’s why we have created the following article, to show you exactly how it does. We will provide you with all the information you need to understand everything about cholesterol and omega-3s, including how to balance your levels of both to optimise your health.

Table of Contents

What Is Omega 3?

Omega-3s are a type of healthy, essential fatty acid and polyunsaturated fat that are among the most important nutrients for the human body. We are unable to produce them ourselves, so we must consume omega-3s either in supplements or the foods we eat in order to stay healthy.

Omega-3s come in three forms, which are ALAs (alpha-linolenic acid), EPAs (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHAs (docosahexaenoic acid). All three are very similar but work in slightly different ways, and EPAs and DHAs are the most beneficial for humans.

All three are found in slightly different sources, but some sources do contain more than just one type (1).

Omega-3s produce many benefits, but today’s article will focus solely on their ability to combat high cholesterol. If you are interested in any of their other benefits, though, we previously published two articles that cover them all in great depth, and you can read those here and here.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells in the human body. Primarily produced by the liver, it can also be obtained from certain foods, especially those made from animals, like meat or dairy, and most people who eat a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise will have healthy cholesterol levels.

Some cholesterol is essential to help form the structure of the membranes that protect and surround our cells, and it is necessary for many bodily functions to take place. This includes helping produce essential hormones like cortisol, oestrogen, and testosterone, vitamin D, and the bile used to digest fats.

However, too much cholesterol is dangerous, particularly LDL cholesterol, and increases the risk of developing health issues.

The Different Types Of Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol, which are Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), also known as “Bad” Cholesterol, and High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), which is also known as “Good” Cholesterol.

LDL takes cholesterol from the liver to the body’s cells, but having too much LDL cholesterol in the blood can cause a buildup on the walls of the arteries, forming plaques. This narrows the arteries and leads to atherosclerosis, a condition that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other heart issues.

HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is processed and removed from the body. High HDL levels are helpful as they reduce the risk of heart disease by removing excess cholesterol from the blood vessels (2).

Omega 3 And High Cholesterol? How Does Omega-3 Lower Cholesterol Levels?

Lowers Triglycerides

Omega-3s are proven to be extremely effective when it comes to significantly lowering triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a common type of fat in the blood that is used to produce energy, and your triglyceride levels are determined by a combination of your diet, exercise routine, and alcohol intake.

However, when your levels get too high, they are stored as excess body fat and can lead to serious health issues like high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and certain other health conditions, such as hypothyroidism.

Omega-3 supplementation can reduce triglyceride production in the liver and increase the clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, leading to far healthier levels and fewer health risks. Clinical studies show reductions of 20–50% in triglycerides are produced at doses of 2–4 grams of EPA and DHA per day (3).

Learn more about Omega-3 and triglycerides here

Raises HDL Cholesterol

Studies show that supplementing with omega-3s may modestly increase “good” HDL cholesterol. The rise is usually small, about 5–10%, but this is still enough to make a noticeable difference in a person’s health and overall cholesterol levels and is even more noticeable in people with low baseline HDL.

Increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol admittedly doesn’t directly lower a person’s total cholesterol on its own. However, it can still be very beneficial for those with high cholesterol, as doing so will improve their overall cholesterol profile and help reduce the cardiovascular risk associated with high cholesterol (4).

Alters The Effect Of LDL Cholesterol

DHA can slightly raise LDL levels in some people, which, based on what he have learned about LDL cholesterol so far, may sound like a bad thing. However, omega-3s don’t just raise LDL cholesterol levels, they shift the LDL particles from small, dense, more harmful particles to larger, more buoyant ones.

These are less atherogenic, meaning they are far less likely to cause plaque buildup. As a result, people with high cholesterol will benefit from increasing their LDL cholesterol levels, even if it doesn’t lower their overall levels (5).

Boasts Anti-Inflammatory & Cardioprotective Effects

Omega-3s, especially EPA and DHA omega-3s, are well-known to possess potent anti-inflammatory properties. This means they can help to combat free radicals and prevent or repair any inflammation and oxidative stress and damage that they may have caused.

While this mechanism will not lower cholesterol levels, it is extremely beneficial for people with high cholesterol, as it will reduce vascular inflammation and stabilize plaques, reducing the risk of the cardiovascular events and diseases that high cholesterol can cause (6).

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