Medical Questions » Diet Questions » Question No. 1187
| Question: | Do we need more omega-3 essential fats in winter? |
| Answer: | Yes, upping your intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the winter can be important, especially if you live in northem Europe or other less sunny parts of the world. Omega-3 fats are highly concentrated in our brain and nervous system, and essential in all the cell membranes that send and receive messages, where they help to improve learning, memory and mood.
So we need omega-3 fats all year round, but in winter, we produce less serotonin - the ' happy' brain chemical - because of the relatively short days and decreased exposure to sunlight, which can lower our mood and motivation. Omega-3 fats help produce more serotonin in the brain, as well as increasing the efficiency of the serotonin you have, so can really help maintain mood and motivation throughout winter. I' d recommend supplementing an omega-3 rich fish oil giving 400mg of both EPA and DHA. With most brands, this means two capsules. |
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