Making skin healthier with Omega 3 fatty acids

MANILA, Philippines - Many people think skin creams, lotions and other externally applied formulations are the way to a beautiful skin. But the truth is, the science behind skin care is simpler than most of them think — that is, by just eating the right kind of food.

What most people forget is that radiant and youthful looking skin is skin that has been fed and nourished from the inside while at the same time been cared for properly on the outside. This means one has to take a more holistic approach to skin care.

Apart from taking the more familiar vitamin E and zinc, another primary nutrient that has been found to make skin much healthier may be found in certain species of fishes that have good levels of fish oil.

This is because fish oil is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Being anti-inflammatory means it is effective in reducing inflammation in blood and tissues. This also means it may play an active role in alleviating severe skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and acne, which all involve some levels of inflammation of the skin.

Just increasing the intake of Omega 3 fatty acid could already help change dry and poorly maintained skin look shiny and glowing as this type of fatty acid makes one’s skin moist and protects against free radicals that could damage skin and cause wrinkling. Omega 3 fatty acids have been found to prevent collagen breakdown, which is key in keeping wrinkles away.

Also, restoring one’s DHA and EPA levels improves the moisture content and firmness of the skin, which reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging.

But since the body does not produce its own DHA and EPA fatty acids, it should be sourced out from one’s diet. Since Omega 3 fatty acids are considered essential nutrients, health authorities recommend that healthy individuals should consume 500mg to 1,800mg daily of Omega-3 fish oil that contains both EPA and DHA, and people with known heart disease or heart failure aim for at least 800mg to 1,000mg daily.

To be on the safe side, it is also suggested to take the capsule at least once a day with food and to increase dosage gradually. While there have been reports of other side effects like diarrhea and skin rashes, the US Food and Drug Administration has given fish oil its GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) classification.

A number of industry testers note that fish oil supplements are generally safe, especially since its manufacturers like Australian makers of Cenovis Fish oil only harvest three species of fish — anchovies, mackerel and sardines — since they are small in size and short-lived and thus, have the least chance of having these toxic pollutants in their bodies.

The result is a high quality all-natural fish oil capsule that is odorless and has no fish aftertaste (a common complaint among those who have taken a similar product).

The less than P10 Cenovis comes in individual packs to ensure freshness and convenience (easily carried around). Each capsule contains the important Omega 3 triglycerides (300mg) as well as EPA (175mg) and DHA (70mg).

It is marketed by sanofi-aventis Philippines, a leading multinational pharmaceutical company known for high quality and evidenced-based medicine.