Omega-3 fish oil vs omega 3-6-9 supplements for cellulite

Omega 3-6-9 oil or omega-3 fish oil supplements? What is best for cellulite and overall health?

We are pleased to share our experience and knowledge in skin tightening and cellulite from our clinic in London with everyone in the world. Check all our articles here. And if you do live in or near London, book a treatment with us here.

• "Omega 3-6-9" sounds really healthy and holistic, right?

• Omega-6 oils, inflammation and cellulite 

• Omega-3 oil for heart health, inflammation and even cellulite

• Polyunsaturated omega-3 oils vs highly unsaturated omega-3 oils 

• Monounsaturated oils

• The only "omega" supplement you need is omega-3

• Cod liver oil, fish oil, cellulite, weight loss & immunity

• Vegan “fish oil” capsules

• Gamma linoleic acid: is this the ultimate omega-6 fatty acid?

• Fish oil for cellulite and overal health

• Check our professional consultancy in cellulite, skin tightening, ultrasound and radiofrequency

"Omega 3-6-9" sounds really healthy and holistic, right?

"Omega 3-6-9" supplements have been very popular in the last few years.

These supplements provide in the form of a capsule three classes of unsaturated fatty acids:

• omega-3 (polyunsaturates)

• omega-6 (polyunsaturates)

• omega-9 (monounsaturates)

According to the urban myth, all polyunsaturated fatty acids are good for you and people are tricked into thinking that by having an omega 3-6-9 capsule they get an all-rounded holistic supplementation of good fats, which can be good for anything from heart disease to cellulite.

However, this could not be further from the truth. The truth is that supplement companies take advantage of all the buzz about "good fats" over the last 10-20 years in order to sell health-conscious but misinformed consumers cheap, unnecessary oils at more than 10x times the normal price.

Omega-6 oils, inflammation and cellulite

The undisputed fact is that most of us receive way too much omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid, LA), which are found naturally in almost every food, especially in unhealthy Western diets. All animal foods, all seeds, all nuts, almost all oils and almost all ready-made foods and sweets contain huge amounts of omega-6.

In fact, we consume 5x times more omega-6 fatty acids than we should. One thing we definitely do NOT need is to supplement with is omega-6 oils, especially in expensive, uncomfortable (who wants to swallow capsules?), pointless, supplement form.

It is now well-known to any nutritionist that excessive omega-6 fats encourage inflammation. This is because omega-6 fatty acids are precursors of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins in the body.

So omega-6 oils in a capsule are neither healthy nor holistic, as we already get 500% more than we need from our diet. Omega-6 excessive consumption is partially responsible for the low-grade inflammation epidemic people experience in the western world. Heart disease, arthritis and a host of other civilisation diseases are inflammatory conditions, and the same applies to aesthetic conditions, such as acne and cellulite.

That is not to say that omega-6 oils are unhealthy per se. We all need some omega-6 fatty acids for a healthy functioning body, including inflammation, which has its uses. That’s why omega-6 oils are called “essential fatty acids”.

However, in the Western world we have way more of those fats than we need. So in the West, due to their huge consumption, omega-6 fats are not helpful, they are detrimental, as they encourage chronic low-grade inflammation in our bodies.

So, yes, omega-6 oils are indeed essential fatty acids, without which you get sick. But nobody in today’s world is - or runs the risk of ever, ever, ever becoming - deficient in omega-6.

Omega-3 oil for heart health, inflammation and even cellulite

On the other hand, what we do miss in our diet these days are omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory. Omega-3 oils are precursors to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins in the body, i.e. the exact opposite of omega-6. Anti-inflammatory omega-3s can be useful for any inflammatory health or aesthetic condition, from heart disease, to arthritis, to acne, to cellulite.

Like omega-6, omega-3 fatty acids are also required for normal functioning of not just inflammation but also for hundreds of other processes in the body.

Unfortunately, most of us do not consume enough omega-3 fatty acids, especially in relation to omega-6. A healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 4:1, whilst most people in the west today consume a ratio of 20:1 of those fats, i.e. 5x times less omega-3 in relation to omega-6.

It is obvious that the last thing we need in a "omega" supplement is more omega-6. It just does not make sense.

In fact, omega-6 oil in capsule form only make senses for supplement manufacturers, who sell naive consumers super-cheap sunflower oil (or any similar cheap and unnecessary oil) at a super-premium price.

This is then mixed with some omega-3 oil in the capsule, and sold as something amazing. Of course, nobody in their right mind would buy dirt-cheap sunflower oil in an expensive capsule form, if it wasn't mixed with omega-3.

Polyunsaturated omega-3 oils vs highly unsaturated omega-3 oils

There are two types of omega 3s:

• PUFA omega-3s, i.e. polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha linolenic acid (LNA)

• HUFAs, highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA)

HUFAs are much more beneficial than PUFAs, as they readily convert into the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins in our bodies, while PUFAs have only a 5% conversion efficiency.

However, our bodies need both types of omega-3, as there are other benefits of PUFA omega-3s than their conversion to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.

• PUFA omega-3s are typically found in vegetables, flax seeds (linseeds), chia seeds, walnuts and to a smaller extent in grass-fed meat/eggs/poultry.

• HUFAs are typically found in oily fish such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, halibut and anchovies (but NOT in tuna, as most people believe).

Monounsaturated oils

Omega-9 fatty acids (oleic acid, OA) are also ubiquitous. They are found in most oils and foods and especially in olive oil.

With the availability of high quality, aromatic, tasty, antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil at less than £15/kg (the equivalent of 1,000 omega 3-6-9 capsules for only £15 or less), it is downright stupid to buy omega-9 in a capsule form. It’s as stupid as buying sunflower oil in capsule form and does not make any sense.

One thing you don't need in an "omega" capsule is omega-9, when you have beautiful olive oil to put in your salad at less than 1% the cost and without a having to swallow a capsule.

In fact, omega-6s and omega-9s in omega 3-6-9 capsules prevent you from having enough omega-3s, thereby stopping you from correcting the unnatural ratio of 20:1 of omega-6 to omega-3 you most probably consume.

The only "omega" supplement you need is omega-3

So, if you feel that you need some healthy oils in your diet, take my advice and don't allow yourself to be victimised by buying cheap and unnecessary omega-6 or omega-9 oils in capsule form. All you need is an omega-3 oil (such as flax seed oil or fish oil) or an omega-3 oil supplement.

If you eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables and oily fish and you don't mind eating some walnuts or putting some chia seeds or flaxseeds (linseeds) in your soup or salad, then there is no need to supplement with any "omega" oil - liquid or in capsule form.

If, however, you cannot eat or you simply do not like those foods, then the only "omega" supplements you need are the omega-3 ones:

• a flaxseed oil capsule to get your PUFAs

• a fish oil capsule / vegan EPA/DHA capsule to get your HUFAs

Cod liver oil, fish oil, cellulite, weight loss & immunity

Regarding fish oil, make sure you buy pure "fish oil" and NOT "cod liver oil", which contains excessive amounts of vitamin A / retinol. Retinol is toxic in high amounts, which are easily reachable with cod liver oil supplementation. 

According to research, fish oil or oily fish have also been proven to help you lose a moderate amount of weight. As part of a normal, healthy lifestyle (eating healthily and exercising moderately) you can lose 2-3 kg over 3-4 months, with no other effort involved, just by eating salmon three times a week or taking the equivalent amount of fish oil capsules daily.

Due to its effect on lipolysis (fat release from fat cells), oily fish / fish oil can also aid in cellulite reduction.

On the other hand, fish oil should be consumed in moderation, as it thins the blood (reduces coagulation) and inhibits immunity to some extent, so an on-and-off approach (as opposed to continuous use) is warranted for high dosage consumption.

Consumption of oily fish, such as FRESH mackerel, sardines, halibut, anchovies, trout or salmon, three times a week is indeed moderate.

However, huge dosage concentrated fish oil capsules are not, and must be taken only for a few months followed by a few weeks’ gap before resuming supplementation.

Vegan “fish oil” capsules

If you can not have fish oil for ethical reasons, you can try vegan EPA and vegan DHA oil capsules. This is exactly the same thing as fish-derived EPA and DHA, just vegan.

Fish do not manufacture EPA and DHA in their bodies. Algae, that fish eat, do.

So by having EPA and DHA direct from algae in a supplement form, you cut out the middleman - i.e. the fish - and get your amazing omega-3 from algae, albeit in a capsule form, not in food form.

Gamma linoleic acid: is this the ultimate omega-6 fatty acid?

Before I end this article, I would like to note that there is another HUFA (gamma linoleic acid, GLA), which has quite similar effects to fish oils.

GLA, although technically an omega-6 oil, is also a precursor of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, so it is quite different to the usual omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid, LA) found in most omega 3-6-9 capsules, which are precursors to pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.

GLA is either not found in most omega 3-6-9 capsules or it is found in negligible quantities. GLA is also not found in significant amounts in any foods or dietary oils but it is found in supplements containing evening primrose oil (EPO), borage/starflower oil or blackcurrant oil.

GLA's theoretical anti-inflammatory effect made many people believe that it can have beneficial health effects, especially in conditions such as atopic dermatitis or arthritis, but unfortunately after decades of use and trials it was proven that this is not the case.

So, although GLA is promoted as a remedy for anything from eczema to period pains, the truth is that there is no need to supplement with this oil, because it simply does not work much.

This is in contrast to the real anti-inflammatory oils (fish oils) whose effectiveness is now widely accepted.

Fish oil for cellulite and overal health

So the position that there is no need to supplement at all with omega-6 oils, even HUFA omega-6 such as GLA, still stands. All you need to consume both types of omega-3:

• LNA omega-3: walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, vegetables, flaxseed oil supplements

• DHA/EPA omega-3: sardines, mackerel, salmon, halibut, anchovies, fish oil supplements, vegan DHA/EPA supplements

Check our professional consultancy in cellulite, skin tightening, ultrasound and radiofrequency

If you are a therapist or clinic owner and are interested in our professional consultancy/teaching, via Zoom or at our London practice, please contact us here.