Omega 3 and wellbeing (2007)
This 2007 New Zealand study investigated omega 3 concentrations and wellbeing. 2,416 people participating in the 1997 National Nutrition Survey. Researchers investigated if a relationship existed between the composition of fats in the blood and the mental and physical well-being.
They found that the higher the proportion of Omega 3 fats, the better the physical and mental wellbeing of the person. Specifically they measured EPA levels in the blood as well as the ratio of EPA to arachidonic acid (AA).
EPA is the fatty acid found in oily fish and fish oil supplements while AA is mostly found in meat and dairy products.
Crowe FL et al.,’Serum phospholipid n 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and physical and mental health in a population-based survey of New Zealand adolescents and adults’. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Nov;86(5):1278-85