Research Proven Weight Loss: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

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Posted By: ChuckH July 13, 2023

Omega-3: An Appetite Suppressant? 

There is no such thing as a sure thing or a magic bullet when it comes to weight loss.  Around the globe, obesity and obesity-related illnesses represent a major public health challenge. The prognosis for citizens of the United States is exceptionally poor.  Unfortunately, there is no sunrise on the horizon and the prognosis is getting worse for children, adolescents, and adults alike across the United States.  Bulging waistlines represent a major risk to future prosperity and the only cure is to make lifelong changes in our activity and diet. There is something you can do to help with weight loss and suppressing your appetite.   Omega-3 fish oil supplementation seems to be a safe and appears effective option that can help with this endeavor. 

Although this is not the purpose of the article.  We know that omega-3 fatty acid intake throwing food or supplements will lower LDL and raise HDL.  This is good for heart health because, in general, higher HDL levels lower your risk for heart disease.  

Salmon Fish Fillet
Salmon Fish Fillet

Does omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increase weight loss?

Omega-3 fish oil supplementation and intake in omega-3 fatty acid foods have been shown to be effective for promoting weight loss.  It also has been shown to decrease not only fat loss but also loss of belly fat loss when added to exercise​[1]​,​[2]​.  Although his studies focused on omega-3s and their effect on the lipid profiles of patients, the studies pleasantly found that they appear to assist in fat loss and body composition changes.  In particular, they found that belly fat was lost.  This is important because belly fat is the fat that increases your risk of diabetes type 2 and heart disease​[3]​,​[4]​.   Other studies also showed that seafood or fish oil in a nutritionally balanced calorie-restricted diet appears to boost weight loss potential​[5]​,​[6]​,​[7]​,​[8]​,​[9]​.   These studies show that obese subjects have a lower omega-3 and seafood consumption and on the weight loss studies, they found that subjects who supplemented with omega-3s lost an average of 1 Kg or 2.2 pounds more over 4 weeks.  These studies indicate that omega-3s do help with weight loss but, in particular, they seem to help lose the most important weight – belly fat.  

What is the mechanism?  

  1. Dietary omega-3s reduce body fat mass and stimulates lipid oxidation in healthy adults​[10]​.
  2. Omega-3 supplementation resulted in higher levels of adiponectin which suppresses appetite​[11]​.
  3. Omega-3 fatty acid intake increased the total thermic effect of food eaten so in other words, increases the energy required to use the food eaten​[12]​.  Increased energy equals increase fat burned.  
  4. Omega-3 fatty acids modulate postprandial satiety in overweight and obese volunteers during weight loss​[13]​.

Recommendations:

I recently started Omega-3s for appetite suppressant side effects.  I will post a review soon.  I chose Krill Oil because it gives you fewer burps.  Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil or krill oil supplements seem to offer a lot of health benefits outside of body composition so when you include the obesity reduction benefits, I recommend it wholeheartedly. Omega-3s appear to be a can’t miss supplement.  

 

Footnotes
[1]Warner et al., “Combined Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Hyperlipidemic Persons.”
[2]Hill et al., “Combining Fish-Oil Supplements with Regular Aerobic Exercise Improves Body Composition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors.”
[3]“If You Have Prediabetes, Lose That Gut.  Not All Excess Body Fat Carries Equal Risk, but Belly Fat Is a Killer.”
[4]“Losing Belly Fat Helps Improve Blood Vessel Function. A Recent Study Suggests That the Type of Diet Is Less Important to Heart Health than the Weight-Loss Result.”
[5]Mori et al., “Dietary Fish as a Major Component of a Weight-Loss Diet: Effect on Serum Lipids, Glucose, and Insulin Metabolism in Overweight Hypertensive Subjects.”
[6]Thorsdottir et al., “Randomized Trial of Weight-Loss-Diets for Young Adults Varying in Fish and Fish Oil Content.”
[7]Gunnarsdottir et al., “Inclusion of Fish or Fish Oil in Weight-Loss Diets for Young Adults: Effects on Blood Lipids.”
[8]Thorsdottir et al., “Fish Consumption among Young Overweight European Adults and Compliance to Varying Seafood Content in Four Weight Loss Intervention Diets.”
[9]Kunesová et al., “The Influence of N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Very Low Calorie Diet during a Short-Term Weight Reducing Regimen on Weight Loss and Serum Fatty Acid Composition in Severely Obese Women.”
[10]Couet et al., “Effect of Dietary Fish Oil on Body Fat Mass and Basal Fat Oxidation in Healthy Adults.”
[11]Guebre-Egziabher et al., “Nutritional Intervention to Reduce the N-6/N-3 Fatty Acid Ratio Increases Adiponectin Concentration and Fatty Acid Oxidation in Healthy Subjects.”
[12]Matheson et al., “N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Increase Thermic Effect of Food in Men with Metabolic Syndrome.”
[13]Parra et al., “A Diet Rich in Long Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Modulates Satiety in Overweight and Obese Volunteers during Weight Loss.”

References:

  1. Couet, C, J Delarue, P Ritz, JM Antoine, and F Lamisse. “Effect of Dietary Fish Oil on Body Fat Mass and Basal Fat Oxidation in Healthy Adults.” International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 21, no. 8 (August 1, 1997): 637–43 [PubMed]
  2. Guebre-Egziabher, F, R Rabasa-Lhoret, F Bonnet, JP Bastard, M Desage, MR Skilton, H Vidal, and M Laville. “Nutritional Intervention to Reduce the N-6/N-3 Fatty Acid Ratio Increases Adiponectin Concentration and Fatty Acid Oxidation in Healthy Subjects.” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62, no. 11 (November 1, 2008): 1287–93 [PubMed]
  3. Gunnarsdottir, I, H Tomasson, M Kiely, JA Martinéz, NM Bandarra, MG Morais, and I Thorsdottir. “Inclusion of Fish or Fish Oil in Weight-Loss Diets for Young Adults: Effects on Blood Lipids.” International Journal of Obesity (2005) 32, no. 7 (July 1, 2008): 1105–12 [PubMed]
  4. Hill, AM, JD Buckley, KJ Murphy, and PR Howe. “Combining Fish-Oil Supplements with Regular Aerobic Exercise Improves Body Composition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 85, no. 5 (May 1, 2007): 1267–74 [PubMed]
  5. “If You Have Prediabetes, Lose That Gut.  Not All Excess Body Fat Carries Equal Risk, but Belly Fat Is a Killer.” DukeMedicine Healthnews 19, no. 8 (August 1, 2013): 1–2 [PubMed]
  6. Kunesová, M, R Braunerová, P Hlavatý, E Tvrzická, B Stanková, J Skrha, J Hilgertová, et al. “The Influence of N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Very Low Calorie Diet during a Short-Term Weight Reducing Regimen on Weight Loss and Serum Fatty Acid Composition in Severely Obese Women.” Physiological Research 55, no. 1 (January 1, 2006): 63–72 [PubMed]
  7. “Losing Belly Fat Helps Improve Blood Vessel Function. A Recent Study Suggests That the Type of Diet Is Less Important to Heart Health than the Weight-Loss Result.” Heart Advisor 15, no. 6 (June 1, 2012): 4 [PubMed]
  8. Matheson, KM, JE Cutting, VC Mazurak, LE Robinson, and AC Buchholz. “N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Increase Thermic Effect of Food in Men with Metabolic Syndrome.” Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research : A Publication of Dietitians of Canada = Revue Canadienne de La Pratique et de La Recherche En Dietetique : Une Publication Des Dietetistes Du Canada 72, no. 4 (January 1, 2011): 201–4 [PubMed]
  9. Mori, TA, DQ Bao, V Burke, IB Puddey, GF Watts, and LJ Beilin. “Dietary Fish as a Major Component of a Weight-Loss Diet: Effect on Serum Lipids, Glucose, and Insulin Metabolism in Overweight Hypertensive Subjects.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 70, no. 5 (November 1, 1999): 817–25 [PubMed]
  10. Parra, D, A Ramel, N Bandarra, M Kiely, JA Martínez, and I Thorsdottir. “A Diet Rich in Long Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Modulates Satiety in Overweight and Obese Volunteers during Weight Loss.” Appetite 51, no. 3 (November 1, 2008): 676–80 [PubMed]
  11. Thorsdottir, I, B Birgisdottir, M Kiely, J Martinez, and N Bandarra. “Fish Consumption among Young Overweight European Adults and Compliance to Varying Seafood Content in Four Weight Loss Intervention Diets.” Public Health Nutrition 12, no. 5 (May 1, 2009): 592–98 [PubMed]
  12. Thorsdottir, I, H Tomasson, I Gunnarsdottir, E Gisladottir, M Kiely, MD Parra, NM Bandarra, G Schaafsma, and JA Martinéz. “Randomized Trial of Weight-Loss-Diets for Young Adults Varying in Fish and Fish Oil Content.” International Journal of Obesity (2005) 31, no. 10 (October 1, 2007): 1560–66 [PubMed]
  13. Warner, JG, IH Ullrich, MJ Albrink, and RA Yeater. “Combined Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Hyperlipidemic Persons.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 21, no. 5 (October 1, 1989): 498–505 [PubMed]
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About the Author

ChuckH
I am a family physician who has served in the US Army. In 2016, I found myself overweight, out of shape, and unhealthy, so I made a change to improve my health. This blog is the chronology of my path to better health and what I have learned along the way.

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