Does the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio matter? | Dr. Bill Harris

Omega-6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils and nuts, whereas omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fatty fish. Although older studies showed that the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s in blood were cause for concern, Dr. Harris explains that those concerns are likely unfounded. He notes that rather than focusing on decreasing omega-6 intake to improve the ratio, most people would probably benefit from increasing omega-3 intake instead to improve overall blood concentrations. In this clip, Dr. Bill Harris and Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss how concerns over the omega-6/omega-3 ratio may be overblown.
Watch the full interview here:
• Dr. Bill Harris on the...
#omega3

[@michaelphillips3367]

Problem is most foods are high in omega 6.

[@pannihto7588]

Based on what was said in the video that is hardly a problem. The problem is not the ratio per se but a lack of Omega-3 in out diets. The ratio doesn't seem to matter

[@charlesbauer1747]

@@pannihto7588 The ideal ratio is 4:1 and most western diets are 15-20:1. This is very east to fix, all you need to do is stop using synthetic cooking oils and eat more fish.

[@timothylink4386]

@@charlesbauer1747 If you reach 4 percent of calories or higher from omega 6 (varies depending on the more pontent elongated forms or shorter forms), then the ratio pretty much flatlines in the tissues. With that much omega 6 you can eat gobs of omega 3 and not change it much. Probably make yourself sick in the process. If you can get down to 2 percent of calories or less from omega 6, any omega 3 you eat will go a long ways further in affecting the tissue balance. It seems like nobody looks at William Lands work anymore. There was a huge argument inside the NIH when this new, pro-Omega 6 stance was taken. It seems to me that his findings were almost intentionally misrepresented and supposedly "debunked." I have not seen the convincing data. Apparently a lot of people inside the NIH never saw it either, but they lost that fight for whatever reasons.

[@charlesbauer1747]

@@timothylink4386 The people in power want you to die the day before you retire, so anything that they say we should do, we should probably do the opposite. They know damn well what happens when people eat this crap, that is why they subsidize seed oils for food use while also subsidizing animal fats to be used as fuel.

[@SergePavlovsky]

most junk foods. don't drink oil

[@charlesbauer1747]

If the tank is already full, you cannot change the ratio of the contents by adding more, you have to lower the one you are getting to much of.

[@timothylink4386]

Yes, this is my understanding as well, as mathematically modeled by Dr. William Lands many years ago. I've seen nothing yet to contradict what he said. It's not a linear ratio issue. If you compare health outcomes in two groups that have high and higher omega 6 intake, you're looking at confounding factors, probably has nothing to do with the omega 6 itself.

[@mineralchief]

not sure if Dr. Bill Harris has heard of 4-Hydroxy-Nonenal or reactive aldehydes or cell membrane fluidity or how the cardiolipin work inside of our mitochondria or how Delta6-desaturase works.. looking forward to an update on this conversation...

[@zenginellc]

I'm not sure we should believe these claims since the amount of Desaturase in one's body is NOT unlimited..
So, if the Desaturase bonds mostly with the Omega-6 because your total is extremely high, then it has very little chance to bond with the Omega-3...
This sounds like a weird argument to make and could easily be shown to be absurd when show with another pair of molecules in the body.
For example, you wouldn't say to a male "It doesn't matter how much Total Testosterone or Estrogen you have as long as the ratio is the same!"..
That's absolutely inane and nobody within their right mind would agree with that.
Too much of both is unhealth, just like too much of one or the other is unhealthy as well.
While hormones and specific Omegas are different, the principal is the same.
I hope this is just an oversight and not maliciously produced information...

[@timothylink4386]

I suspect it's not malicious, but possibly viewed through a distorted lens that's taking other factors into account that are not being openly discussed. Food sources being what they are, there might be an incentive to promote them as healthy because that's what the world has right now as a source of calories. I'd rather be a bit high in omega 6 than chronically severely short on calories, if those were the choices.

[@zenginellc]

@@timothylink4386 fair enough

[@timothylink4386]

William Lands. Covered all of this in detail. I've not seen anything yet that contradicts his work. If I'm wrong, I'd appreciate someone to show me how his work was debunked by more recent studies. Are there any groups of people left anywhere that get around 2 percent or less of their calories from omega 6? If so, are they really having heart health problems?

[@harryf1664]

Does this mean that we should have spoon of of fish oil when we eat grain fed animals (Poultry), grains, nuts, seeds and legumes on the days we don't we are not eating Wild Salmon/Sardines? I consume plenty of olive oil, ghee and macadamia so I'm assuming omega 7 & 9 are not an issue.

[@tomevers6670]

Yeah

[@timothylink4386]

I don't know if that's what this guy recommending, but I wouldn't use that approach. Eat less of the grain fed poultry, nuts and seeds. Adding some nuts and seeds here and there is fine. Don't make them a major source of calories. Include the sardines and other seafood in your diet. Don't add fish oil.

[@FinnishCommando]

​@@timothylink4386Why not fish oil if I might ask?

[@timothylink4386]

@@FinnishCommando Fish oil may be useful in some cases so I don't mean to totally dismiss it. I prefer to focus on natural sources like fish, kidney beans, leafy greens where it comes mixed with everything else it normally is. Seems like a safer bet overall to me.

[@nkoppa5332]

Does this factor that the American diet has an average of 1:27 omega 3s to omega 6s? Or linoleic acid has been tied to Alzheimer’s?

[@danielhoward4566]

1:27?

[@magne6049]

@@danielhoward45661 to 27 ratio, not a video timestamp.

[@danielhoward4566]

@@magne6049 Yes, I figured it wasn't a time stamp, just thought that maybe a 27 to 1 ratio seemed a little high? I have heard that 20 to one is the figure? If it is 27 to 1 then that is not good. 🙁

[@magne6049]

@@danielhoward4566ok, yeah, both are really high, imo. It's supposed to be 1:1 ?

[@danielhoward4566]

@@magne6049 Taken from a PubMed article: Several sources of information suggest that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of approximately 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1-16.7/1. Dr. Bill Harris says we should increase our omega-3 levels while not worrying about our omega--6 levels but what if our diet is really high in omega-6? I would think it would be hard to just increase our omega-3 level to match our omega-6 level.

[@whateverman2674]

you need omega 3 and 6. The ratio balance is important. ALSO, make sure your omega 6s are not high. You can have high omega 3 but not 6

[@GeneralGreevas]

Tell us the proper ratios

[@mrddcass6540]

The ratio idea is pure b.s. Both are healthy.

[@cecildison6788]

1 to 1 check out Dr. Eric Berg on TH-cam

[@mrddcass6540]

@@cecildison6788 dudes a quack

[@21MWTF]

@@cecildison6788 Not a real doctor nor evidence-based. 1 to 1 has no basis.

[@helloman5576]

​@@21MWTF true! But many certified people both vegan and non vegan doctors/specialist say that in the case of an autoimmune disease an low omega 6/3 ratio is beneficial. Also all our ancestors had a good ratio

[@bob-pq6kd]

All the oils that are GMO avoid them...

[@JohnK1409]

not true ..there could be!

[@magne6049]

2:14 of course you can also fix a bad omega6/omega3 _ratio_ by lowering omega6!? it's basic math

[@summonedskull98]

It's extremely difficult since almost everything had omega 6 in. But by finding foods with lots of omega 3s, its easier to fix the ratio. U r a dummy :)

[@Hendrixski]

Omega 3 has benefits for your heart, and if it's not dominant then omega 6 can be healthy, too. So it's not so much about lowering the ratio it's about increasing omega 3.

[@shrimperlincs3395]

If they are oxidised both are best avoided.

[@kidflersh7807]

well duh that applies to all unsaturateds.

[@shrimperlincs3395]

@@kidflersh7807 True, however some Unsaturated fats are particularly easy to oxidise.

[@popstone116]

Poorly done.

[@alfredrice4863]

All omega 6 are inflammatory

[@sectionalsofa]

not GLA

[@SF-sl7fi]

@@sectionalsofa gla?

[@sectionalsofa]

@@SF-sl7fi Yes, as in black currant oil.

[@limitisillusion7]

Prove it. Where's the study?

[@Eagle_Delta]

@@limitisillusion7 9 HODE, 13 HODE & 4 HNE go do the research