The Omega-3 Fatty Acid for Men
Testosterone lowers DHA levels, so why do most fish oils short-change men on this vital fatty acid? Letโs fix that.
If you take fish oil, thereโs a good chance youโre using one better suited for women.
We all know that omega-3 fatty acids, or more specifically, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), play a big part in human health. While each fatty acid has its benefits, theyโre rarely taken individually. Instead, we take them together in supplements like fish oil.
Thereโs a problem, though. Even though fish oil supplements contain both DHA and EPA, all of them contain more EPA than DHA. Thatโs fineโฆ if youโre a female.
More Testosterone, Less DHA Production
The human body makes a lot of its own omega-3 fatty acids. We derive alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) mostly from plants and our body converts it to DHA and EPA.
However, women have a greater capacity to convert ALA to DHA than men do, and this conversion is largely determined by estrogen, the primary female sex hormone. A strong stimulus of estrogen causes a sharp increase in DHA production. Likewise, a sharp stimulus of testosterone causes a decrease in DHA production.
That means that men have much lower DHA blood and tissue values than women, despite taking in the same amount of ALA. DHA is particularly important because it plays a huge role in reducing blood pressure, increasing HDL (good cholesterol), and keeping the heartbeat in electrical rhythm. Men, of course, have a far greater incidence of heart disease than women (and presumably other inflammatory conditions). One of the reasons for this might well be their difference in blood and tissue DHA levels.
Whatโs needed is for men to get more DHA in their diet. Men need a fish oil supplement that considers their specific needs. Biotestโs Flameout (on Amazon) was designed with men in mind. It contains five times more DHA than EPA. Here are the amounts per 3-softgel dose:
But Can Women Still Use Flameout?
Flameout is still an excellent choice for women, but unlike other omega-3 supplements, it doesnโt leave the needs of men out of the equation.