Does Tuna Have a Lot of Omega 3?

You’ve heard it for years, “Get more omega-3.” Healthcare providers and nutritionists alike have touted the benefits of omega-3 and encouraged people with compromised cardiovascular health to increase their daily dose of this essential fatty acid. 

While omega-3 definitely has health benefits, it is often best obtained from dietary sources rather than through a fish oil supplement. In supplement form, omega-3 fish oil is prone to oxidation and going rancid, which is not ideal. One way to safely increase your omega-3? Eating more fatty fish like tuna. 

We’ll talk about the benefits (and detriments) of omega-3 and how tuna compares to other omega-3 sources. We’ll also discuss a newly discovered essential fatty acid that offers more benefits and is safer than the purest and most effective form of omega-3. 

Omega 3: What To Know

Omega-3 fatty acids were discovered over 90 years ago by Mildred and George Burr who found that removing these fatty acids was essential to maintaining our health. We now know that there are lots of omega-3 fatty acids, although the three main types are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). 

Of these, only ALA is recognized as essential, meaning we must get ALA through our diet because our bodies are unable to make it. Although not officially essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA do have health benefits. Most studies support that the heart health benefits of omega-3 are linked to pure EPA, explicitly without DHA. Finally, most studies support that obtaining omega-3 through your diet is the best way to achieve its benefits. 

How Much Omega-3 Do I Need?

Omega-3 can support cardiovascular health and is important for the healthy development of the brain and eyes in babies and children. Omega-3 also integrates into cell membranes to help maintain the flexibility of our cells. However, because it is polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that are liquids at room temperature, having too many PUFAs in our cell membranes can make them fragile and susceptible to lipid peroxidation and breakdown. 

Omega-3 deficiency is extremely rare in the U.S. because we have access to foods that contain this nutrient. That said, if you avoid eating foods high in omega-3s like fish, you may not be getting enough omega-3 in your diet.

How Much Omega-3 Does Tuna Contain?

The best sources of omega-3 are oily fish. Although tuna is not considered oily fish, it does contain some omega-3. It is also low in mercury, but still not the best choice if you are pregnant or avoiding mercury in your fish consumption. 

Compared to other fish-based sources of omega-3, tuna has .73 grams of DHA and EPA per serving. Tuna does not contain ALA. In fact, most fresh fish do not contain ALA. Instead, plant-based sources like flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are the best options for ALA. 

Salmon and herring contain the highest amounts of omega-3 and are very low in mercury. Adding a few servings of these fish to your weekly menu can increase your omega-3 levels healthfully and allow you to avoid taking a fish oil supplement. 

The Truth About Fish Oil Supplements

Fish oil supplements are the go-to solution for people attempting to increase their omega-3 levels without actually eating more dietary sources of omega-3. Unfortunately, there are some issues with omega-3 fish oil capsules that may make them a bad option for you.

Rancidity

Because omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is liquid at room temperature, it is subject to oxidation. This means it can go rancid inside capsules just like cooking oil goes rancid on your shelves. 

An independent study found that one out of 10 bottles of fish oil supplements on store shelves contained rancid fish oil. Additionally, other studies have found that up to 50% of fish oil supplements have oxidation levels above international safety standards. If the oil is rancid in the capsules, it will be rancid in your body. 

Fishy Taste

Most fish oil supplements contain a blend of fish oils that are responsible for the fishy aftertaste and odor. Even so-called “burpless” blends are known to still leave a little fishy essence behind once you’ve swallowed them. For some, the sheer taste alone makes fish oil capsules a solid no-go.

Dangerous Side Effects

For all its health benefits, omega-3s do have side effects that you should be aware of. Too much omega-3 can lead to thinning of the blood, bruising easily, low blood pressure, and excessive bleeding if an injury were to occur. 

Recently published science shows that having too many omega-3 fatty acids in our cell membranes can weaken them and lead to lipid peroxidation in our cells, which can lead to poor liver and heart health.

On the positive side, a new essential fatty acid has been recently discovered that has been shown to have more clinically relevant benefits than omega-3 and is safer for your cells. And because it doesn’t come from fish, it won’t leave you feeling fishy. 

C15:0: The New Fatty Acid on the Block

Nearly a decade after the discovery of the omega fatty acids, another fatty acid was discovered by a team of researchers studying longevity in bottlenose dolphins. These researchers found that dolphins that had a higher level of C15:0 had fewer occurrences of age-related illness than other dolphins. 

They took their research further, and published their findings in 2020. As it turns out, humans can receive the same benefits from C15:0 as the dolphins. 

What Is C15:0 and How Does It Work?

C15:0 is an odd-chain essential fatty acid that has been shown to be better, broader, and safer than the purest, highest-performing form of omega-3. 

C15:0 works by: 

• Strengthening cellular membranes. C15:0 is a sturdy fatty acid that armors our cell membranes against age-related breakdown. Studies have shown that pure C15:0 improves cellular strength by 80%.
• Clearing damaged cells. C15:0 activates AMPK, which helps to clear out damaged cells.
• Regulating inflammatory response. C15:0 significantly calms and lowers proinflammatory cytokines, a key driver of aging.
• Rescuing energy-generating pathways. C15:0 repairs mitochondrial function, increasing our cell’s energy output and decreasing damaging reactive oxygen species by 45%.
• Increasing cellular energy. C15:0 has been shown to generate significant cell-energy (aka ATP) power. In one peer-reviewed study, C15:0 was shown to increase ATP levels in cells by 350%.
• Activating AMPK. C15:0 restores cellular and whole-body homeostasis, regulates glucose uptake, and calms our immune systems.
• Activating PPARɑ and PPARẟ receptors. By activating these receptors, C15:0 has been shown in peer-reviewed studies to support metabolic, immune, heart, and liver health in relevant models. These receptors also help to improve mood and deepen sleep.

C15:0 also helps lower “bad“ LDL cholesterol, has been shown to improve liver enzymes, and improves the gut Microbiome. Researchers have even noted that it targets six out of the 12 hallmarks of aging. 

C15:0 vs. Omega-3

In studies, omega-3 paled when compared to C15:0. When 12 different cell types were tested (including heart, blood vessel, and lung cells), C15:0 was found to have 26 more dose-responsive health benefits than the purest and most effective form of omega-3. 

C15:0 was also found to repair more cell types than omega-3. Lastly, C15:0 was found to be safe for all 12 cell types, while omega-3 was toxic to four of them, including lung and blood vessel cells. 

Hands down, C15:0 was a better and broader-reaching fatty acid than omega-3, which means it is important to make sure we are getting plenty of it inside our bodies. 

Are You Deficient in C15:0?

C15:0 is primarily found in full-fat dairy products. Dietary guidelines issued in the 1970s told us all to avoid fat (of any kind) to improve our heart health. As such, an entire generation has been raised on fat-free milk and low-fat dairy products, which contain much lower amounts of C15:0.

Further, the push toward plant-based milk has reduced our consumption of C15:0 even further. Notably, plant-based milk is completely devoid of C15:0. Newly published science supports that having too low levels of C15:0 in our cells can weaken them and lead to Cellular Fragility Syndrome.

What Is Cellular Fragility Syndrome?

A groundbreaking research article was recently published about a newly discovered nutritional deficiency syndrome known as Cellular Fragility Syndrome, which is caused by C15:0 deficiency. It is an important finding because nutritional insufficiency syndromes are rarely uncovered (think Vitamin C and scurvy) and when identified can be easily prevented and treated.

Insufficient amounts of C15:0 can lead to fragile cells and start a process known as ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a type of cell death that can result in accelerated aging and poor metabolic, liver, and heart health.

On the bright side? This study, validated by the peer-review process and published in the scientific journal Metabolites, shows that fixing C15:0 deficiencies reinforces cells, counteracts ferroptosis, decelerates cellular aging, and can improve our metabolic, liver, and heart health. 

How To Know if You Are Deficient

The only way to know for certain is by ordering the fatty15 C15:0 at-home test or having your doctor perform a blood test. Additionally, you can determine the result of increasing your C15:0 levels by monitoring your complete blood count, fasting lipid panel, and liver enzymes.

C15:0 levels should be above 0.2% of your total fatty acids to prevent nutritional deficiencies and Cellular Fragility Syndrome. It’s worth noting that in blue zones (where people consistently live to be 100), C15:0 levels usually measure between 0.4% and 0.6% of total fatty acids.

Getting More C15:0

We need more C15:0, but increasing our intake of whole dairy products may not be the ideal solution for getting more C15:0 into our bodies. Whole dairy packs a wallop of calories, excess sugars (from lactose), and there are higher levels of unhealthy fats that are consistently associated with negative health outcomes. A solution? 

Fatty15. 

Fatty15 is the first and only supplement that contains the pure, vegan version of C15:0 known as FA15™. Taking fatty15 once per day is enough to elevate your circulating levels of C15:0 and strengthen your cells. Fatty15 has been clinically proven to prevent and treat nutritional C15:0 deficiencies and support healthy liver function. 

Why a Supplement Is Better

There are a few reasons why taking a supplement to obtain this essential fatty acid may be beneficial. 

• First, it's made ready to absorb. In milk (and other foods), C15:0 is attached to branches of lipids called triacylglycerides, aka triglycerides. That means our gut has to use digestive enzymes to break down these triacylglycerides to release C15:0 as a free fatty acid. Once C15:0 is released, it is ready to be absorbed. These multiple steps can make our absorption of C15:0 from foods less efficient. In contrast, FA15 in fatty15 is our proprietary pure, powder C15:0 ingredient already in free fatty acid form. Less work for the gut, more good C15:0 for our bodies.
  
  
• It's not mixed with bad saturated fats. While the good C15:0 fatty acid is present in whole-fat dairy products in trace levels, there are much higher levels of 'bad' even-chain saturated fatty acids that continue to be associated with poorer health. Fatty15 provides just the good fat without the bad fats.
  
  
• It skips the cows and calories. Whole-fat dairy products provide a wallop of calories, including sugars (aka lactose), that also require cows. The movement to more plant-based milk and meat replacements is driven by a desire for more animal-free products, as well as a desire to veer from cows and cattle because of concerns around methane production. Interestingly, plant-based milk replacements lack C15:0 altogether. Fatty15 offers a vegan-friendly C15:0, with only one calorie per dose.

Fatty15 provides all the healthy C15:0 you need, with nothing you don’t. It’s an easy way to bolster your health, support your cells, and live a healthier life. 

Eat Tuna, Take Fatty

Your body needs both omega-3 and C15:0 to stay healthy. Taking fatty15 can help make sure your body is getting the C15:0 it needs to optimize your health and wellness.

Sources:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids & the Important Role They Play | Cleveland Clinic.org

How To Pick Fish High in Omega-3 and Low in Mercury | Cleveland Clinic.org

Revealed: many common omega-3 fish oil supplements are ‘rancid’ | The Guardian

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

A review of odd-chain fatty acid metabolism and the role of pentadecanoic Acid (c15:0) and heptadecanoic Acid (c17:0) in health and disease | PubMed

Effect of an Asian-adapted Mediterranean diet and pentadecanoic acid on fatty liver disease: the TANGO randomized controlled trial | ScienceDirect

Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0), an Essential Fatty Acid, Shares Clinically Relevant Cell-Based Activities with Leading Longevity-Enhancing Compounds | MDPI.com