Could Omega 3 Help You Stay Healthy This Winter?

Now that we’re moving into the winter, there will be plenty of cold and flu bugs going around. There are a host of supplements you can take to help boost your immune system and increase your chances of staving off a nasty cold.

Commonly cited vitamins and minerals include vitamin C and zinc, but have you ever considered that your omega 3 levels could also be important in maintaining your immune system?

If not, then you’re probably not alone, but a recent survey by GrassrootsHealth Nutrient Research Institute found that your omega 3 levels could indeed help prevent you picking up a cold or the flu this winter.

The organisation found that, if you have a have an omega 3 index of at or above eight per cent, you’re 11 per cent less likely to get a cold. Meanwhile, the results when it comes to flu are even more striking. Those with an omega 3 index of less than eight per cent were much more likely to have experienced the flu in the past six months.

In fact, 38 per cent fewer people in the group with an omega 3 index of eight per cent or greater reported having the flu compared to the group with an omega 3 index of less than eight per cent.

“This preliminary analysis suggests that improving omega 3 status alone could reduce the risk of experiencing a cold or the flu,” the organisation stated.

However, it added that it would need to carry out further analysis after more participants had taken an omega 3 test, to “see if the results are statistically significant with a larger sample size and adjust for other biometric and lifestyle risk factors”.

It went on to detail some of the other supplements you should consider introducing to your diet if you want to boost your immune system at this time of year. Knowing your vitamin D levels, as well as your magnesium levels, is recommended.

Green Med Info recently shared advice on some of the most useful supplements for staving off colds and the flu in the winter.

Vitamin C was at the top of the list, with the site pointing out that if you take 500mg of vitamin C a day, you are 66 per cent less likely to catch a cold than when you take a placebo dose of 50mg.

Zinc is another essential mineral but this time in terms of helping your body fight off a cold. It cited a number of pieces of research that reveal taking zinc lozenges at the right dose can reduce the length of time you have a cold by nearly three days.

Echinacea has long been cited as a cold remedy, with a study on its effectiveness suggesting it both prevents and cures colds more quickly. The double-blind study followed two groups, one of whom were given echinacea every day for four months, and one that received a placebo.

The group who were given echinacea caught 149 colds lasting a total of 672 days. By contrast, the placebo group caught 188 colds that lasted a total of 850 days.

If you’re looking for omega 3 vegan supplements to introduce to your diet, browse our range of products today to find what you need to boost your health and immune system.