Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid. Why is it essential though? Omega-3s are essential for health because they cannot be made by your body on its own, which is why you need to get this through diet & supplementation.

This essential fatty acid plays important roles in many bodily processes, including inflammation, heart health, and brain function. If you have a deficiency in omega-3, you may experience lower intelligence, depression, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and many other health problems.

We are going to breakdown Omega-3s to help you get the most out of your supplements.

We’ve also developed this great tool to help take the guesswork out of choosing the most effective omega-3 for you.

Take this quick 1-minute quiz to see what Omega-3 is right for you!

1) ALA - Alpha-linolenic Acid

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the most common omega-3 fatty acid in your diet. It is found in flaxseed oil, and in canola, soy, perilla, and walnut oils and needs to be converted into EPA or DHA before it can be utilized by your body for something other than energy.

As it turns out humans are not the greatest at converting the ALA and only a small percentage of ALA is converted into EPA — and even less into DHA

When ALA is not converted to EPA or DHA, it is simply stored or used as energy like other fats.

The main reason fish oil is being touted as an amazing health supplement is for the EPA and DHA, which is what you should be looking out for.

2) EPA - Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Your body uses eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to produce eicosanoids, and these eicosanoids can do wonders for your health, like reduce inflammation.

EPA could be the key to disease prevention as chronic, low-level inflammation is known to drive several common diseases. There are various studies which indicate that fish oil, which is high in EPA and DHA, may reduce symptoms of depression. One study in menopausal women noted that EPA reduced their number of hot flashes.

Both EPA and DHA are mostly found in seafood, including fatty fish and algae. For this reason, they are often called marine omega-3s. We believe to truly feel the benefits of omega-3s you should supplement, as getting the efficacious dose of EPA and DHA is nearly impossible to get from food alone. Buy the best high EPA omega-3 to ensure you are getting the quality you deserve.

Click here to find out if you are deficient in EPA.

3) DHA - Docosahexaenoic Acid

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an important structural component of your skin and the retinas in your eyes.

Fortifying baby formula with DHA leads to improved vision in infants and is also vital for brain development and function in childhood, as well as brain function in aging adults. If you of your child suffers from a DHA deficiency early on in life it could be problems later on, such as learning disabilities, ADHD, and aggressive hostility.

A decrease in DHA in later life is also linked to impaired brain function and the onset of Alzheimer's disease. By including DHA in your diet later on in life you may experience positive effects on certain conditions, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

As mentioned above, DHA is found in high amounts in seafood, including fatty fish and algae. Grass-fed animal products also contain some DHA. In order to ensure that you are getting a high enough dosage, many doctors will recommend supplementing with a quality high potency DHA supplement.

Want to find out what Omega-3 Supplement is perfect for you? Take the quiz below!