It has long been known that our emotions and mood largely depend on the “biochemistry” in the body. For example, this is often associated with unreasonable emotions, that is, emotions that arise without reason. For example, a person may experience sadness, fear or joy, as they say, “out of the blue”. The chemistry of our brain is influenced by various factors, including even the foods we eat or do not eat. For example, scientists previously discovered that aggression and antisocial behavior can occur due to a lack of nutrition, which is associated not with a feeling of hunger, but with a lack of certain substances. In a recent study, scientists were able to discover which substance reduces aggression – it is available as a food supplement.
Contents
- 1 Which supplement reduces aggression
- 2 Which type of aggression does fatty acids reduce
- 3 Why fatty acids make people kinder
- 4 What foods contain omega-3 fatty acids
- 5 Harmful effects of omega-3 on health
Which supplement reduces aggression
It is no secret to scientists that omega-3 fatty acids affect a person’s psycho-emotional state. Previously, these acids were even associated with the prevention of schizophrenia. Therefore, employees of the University of Pennsylvania, relying on earlier studies, decided to establish an exact link between omega-3 and aggression.
The meta-analysis, or review of previous studies, included 29 studies involving a total of nearly four thousand people. The studies were conducted between 1996 and 2024 and lasted an average of 16 weeks. They included a variety of demographic groups — men and women, children under 16, and adults up to 60.
The analysis showed that omega-3 fatty acids really do reduce aggression, and quite effectively — by almost 30 percent. And most importantly, this effect does not depend on age, gender, or the presence of certain diseases in a person.
What Type of Aggression Do Fatty Acids Reduce
There are two types of aggression: reactive, which occurs in response to a provocation (for example, another person steps on your foot) and proactive, which is aggressive behavior that a person plans in advance. Until recently, it was not fully known whether omega-3 affects both types of aggression.
According to the authors of the study, published in the journal Aggression and Violent Behavior, fatty acids have the same effect on both types of aggression. Therefore, scientists recommend that parents include omega-3 in the diet of children who are excessively aggressive.
Why Fatty Acids Make People Kinder
Unfortunately, there is no exact answer to this question yet. To finally confirm the relationship and establish its causes, larger-scale studies will be required. Moreover, they need to be conducted over longer periods of people's lives. However, scientists are already making some assumptions.
It is known that omega-3 fatty acids are able to reduce inflammatory processes and also support vital brain processes. Perhaps this is the reason for the decrease in aggression. Of course, there are still many more questions than answers. However, according to the authors of the work, they have already received enough evidence to continue research in this direction.
What foods contain omega-3 fatty acids
The most popular food supplement containing omega-3 fatty acids is fish oil, which was extremely popular in the USSR. Those who lived through the Soviet era probably remember how children were forced to take fish oil “to improve their health.”
As for foods, as you might guess, the most omega-3 is found in fatty fish, such as Atlantic mackerel and herring. There is also a large amount of omega-3 in anchovies, capelin, sardines, tuna, trout, and other types of fatty fish.
In addition, you can replenish your omega-3 reserves by including fish eggs, squid, oysters, mussels and shellfish in your diet. Of course, these products are not the cheapest, so not everyone can afford to eat them every day. However, there are more affordable products with a higher content of fatty acids. First of all, this includes flaxseed oil – it even has more omega-3 than salmon and mackerel. In fact, it consists of 49% of this substance.
Also, walnuts and, of course, flax seeds compete with many types of fish in terms of omega-3 content. Also, a fairly large amount of fatty acids is found in chicken eggs, although significantly less than in fish and walnuts.
The harm of omega-3 to health
Omega-3 fatty acids can not only make people kinder, but also have a number of other beneficial properties. For example, previous studies have shown that fish oil-based drugs reduce the risk of fatal heart attacks, strokes, and other heart health problems. Therefore, adding omega-3 products or just fish oil to your diet can have many benefits.
Be sure to visit our Zen and Telegram channels, here you will find the most interesting news from the world of science and the latest discoveries!
But at the same time, do not forget that fish oil in some cases can be dangerous to health. For example, it increases the risk of diabetes. In addition, in some people it can cause arrhythmia. Read more about this at the link.