Omega-9 Fatty Acid Benefits for Women
By Andrea Donsky | Fact Checked | Sources
If you’ve never heard of omega-9 fatty acids or are not familiar with their health benefits for women, we’re about to change that for you. So grab a cup of hot tea and take a few minutes to catch up.
What are omega-9 fatty acids?
Omega-9 fatty acids are part of a group of monounsaturated fats that are usually present in animal, vegetable, and nut fats, and oils. Unlike omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, omega-9s are not essential because they can be produced by the body from unsaturated fat.
Read about what you need to know about different types of omega fatty acids
Although there are technically eight omega-9 fatty acids, the two most important and common ones are oleic acid (almonds, cashews, macadamia oil, olive oil, safflower oil, avocadoes) and erucic acid (in mustard seed and rapeseed), with oleic acid being more prevalent.
How omega-9 fatty acids can benefit women’s health
Omega-9 fatty acid supplements may be helpful in a wide range of health challenges facing women, especially in the menopause and postmenopause years.
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Energy: Need an energy boost? Researchers evaluated the impact of a diet high in saturated fat with one low in saturated fat and high in omega-9 fatty acids among young adults. The study lasted three weeks. Those who consumed the high omega-9 diet showed an increase in physical activity when compared with those who consumed the saturated fat diet.
Moods: Mood swings and irritability are on the menopause symptom list, and omega-9s may be able to help. In a comparison study of a diet high in saturated fat compared with one low in saturated fat and high in omega-9 fatty acids, the participants in the omega-9 group showed less anger. The authors concluded that the ratio of saturated fat to omega-9 fat “appears to affect behavior.”
Read about 5 tips to help control mood swings
How to use omega-9 supplements
Although you can purchase omega-9 supplements, the fatty acids are best taken in combination: omega-3-6-7-9 formula. Oleic acid can be derived from a variety of sources, with organic macadamia nut oil being preferred. A typical dose is 400 mg daily, but consult your healthcare provider for the dose that best suits your needs.
Bottom line
The omega-9 fatty acids are an often overlooked healthy fat that can provide some health benefits for women in menopause and postmenopause. The most common form is oleic acid, which is found in some vegetable and nuts oils.
