Fats & Fertility: Omega-6’s It’s Complicated

Written By Ann Spengler
Seeds & Nuts

We are in the second week on our journey to understanding why the “fear of fats” isn’t the black and white painted picture that has been hanging on our walls for decades. Last week I broke down some of the reasons I love omega-3’s for fertility. Today we will cover another type of fat, known as Omega-6. So grab a cup-o-tea and get settled in as we jump into this second blog on fats and fertility.

What are omega-6’s?:

  • Just like omega-3’s, omega-6’s are essential fatty acids, so must be obtained from the diet.

  • They fall into the polyunsaturated fatty acid category, meaning they have more than one point of unsaturation. 

  • Recall that “omega” refers to the first point of unsaturation from the methyl end. So for omega-6’s, the first double carbon bond will occur 6 “spaces” in.

  • Omega-6’s are precursors to biologically active eicosanoids that regulate inflammation, platelet aggregation and vasodilation.(1)

  • Omega-6’s typically are pro-inflammatory. (2)  

  • Omega-6’s are denoted as n-6.

Let’s Break it down:

At first glance, n-3 and n-6 seem quite similar. However, omega-6’s are tricky because the amount consumed and the source will make a difference in how your body responds. It’s not that omega-6’s are all bad, we need both n-3 and n-6, but you do need to pay attention to what type of n-6 you are getting from your diet. 

Where in the world are omega-6’s?

You want to have your n-6 sources come from whole-foods.  

These are:

  • Nuts                                                                               

  • Seeds

Tip: Nuts should be soaked or sprouted 

You don’t want to have your n-6 come from refined seed oils. 

These include:

  • Canola oil

  • Safflower oil 

  • Soybean oil 

  • Sunflower oil 

  • Rapeseed oil 

Clear, plastic bottles make oils go rancid, creating reactive oxygen species!

Unfortunately, the majority of our n-6 consumption comes from refined seed oils.(2) These oils are extracted by bleaching, deodorizing, and using a whole bunch of other chemical solvents in order to produce them.(3) Sounds pretty toxic, right? They can be found in pretty much any packaged foods and are the oils that fast food restaurants cook with, because they are cheap. I even saw canola oil as the second ingredient in a bone broth recently! What it comes down to is, source matters. Whole food sources of n-6 are fine to eat. But refined vegetable oil sources of n-6 are better left outside of your diet.

Omega-6 to omega-3 Ratio and why it matters:

There is a delicate balance between n-6:n-3 in our diet. Ideally, this ratio is somewhere in the range of 1:1-4:1. (4) However, thanks to our modern and industrialized food, the ratio has risen and is closer to 16:1. (5) Why does this matter? Because n-6 are pro-inflammatory and compete with n-3 in the body. (6) Don’t get me wrong, inflammation is absolutely necessary in an acute situation. But when this delicate ratio becomes so imbalanced that inflammation is no longer acute, but chronic, we start to see a lot of issues. (6) For your fertility, this imbalanced ratio and subsequent promotion of inflammation can really screw up your hormones. Let’s talk about how:

  • There are different reasons for sources of inflammation and they will be different depending on the person.

  •  Inflammation could be coming from infections, mold, or (for the purpose of today’s discussion) foods you eat that are aggravating, *cough, cough* refined vegetable oils. 

  • Remember refined vegetable oils are pro-inflammatory. 

  • First – inflammation produces cytokines (messengers) that float around in the blood. 

  • When cytokines make it to the brain, they wreak havoc on the hormonal “pulses” sent to the ovaries. This is a big deal because hormone signaling starts in the brain! 

  • Second – inflammation creates oxidative stress, which damages your mitochondria. (7) Healthy functioning mitochondria are key for healthy fertility. Our sex hormones are first made in the mitochondria! (8)

  • When our mitochondria function better, our eggs produce more energy which = better egg and embryo development. (9)  Who doesn’t want that when trying to conceive? 

Since we know inflammation has suppressive effects on fertility, finding your own contributors to inflammation could be key when preparing your body to conceive. An easy place to start is to look at where you might unknowingly be consuming sources of refined vegetable oils.

Other findings of fertility complications associated with higher n-6 consumption:

  • Leads to a surge in pro-inflammatory compounds, which are associated with preterm labor. (10) 

  • Inhibits synthesis of DHA: Remember the importance of this omega-3 fatty acid! (11) 

  • Places infants at higher risk for developmental delays. (12)  

  • Toxic chemicals called reactive oxygen species are created in the body when sources of omega-6’s, such as vegetable oils, are exposed to air, light or heated by cooking. Reactive oxygen species contribute to complications like: miscarriages and fetal growth restriction. (13) 

Why should you care about any of this if you aren’t planning to get pregnant now? Remember, preconception is all about ensuring your body has the nutrients it and your eventual growing baby will need. Essential fatty acid levels in babies have been found to mirror that of their mamas (14) and with trillions of cells in the human body (15), every single cell requires fat to make the cell walls. 

  • If your PUFA consumption primarily comes from refined vegetable oils, then it is these PUFAs that will be incorporated into the cell walls.

  •  Due to their instability and ability to spark inflammation, this can cause damage to reproductive organs. 

  • In addition, the brain, which is being formed from scratch during pregnancy, is 60% fat. (16) Where does the fat we need for every cell and your baby's developing brain come from? Our diet! 

So if we consume high-quality fat, our body will function better and you will be supplying your baby with the fats it needs to grow strong and healthy. So ladies, now is the time to double down on healthy fats!

Tips and Tricks:

  • A good place to start with eliminating refined vegetable oils is to stop cooking with them. As mentioned above they become even MORE toxic when they are exposed to heat and oxygen. Instead, reach for the grass-fed butter, ghee or even lard, yes lard! 

  • When using healthy oils (i.e avocado or olive oil), look for ones that come in a dark, glass bottle.

  • Soak or sprout your nuts!

  • Start reading ingredient labels! It's shocking to realize what’s actually in some of our so-called “healthy” options in the grocery store.

**Medical/Health Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or cure, by a doctor or other qualified health professional. Please always consult with your doctor or qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding your specific medical conditions or treatment plans. **

Ann Spengler
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Fats & Fertility: An Ode To Omega-3’s, Oh How We Love You For Fertility