One of the visually beneficial aspects of omega-3 fish oil is vibrant, youthful looking skin. So what is the connection between omega-3's and healthy skin? One of the main reasons behind this correlation is how omega-3 affects blood vessels and the blood vessel supply in a positive way. You are only as old as your blood vessels. The more omega-3 you have in your diet, the more blood supply you have to the skin and the healthier your skin will look.

Omega-6, another form of omega's that we get from animal sources that is very prevalent in our diets, is pro inflammatory. These omega's are devastating because they cause inflammatory reactions and these reactions can take place both in the skin and other places in your body.

This inflammation manifests itself on the skin with blemishes and becomes aggravated from sun exposure. We continuously create conditions of inflammation that our bodies must fight to heal. We can modulate the inflammation with omega-3's. By keeping the blood vessels and the capillaries to the skin more open and with a better blood supply, we have better skin.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition that affects between two and three percent of people. An estimated 7.5 million Americans and about 150 million people worldwide suffer from this disease. Patients with psoriasis have redness, plaques and scales that affect the skin. Depending on the person, the area affected may be small or very large. The usual symptoms are itching and burning of the skin. Between 10 and 30 percent of patients also go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, another condition where inflammation plays a major role.

There are studies showing that fish oil can reduce the symptoms of psoriasis. In one study, 28 patients were divided into two groups. One received 10 capsules of fish oil, while the other took 10 capsules of olive oil. After just eight weeks, there was a "significant lessening of itching, erythema (redness), and scaling in the treatment group" and no change in the olive oil group. There was also a trend toward an overall decrease in body surface area affected.

Atopic dermatitis is another inflammatory skin condition. It is also called eczema. The word dermatitis means skin inflammation. Atopic has to do with allergy but without direct contact with the substance that causes the allergic reaction. For example, poison ivy can cause dermatitis or skin inflammation after a direct contact. Atopic dermatitis is caused by airborne substances that you inhale or by food that you eat, none of which have direct contact with the skin. People with atopic dermatitis are more likely to have other allergies, from hay fever to asthma. In an acute form of atopic dermatitis (flare or exacerbation), the skin becomes red and extremely itchy. Vigorous scratching usually creates swelling, cracking, and a "weeping" of clear fluid. As the activity declines, there may be crusting and scaling. In some people the skin may look almost normal between the flare -ups. It is more common in children, but affects about one to two percent of adults, some severely. Omega-3 acids would be expected to have a beneficial effect on eczema because of their anti-inflammatory activity and studies tend to confirm that.

In one such study, patients with eczema were taking either 10 grams of fish oil or olive oil for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, there was a considerable reduction in scaling, itching and overall severity of the disease. Acne, pimples, and other skin imperfections tend to clear up in people who take fish oil supplements. Even if you do not have any skin problems, taking fish oil will make your skin healthier, smoother, and better looking. Because the skin is a very metabolically active organ, with new cells forming every day, it is especially important to have the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 acids in order to create the correct balance between the inflammatory prostaglandins and the anti-inflammatory ones. Too much omega-6 and the inflammation will dominate, causing redness, dry skin, itching, and so on. Add omega-3's to your diet and your skin will thank you.

For almost two decades, Stephan Karian has been a health and nutrition expert dedicated to helping people achieve optimum vitality through nutrition and healthy lifestyle. He has appeared on hundreds of television and radio stations throughout North America. For a FREE download of his groundbreaking 240 page health book, ANTI-AGING AND YOU, go to www.stephankarian.com/book.

View the original article here