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Dear Mr. Morgenthaler,
Sun City, AZ
Praise for Oxnard, CA
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Omega Advantage™
Does flax oil provide the same omega-3s as fish oil? If you’re a vegetarian you can get your omega-3s from flaxseed oil. But according to a study done at the National Institutes of Health, you have to take a lot more flaxseed oil to get anywhere near the amount of EPA you need for optimal health. 1. Pawlosky, Robert J. Physiological compartmental analysis of alpha-linolenic acid metabolism in adult humans. Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 42, August 2001, pp. 1257-65. Good fats
• Omega-3s—Found in salmon, mackerel, cod, herring, rainbow trout, sardines or eel, fish oil supplements; freshly ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. • Monounsaturated fats—Found in olive oil, olives, peanut butter, nuts, and avocados. Monounsaturated fats may lower your risk of heart disease. • Coconut oil—A saturated fat that does not contain arachidonic acid. Fats that are bad in excessive amounts (reduce these) Bad fats to avoid as much as you can Diseases and symptoms linked to essential fatty acid deficiency include: • Cardiovasular disease
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Omega Advantage™
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Protect Your Heart, Your Brain
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Supports normal blood lipids
According to Julian Whitaker, M.D., best-selling author of Shed 10 Years in 10 Weeks, fish oil can help prevent heart attack and stroke by discouraging the formation of blood clots. He cites research showing that the regular consumption of fish oil can also reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and states, “I have observed triglyceride levels in my patients fall from over 1,000 to less than 200, simply by supplementing with fish oil.”12
Not long ago, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued a recommendation that all Americans should obtain more fish and plant oils in their diets (Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, Nov. 18, 2002). The AHA specifically suggests that individuals with heart disease get at least 1 gram of fish oil daily and that people with elevated triglycerides get 2 grams to 4 grams of fish oil daily. The research committee suggests that individuals with heart disease consider taking fish oil supplements if they cannot obtain enough in their diets.
Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D, lead author of the report, said that “Omega-3 fatty acids are not just good fats; they affect heart health in positive ways. They make the blood less likely to form clots that cause heart attacks and protect against irregular heartbeats that cause sudden cardiac death.”
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The report says that people who have elevated triglycerides may need 2 to 4 grams of EPA + DHA per day provided as a supplement. Even the 1 gram/day dose recommended for patients with existing CVD may be more than can readily be achieved through diet alone, says Kris-Etherton. These people should consult their physician to discuss taking supplements to reduce heart disease risk. Patients taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from supplements should do so only under a physician’s care, since the FDA has noted that high intakes could cause excessive bleeding in some people.
“This is hopeful news as we have found that the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on heart disease risk is seen in relatively short periods of time,” Kris-Etherton says. “The research shows that all omega-3 fats have cardioprotective benefits, especially those in fish.”
Should you be concerned about contaminants in fish?
One of the biggest concerns with eating large amounts of omega-3 containing fish is the potential toxins they contain. Complicating this concern is the fact that farmed and wild-caught fish differ in their content of these undesirable compounds. Different species of fish differ dramatically in their mercury content. Scientific and medical concern over the potential toxic effects of mercury in fish has even caused scientists and government agencies to urge women of childbearing age to limit their fish intake to less than two servings a week.1 While concern over the effects of elevated mercury levels on child development is certainly justified, the long term effects of mercury from fish on the rest of the population has not been adequately studied to define a truly safe intake of fish.
Since most people have tried to increase their fish intake for the omega-3 fatty acids they contain, the obvious question is whether fish oil supplements are also potential sources of mercury and toxins. The good news is that recent studies done by scientists at the Harvard Medical School have shown that high quality fish oil supplements contain extremely low levels of mercury and other toxins. In the case of mercury, high quality fish oil supplements were found to contain negligible to non-detectable levels of mercury contamination.2 The authors of this study concluded that, “The fish oil brands examined in this manuscript have negligible amounts of mercury and may provide a safer alternative to fish consumption.”
There has also been concern that fish oil supplements may contain dangerous levels of PCB’s and organochlorine pesticides. Research has shown that high quality fish oil supplements contain non-detectable levels of these common environmental toxins.3
This is an important finding, since neither farm-raised nor wild fish are free from these toxins. These researchers stated that, “Fish oil supplements are more healthful than the consumption of fish high in organochlorines. Fish oils provide the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without the risk of toxicity.”
This is certainly good news, since fish oil supplements don’t seem to have the organic toxins and mercury that is contained in fish. However, you should remember that only high purity, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplements can deliver significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids without the toxins and mercury found in fish. Lower quality, inexpensive fish oil supplements may not give the same benefits or be free from dangerous contaminants.
- Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB. Fish intake, contaminants, and human health: evaluating the risks and the benefits. JAMA. 2006 Oct 18; 296(15): 1885-99.
- Foran SE, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB. Measurement of mercury levels in concentrated over-the-counter fish oil preparations: is fish oil healthier than fish? Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2003 Dec;127(12):1603-5.
- Melanson SF, Lewandrowski EL, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB. Measurement of organochlorines in commercial over-the-counter fish oil preparations: implications for dietary and therapeutic recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids and a review of the literature. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005 Jan;129(1):74-7.
Fish oil reduces the risk of sudden death in patients who have recently suffered a heart attack
A group of Italian researchers reported in 1999 that supplementation with fish oil reduces the mortality among patients who have survived a first heart attack. Their study involved over 11,000 heart attack survivors who supplemented with 1 gram/day of fish oil (580 mg of EPA and 290 mg of DHA) for 3.5 years.13
The researchers re-analyzed their data five years later in order to determine how the fish oil exerts its protective effects. After just three months of supplementation with fish oil, there was a noticeable difference. The reduction in the incidence of sudden cardiac death accounted for about 57 percent of the total improvement in mortality rates. At the end of the study 2.7 percent of the placebo group participants had died from sudden cardiac death as compared to only 2.0 percent in the fish oil group.
Overall, cardiovascular death (including stroke) at the end of the study was 6.5 percent in the placebo group versus 5.5 percent in the fish oil group. The researchers concluded that fish oils exert their protective effect by regulating the electrical activity of heart muscle cells, stabilizing them so they are resistant to arrhythmias.14, 15
Your brain needs DHA
You’ve heard that fish is brain food—here’s why. DHA is the major unsaturated fat in the brain. This long-chain fatty acid provides the necessary fluid quality to the membranes of the nerve cells so that electrical nerve impulses can flow easily along the circuits of the brain.
But when the brain has low DHA levels, the production of prostaglandins—important regulators of nerve impulses—is destabilized. Consequently, inflammatory prostaglandins build up in the brain, similar to the irritating prostaglandins that cause problems in the joints and digestive tract.
According to Donald O. Rudin, M.D. and Clara Felix, authors of The Omega-3 Phenomenon (Rawson Associates, 1987), “In a susceptible person, the same process that causes spasms in the bowel may trigger spasms of irrational fears, panic, or rage when his or her brain is similarly affected. It may also trigger irrational feelings of euphoria. We may view mental illness as an ‘irritable brain syndrome,’ a cousin of irritable bowel syndrome, irritable esophageal syndrome, irritable ear syndrome (tinnitus and Meniere’s syndrome), and so on,” write the authors.
More recently, low DHA levels have also been linked to low brain serotonin levels, which again are connected to an increased tendency to depression, suicide, and violence. A high intake of fish has also been linked to a significant decrease in age-related memory loss and cognitive function impairment, and to lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.16,17,18 One study found that Alzheimer’s patients given an omega-3-rich supplement experienced a significant improvement in the quality of their life.19
Another study, in the April 18, 2007 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that supplementation with omega-3 may help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s as people age.
The researchers at the University of California, Irvine, found that DHA slowed accumulation of tau, a protein that leads to the development of neurofibrillary tangles, one of the two signature brain lesions of Alzheimer’s.
The researchers also found that DHA reduced levels of the protein beta amyloid, which can clump in the brain and form plaques, another kind of lesion associated with Alzheimer’s.20
Omega-3 enhances mood
Several studies have established a clear association between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and depression. Other studies have shown that countries with a high level of fish consumption have fewer cases of depression. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have successfully used fish oil supplementation to treat bipolar disorder, and British researchers report encouraging results in the treatment of schizophrenia.21,22,23,24,25,26
Ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby with plenty of omega-3s
An adequate intake of DHA and EPA is particularly important during pregnancy and lactation. During this time the mother must supply all of the baby’s needs for DHA and EPA because the baby is unable to synthesize these essential fatty acids itself. 70 percent of the brain’s gray matter is made up of fats and DHA makes up 15 to 20 percent of the cerebral cortex and 30 to 60 percent of the retina, so it is absolutely necessary for normal development of the fetus and baby.
There is some evidence that an insufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of premature birth and an abnormally low birth weight. The drain on a mother’s DHA reserves can easily lead to a deficiency and some researchers believe that preeclampsia (pregnancy-related high blood pressure) and postpartum depression could be linked to a DHA deficiency. Experts recommend that women get at least 500-600 mg of DHA every day during pregnancy and lactation … and the easiest way to ensure this intake is to take a good fish oil supplement daily!27,28,29,30,31
Omega-3s may help ADHD
There is emerging evidence that low levels of omega-3 acids are associated with hyperactivity in children.32,33,34
• British researchers reported in the February, 2002, issue of Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry that learning-disabled children with symptoms of dyslexia and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) may behave better and improve their cognitive skills when their diets are supplemented with fish oils.
Lowers risk of asthma in children
Researchers at the University of Sydney have found that children who regularly eat fresh, oily fish have a four times lower risk of developing asthma than children who rarely eat such fish. EPA may prevent the development of asthma or reduce its severity by reducing airway inflammation and responsiveness. Researchers at the University of Wyoming have found that supplementation with 3.3 grams/day of fish oil markedly reduces breathing difficulties and other symptoms in asthma patients.35 ,36 ,37
Eat lots of fish … or take
fish oil supplements!
It’s clear that the omega-3 fatty acids are vital to health. If you want to increase your omega-3 fatty acids, you need to make a commitment to eat salmon, mackerel, cod, herring, rainbow trout, sardines, or eel every day! Or, use a high quality fish oil supplement.
How much do you need?
The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish at least twice a week. But Dr. Barry Sears recommends up to 2,500 mg EPA and DHA (omega-3s) every day. (EPA + DHA = 2,500 mg). It’s important to note, however, that only 5 to 20 percent of the fatty acids in fish oil are a combination of EPA + DHA. The rest of the fatty acids in fish oil are saturated fats.
If you only eat fish 2-3 times per week and you want a 2:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats, you would have to eat unbelievably small amounts of omega-6 fats. It would be difficult. Plus many conditions require more omega-3 than that. Sears (and many others) recommend a maintenance level of 2,500 mg (EPA + DHA). A 3.5-ounce can of sardines has 1.4 grams, or 1,400 mg of EPA + DHA and a 3.5-ounce serving of salmon has 1.1 grams or 1,100 mg, although a large serving of salmon probably has 2,500-3,000 mg. So every day, you would either need to eat two cans of sardines or a large portion of salmon. Of course, Japanese fishermen eat that much fish and Eskimos eat much more. It is possible to get 2,500 mg of EPA and DHA with fish, without taking fish oil capsules, but if you do, you would be eating almost nothing but fish.
How much DHA and EPA are in fish oil?
The amount of fish oil used in much of the research that has been done provided 3 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids. This amount is usually found in 10 grams of fish oil. To calculate how much omega-3 fatty acid is contained in a fish oil supplement, add together the amounts of EPA and DHA. For example, a typical 1,000 mg capsule of fish oil provides 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA (total omega-3 fatty acids=300 mg). Ten of these capsules contain 3,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. However, you can find quality fish oil supplements containing higher doses of EPA and DHA.
Safety precautions
Eating fresh fish every day used to be the best way to get high-quality fish oil. Not only is that difficult for most of us living in the U.S., much of the fish now found in the oceans, lakes, and streams contain dangerously high levels of mercury and other toxins.
The health risks of ingesting these toxins may outweigh the benefits of getting omega-3s … since we’d have to eat a lot more fish than may be considered safe.
Supplementing your diet with high quality fish oil capsules is the next best thing to relying on fresh fish. Just be sure that you take a high-quality, fresh product. Check the expiration date on the bottle, and cut open a capsule and taste the oil. If it tastes and smells like fish that’s gone bad, don’t eat it! It is rancid oil. Even the best oil will be fishy and oily but will not have that sharp, bitter, fishy smell of rancid fish oil. Unfortunately, most fish oil supplements are not high quality, so you shouldn’t trust anything from a grocery or discount store.
Conclusion
Research on omega-3s has come a long way, and undoubtedly there are many more exciting discoveries to be made. In the near future, we’ll be learning more about the mechanisms of how they work, and specifically their impact on gene expression, protein expression, and other processes in the body. In the meantime, we can rely on the thousands of studies indicating the immense benefits that omega-3 fatty acids provide … and obtain some of those benefits by eating fish every day, or supplementing our diets with fish oil capsules. It’s probably safe to say that omega-3 just may be the most important single dietary supplement you can take.
Caution: People with clotting disorders or who are taking prescription blood thinners should not take omega-3 supplements unless prescribed by a physician.
How to get a healthy balance of the right fats
The average American person gets an excess of omega-6s from processed foods, margarine, and vegetable oils. Also, many factors of our modern lifestyle hamper our body’s ability to convert omega-6’s Linoleic Acid into the beneficial derivative GLA, including consumption of sugar, alcohol, saturated fats and trans-fatty acids, diabetes, aging, stress, and prescription medications. Insufficient quantities of zinc, magnesium, and vitamins B6, C, and niacin also slow the process.
At the same time, we get very little of the omega-3s: ALA, EPA and DHA. Make sure you get a healthy balance of the right fats by:
- Increasing your EPA and DHA intake. Eat more fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna. If you don’t eat fish, take an omega-3-rich fish oil supplement. If you’re a vegetarian take several tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily.
- Cutting down your Linoleic Acid intake. Eat less processed food, margarine, and vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower oils.
- (But make sure you get 9-18 grams of good quality Linoleic Acid per day. One Tbs. of sunflower oil should do this but make sure the label does NOT say “high monounsaturated sunflower oil.” You want ordinary sunflower oil, which is mostly polyunsaturated.)
- Cutting down your arachidonic acid-containing saturated fat intake. Eat less fatty red meats, high-fat dairy products such as whole milk, and deep-fried foods.
References:
- Connor, William E. “Do the Omega-3 fatty acids from fish prevent deaths from cardiovascular disease,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 66:188-189, 1997.
Abstract
- Lou J, et al. Dietary (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids improve adipocyte insulin action and glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant rats: relation to membrane fatty acids. J Nutr. 1996:126(8):1951-1058.
Abstract
- Borkman M, et al. Effects of fish oil supplementation on glucose and lipid metabolism in NIDDM. Diabetes. 1989:38(10):1314-1319.
Abstract
- Simopoulos AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention-management of cardiovascular disease. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1997:75(3);234-239.
Abstract
- Connor, William E. Importance of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), January 2000, pp. 171S-75S.
- Ibid.
- Sears, Barry, Ph.D. The Zone, Harper Collins, pg.125. New York, NY, 1995.
- Reddy, B.S., Burrill, C. and Rigotty J. Effect of diets high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on initiation and postinitiation stages of colon carcinogenesis. Cancer Res. 51: 487-491, 1991.
Abstract
- Storlien, Leonard, M.D., “Skeletal muscle membrane lipids and insulin resistance,” Lipids 1996 31 (supplement): S-261-265.
- Isabelle M. Berquin, et al. “Modulation of prostate cancer genetic risk by omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids,” J. Clin. Invest. 117: 1866-1875.
Abstract
- Hu, Frank B., et al. Fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease in women. Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 287, April 10, 2002, pp. 1815- 21.
Abstract
- Whitaker J. Fish oil: a favorite therapy revisited. Health & Healing. 1999; 9(7):4-6.
- Marchioli, Roberto, et al. Efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids after myocardial infarction: results of GISSI-Prevenzione trial. Lipids, Vol. 36, Supplement 2001, pp. S119-S126.
Abstract
- Marchioli, Roberto, et al. Efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids after myocardial infarction: results of GISSI-Prevenzione trial. Lipids, Vol. 36, Supplement 2001, pp. S119-S126.
Abstract
- Marchioli, Roberto, et al. Early protection against sudden death by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids after myocardial infarction: time-course analysis of the results of GISSI-Prevenzione. Circulation, Vol. 105, April 23, 2002, pp. 1897-1903.
Abstract
- Levine, Barbara S. Most frequently asked questions about DHA. Nutrition Today, Vol. 32, November/December 1997, pp. 248-49.
- Kalmijn, S., et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and cognitive function in very old men. American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 145, January 1, 1997, pp. 33-41.
Abstract
- Kalmijn, S., et al. Dietary fat intake and the risk of incident dementia in the Rotterdam Study. Annals of Neurology, Vol. 42(5), November 1997, pp. 776-82.
Abstract
- Yehuda, S., et al. Essential fatty acids preparation (SR-3) improves Alzheimer’s patient’s quality of life. International Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 87(3-4), November 1996, pp. 141-9.
- Kim N. Green, et al, “Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid and Docosapentaenoic Acid Ameliorate Amyloid-ß and Tau Pathology via a Mechanism Involving Presenilin 1 Levels” J. Neurosci. 2007 27: 4385-4395; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0055-07.2007.
Abstract
- Edwards, R., et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in the diet and in red blood cell membranes of depressed patients. Journal of Affective Disorders, Vol. 48, March 1998, pp. 149-55.
Abstract
- Hibbeln, Joseph R. Fish consumption and major depression. The Lancet, Vol. 351, April 18, 1998, p. 1213 (correspondence).
Abstract
- Hibbeln, Joseph R. and Salem, Norman. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and depression: when cholesterol does not satisfy. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, July 1995, pp. 1-9.
- Stoll, Andrew L., et al. Omega 3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 56, May 1999, pp. 407-12 and pp. 415-16 (commentary).
- Calabrese, Joseph R., et al. Fish oils and bipolar disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 56, May 1999, pp. 413-14 (commentary).
- Laugharne, J.D.E., et al. Fatty acids and schizophrenia. Lipids, Vol. 31 (suppl), 1996, pp. S163-S65.
Abstract
- Jensen, Craig L., et al. Effect of docosahexaenoic acid supplementation of lactating women on the fatty acid composition of breast milk lipids and maternal and infant plasma phospholipids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), January 2000, pp. 292S-99S.
Abstract
- Makrides, Maria and Gibson, Robert A. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid requirements during pregnancy and lactation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), 2000, pp. 307S-11S.
Abstract
- Cunnane, S.C., et al. Breast-fed infants achieve a higher rate of brain and whole body docosahexaenoate accumulation than formula-fed infants not consuming dietary docosahexaenoate. Lipids, Vol. 35, January 2000, pp. 105-11.
Abstract
- Carlson, S.E., et al. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and development of human infants. Acta Paediatr Suppl, Vol. 88 (430), August 1999, pp. 72-7.
Abstract
- Connor, William E., et al. Increased docosahexaenoic acid levels in human newborn infants by administration of sardines and fish oil during pregnancy. Lipids, Vol. 31 (suppl), 1996, pp. S183-S87.
Abstract
- Simopoulos, Artemis. Omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease and in growth and development. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 54, 1991, pp. 438-63.
- Mitchell, E.A., et al. Clinical characteristics and serum essential fatty acid levels in hyperactive children. Clin Pediatr (Phila), Vol. 26, August 1987, pp. 406-11.
Abstract
- Stevens, Laura J., et al. Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, No. 4, October 1995, pp. 761-68.
Abstract
- Hodge, Linda, et al. Consumption of oily fish and childhood asthma risk. Medical Journal of Australia, Vol. 164, February 5, 1996, pp. 137-40.
Absract
- Broughton, K. Shane, et al. Reduced asthma symptoms with n-3 fatty acid ingestion are related to 5-series leukotriene production. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 65, April 1997, pp. 1011-17.
Abstract
- Dry, J. and Vincent, D. Effect of a fish oil diet on asthma: results of a 1-year double-blind study. International Archives of Allergy and Applied Immunology, Vol. 95, No. 2/3, 1991, pp. 156-7.
Abstract
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